The Second Analysis after the First Analyst's Death

WHEN I HEARD MY BUZZER SIGNAL that my next patient had arrived, my anxiety caused me to think a moment before letting her in. This patient was the result of an unusual and unfortunate situation. She was the patient of my friend and colleague, Dr. K, who was dying. Dr. K had asked me to see this particular patient and I had promised that I would.

Betty, had been Dr. K's first analytic patient and Dr. K had expressed a strong wish that I take over the treatment. She had requested, however, that I not tell Betty of her condition. Dr. K urged that I call Betty and arrange a consultation because she felt she had given too much of her energy and life to her patients. She now needed to use all of her energy to stay alive and felt that it sapped her strength to have any contact with her patients. So, I had called Betty, told her that I was doing so at the behest of Dr. K, who was ill and, since she would not be able to work for some time, believed it would be beneficial for Betty to talk with me. I offered an appointment which Betty readily accepted. At the time, I was filled with mixed emotions. My friend was dying. We had worked together for many years as part of a peer group. I had felt close enough to her both to visit her often in the hospital and to remain in close contact with her by telephone, trying to ease her struggle. But I also felt both anger and a sense of frustration because I sensed that taking a patient under these circumstances was going to be very difficult. I also believed that a request from a