NECROLOGY
Marlene Paulino dos Reis (*20/08/1942 - 12/12/2003)
During a recent trip to São Paulo I could remember in detail the 32 years I have shared the friendship of my colleague Dr. Marlene. Such remembrance was possibly motivated by the fact that I was driving alone by the same road, which would however take me to a happy destination. Time elapsed from her death is too short to prevent me to remember her every day - in our workplace, the tragic condition of her premature death and the not less tragic consequences of this fact, especially for her children and closest friends.
We have graduated from the School of Medicine, Ribeirão Preto, Marlene from 1964 to 1969 and myself from 1965 to 1970. During graduation we have never been close friends, probably due to course characteristics and students corporate spirit. In 1970, Dr. Marlene was resident in Anesthesiology in the Maternity of Campinas, by the time under responsibility of Prof. Alvaro Eugênio whom she greatly admired. Back to Ribeirão Preto, in 1971, I was starting my residency in Anesthesiology in the Hospital das Clínicas, Ribeirão Preto and we started working under supervision of Prof. Nicoletti who, in addition to being professor was a dear friend. As from this year we have become good friends, both in the workplace and in our private lives, following the growth of two children each one of us had had almost in the same day.
Dr. Marlene started her post-graduation course as soon as she started working in Ribeirão Preto, with Prof. Nicolleti as orienting professor, and has received her Master degree in 1973 and her Doctorate degree in 1977. Work was hard, both in the hospital and at home with small children, but productivity was high and her presence in Brazilian Meetings was constant and very fruitful.
After doctorate, in July 1978, Prof. Marlene went to the United Kingdom where she was fellow of the Anesthesiology Department, Welsh National School of Medicine, and of Royal PostGraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital. In 1980 she became a professor after approval in a public examination, FMRP-USP, and in 1986 she became associate professor in the same university.
Simultaneously to practice and teaching of Anesthesiology, Prof. Marlene has envisioned in 1982 a major field for work and humanitarian help, which was pain management. With huge effort she was able to start a Multidisciplinary Outpatient Setting for Pain Management, of which she was in charge until her death. Intelligent, proud, happy although with a strong personality which would easily make her explode in face of obstacles, such as carrying out activities she considered significant (especially in terms of clinically managing chronic pain patients), such as defending Anesthesiologists. In 1999, with the cooperation of Prof. Gabriela, she implemented the Specialization Course for Chronic Pain Management.
In recent months, after solving minor personal problems, she was happy and encouraged by new projects for the next years. The day of her death, she was at the seventh heaven because she was going to meet her dear daughter after an absence of almost one year. Since death is always unforeseeable and unavoidable, it should approach us without pain, without suffering and in state of grace. My friend Marlene has passed away happy.
Anita Leocádia de Mattos
Hospital das Clínicas, FMRP-USP
Ribeirão Preto, SP
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
26 Jan 2005 -
Date of issue
Dec 2004
