Despite the big-built and tough-looking appearance of most orthopaedic surgeons, I find that they are the gentlest type of doctors. Considering the problems that they have to deal with are usually bigger (think fractured femur), requires greater force (think reduction of fracture) and gruesome-r tools (think drills and saws), they are the gentlest when they talk and examine patients. I quite often see how rough doctors in the other specialties (which deal with body parts in need of a gentler manipulation) can be.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/732237?src=mp&spon=25&uac=141887BK
I really like this article. I have always liked Medscape's articles for Medical Students. Although I'm not yet a doctor, I do find myself bordering on the danger of losing my humanism sometimes. I talk to patients just for the sake of getting a case to present for ward round. I simply don't care. When I clerk them, I hear them but I don't LISTEN. I remember Dr Selim once asked us "What is the most important quality that a doctor needs?" The answer is, of course, HUMANITY.
(Ooo..you see the source of the journal below the title? American Academy of Emergency Medicine...How cool is that? Sigh...I wonder when will I get to affiliate my name with Emergency Medicine, like I belong there, in that team of EM Academy. I don't even dare tell people I would like to do EM in the future for fear that they would think "What! She, with her level of competency, thinks of doing EM?!" Sigh again...I have plenty to work hard for.)
I love Orthopaedics posting. For one, I'm back to doing the usual stuff; clerking patients and doing physical examination with the chance to do some procedures and observing surgeries. Unlike in ENT or Ophthalmology. Hehe..I'm so prejudiced against these 2 postings...more so against Ophthalmology. My worst nightmare would be getting posted to Opht Department during MO. I better start making backup plans now.
Orthopaedics has taught me to be more patient and more humane. Maybe because most patients are elderly patients, which requires a higher amount of patience and gentleness. Or maybe because all the patients are in so much pain that you really can't bear to speak any more harsher or act any more impatient towards them. Or maybe, no, this I'm sure of, Prof Shahril and all the orthopaedic surgeons are very concerned about patient's functionality and social history because as one specialist said "Orthopaedics is all about helping patients regain their previous functionality." By going in depth into patient's social history, you get to learn so much more about your patient as an individual, that he is just like you and me, the problems that they are facing just by being in the ward and the problems that they have to encounter after they are discharged. The thing about asking patient's social history, you need a moderate amount of rapport before you go into it so that they don't find you intrusive when you ask how much they earn a month or how are they paying for their current medical costs. In addition, by asking these questions, you get to build a good rapport with them as you convey the message that you are concerned about them, that is, provided you get past the first round without being treated as a busybody. So you see, rapport and asking social history is like a feedback loop.
Although I love orthopaedics, I don't see myself doing it in the future. There's just something about it that's not right for me. I don't know what. Maybe I'll find out why by the end of this posting.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Heal her, please...
I was supposed to submit my case write-up yesterday but I fell asleep the previous night and never woke up despite the hourly alarm, which I had set. Not surprisingly, the first word that escaped my mouth when I woke up was 'SHIT!'. I felt so panicky and worried. I was restless and fidgety the whole morning.
That angelic little girl stopped me in the midst of my internal turmoil and hastiness. She woke me up. This little girl was the patient I happened to clerk for ward round. As I was the last person to arrive, she was the last case left. Being the most difficult case (spinal cord injury + spinal shock + fracture of left midshaft of femur), she was naturally the remaining unclerked one. But I wasn't thinking clearly like I said and being late, I was just lucky to have found myself a case. I proceeded straight to take the history from her aunty. She was sleeping so soundly at that time. As her story unfolded, my barrier was immediately and subconsciously drawn up. What barrier you ask? Well, whenever I'm thrown warily or unwarily into a potentially- emotional situation, there's this innate barrier which I would somehow summon to numb myself, to stop myself from feeling anything.
She and her dad were involved in an accident 2 months ago and her dad passed away on the scene. They were on their way from Tawau to visit her brother in the hospital here. Her brother has been suffering from acute myeloid leukemia for a year. She sustained a spinal cord injury from the accident and will be paraplegic permanently. She is only 5. They live about 12 hours from KK. Her mum has to stay in Tawau to take care of her brother, who is already on palliative treatment now. When I asked her aunt if she asked constantly for her mum, her aunt told me "Tidak juga. Dia faham juga yang mamanya kena jaga abangnya. Dia faham bila saya terangkan kepadanya." And her aunt also mentioned that she was a very active child. WAS.
She had already awaken when we dropped by her room again later to discuss her case. She is such a sweet and beautiful little girl. She was doing physiotherapy and was actively playing with the physio ball with her hands. Was I still worried about my case write up? NO. Was I still thinking that it's the end of the world if I didn't finish my case write up that day? NO. Was I still as restless and fidgety? NO. Nothing else in my life matters. All my problems and worries appear mundane and petty next to hers.
I have stopped asking God why her. I have stopped asking God such questions long ago. Because it will only upset me and make me resent God when I don't get my answer. And for that matter, I have never gotten my answer so far. But yet I can’t stop myself… WHY, GOD? WHY HER? WHY A CHILD? WHY ANYONE, FOR THAT MATTER, HAS TO GO THROUGH SUCH A THING? YOU’RE OMNIPOTENT! CAN’T YOU STOP THE WORLD’S SUFFERINGS? CAN’T YOU PROTECT THE INNOCENT? YOU CAN! BUT, WHY ARE YOU NOT?
That angelic little girl stopped me in the midst of my internal turmoil and hastiness. She woke me up. This little girl was the patient I happened to clerk for ward round. As I was the last person to arrive, she was the last case left. Being the most difficult case (spinal cord injury + spinal shock + fracture of left midshaft of femur), she was naturally the remaining unclerked one. But I wasn't thinking clearly like I said and being late, I was just lucky to have found myself a case. I proceeded straight to take the history from her aunty. She was sleeping so soundly at that time. As her story unfolded, my barrier was immediately and subconsciously drawn up. What barrier you ask? Well, whenever I'm thrown warily or unwarily into a potentially- emotional situation, there's this innate barrier which I would somehow summon to numb myself, to stop myself from feeling anything.
She and her dad were involved in an accident 2 months ago and her dad passed away on the scene. They were on their way from Tawau to visit her brother in the hospital here. Her brother has been suffering from acute myeloid leukemia for a year. She sustained a spinal cord injury from the accident and will be paraplegic permanently. She is only 5. They live about 12 hours from KK. Her mum has to stay in Tawau to take care of her brother, who is already on palliative treatment now. When I asked her aunt if she asked constantly for her mum, her aunt told me "Tidak juga. Dia faham juga yang mamanya kena jaga abangnya. Dia faham bila saya terangkan kepadanya." And her aunt also mentioned that she was a very active child. WAS.
She had already awaken when we dropped by her room again later to discuss her case. She is such a sweet and beautiful little girl. She was doing physiotherapy and was actively playing with the physio ball with her hands. Was I still worried about my case write up? NO. Was I still thinking that it's the end of the world if I didn't finish my case write up that day? NO. Was I still as restless and fidgety? NO. Nothing else in my life matters. All my problems and worries appear mundane and petty next to hers.
I have stopped asking God why her. I have stopped asking God such questions long ago. Because it will only upset me and make me resent God when I don't get my answer. And for that matter, I have never gotten my answer so far. But yet I can’t stop myself… WHY, GOD? WHY HER? WHY A CHILD? WHY ANYONE, FOR THAT MATTER, HAS TO GO THROUGH SUCH A THING? YOU’RE OMNIPOTENT! CAN’T YOU STOP THE WORLD’S SUFFERINGS? CAN’T YOU PROTECT THE INNOCENT? YOU CAN! BUT, WHY ARE YOU NOT?
Thais love dogs
There are so many things on my mind. So despite the ‘University of Mollusc’ connection (as Ding puts it), I’m still determined to get connected to my blog. I simply need to unload before I sleep.
Last week, this time, I had just arrived in Bangkok. Ah…it somehow feels so long ago already. I’m so afraid that those wonderful memories will elude me. I had finally fulfilled my childhood dream of joining a students’ exchange programme. Although, this was not exactly the type of students’ exchange programme that I have envisioned (none of the AFS*-seriousness in it), I had never had a moment of unpleasantness throughout my stay in Bangkok. I was happy, excited, high-spirited ALL the time. It was more like a vacation than an academic programme. Not that I’m complaining. Like I said, there’s nothing to complain about. Seriously. Nada.
There are a few things I like about Bangkok, besides the obvious stated in any Thai tourism ad. I like that it is a very dog-friendly place. Stray dogs are everywhere, except that they don’t exhibit the typical signs of stray dogs. The dogs there are clean, well-fed and people-friendly. I was so amazed when Priz managed to get a stray dog to ‘shake hands’ with her. It was such a heartwarming scene. I conclude therefore, that Thai people love dogs. And I love people, who love dogs because well, I’m a dog-lover myself.
I like that Thais are very polite, generally, at least. It reminds me a lot about Sabahans. Somehow, they are tolerant, mild-mannered and soft-spoken. Even the language that they speak sounds so easy- on- the- ears (I really don’t know how else to describe it. But if you compare Thai language to say, Russian, then you’ll understand what I mean.)
I like that Thai guys are very gentlemanly. I notice they really treat a lady like a lady. They practise all the gentlemanly gestures which I always hope to see in Malaysian guys. They make sure your glass and plate are filled before they attempt to fill their own, they hold the door for you, they insisted on carrying their girlfriend’s shopping bags, they silently watch out for the girls when walking through a more rowdy crowd (you could see it in their body language or rather, you could feel the sense of security when walking with them). One incident, which struck me the most, was when a Thai guy quizzically asked my Malaysian guy friend, who was of course, walking with empty hands, why I was pushing the luggage trolley filled with bags myself. What a laugh! And of course, what an ‘Awww…’ moment for us, girls.
I like also that Thais are extremely patriotic and religious. Every crook and corner of a building or streets has an altar of Buddha or monks; in the universities, in the hospital, on the streets, in shopping malls....everywhere. And they love their king a lot. I feel kinda ashamed. But hey, you can’t blame me. I can’t possible FORCE myself to love my king right? Love cannot be forced, yo!
Bangkok is a metropolitan city with about 12.5 million people. It is no wonder the people are very civilized. Personally, another factor I usually use to measure how civilized or developed a city is, is by looking at their toilets.
Seat toilets + toilet paper in every cubicle = developed nation.
Plus every restaurant and stalls provide you with tissue. Now, this is what I call developed and civilized and cultured.
*AFS= American Field Progamme. I was once selected for an interview for a students' exchange programme organized by AFS. It was the real stuff. A year in USA or Spain or Japan etc..If you are selected to go, you are really like an ambassador for your country. You have to not only be well-versed in all the cultures and traditions of your country, you have to know how to do it as well, meaning you have to know how to dance that traditional dance, cook that traditional dish and of course, you have to be an all-rounder, a good public speaker and all in all, an outstanding person. Apparently, I was not at that time. But the interview was quite an experience, though.
Last week, this time, I had just arrived in Bangkok. Ah…it somehow feels so long ago already. I’m so afraid that those wonderful memories will elude me. I had finally fulfilled my childhood dream of joining a students’ exchange programme. Although, this was not exactly the type of students’ exchange programme that I have envisioned (none of the AFS*-seriousness in it), I had never had a moment of unpleasantness throughout my stay in Bangkok. I was happy, excited, high-spirited ALL the time. It was more like a vacation than an academic programme. Not that I’m complaining. Like I said, there’s nothing to complain about. Seriously. Nada.
There are a few things I like about Bangkok, besides the obvious stated in any Thai tourism ad. I like that it is a very dog-friendly place. Stray dogs are everywhere, except that they don’t exhibit the typical signs of stray dogs. The dogs there are clean, well-fed and people-friendly. I was so amazed when Priz managed to get a stray dog to ‘shake hands’ with her. It was such a heartwarming scene. I conclude therefore, that Thai people love dogs. And I love people, who love dogs because well, I’m a dog-lover myself.
I like that Thais are very polite, generally, at least. It reminds me a lot about Sabahans. Somehow, they are tolerant, mild-mannered and soft-spoken. Even the language that they speak sounds so easy- on- the- ears (I really don’t know how else to describe it. But if you compare Thai language to say, Russian, then you’ll understand what I mean.)
I like that Thai guys are very gentlemanly. I notice they really treat a lady like a lady. They practise all the gentlemanly gestures which I always hope to see in Malaysian guys. They make sure your glass and plate are filled before they attempt to fill their own, they hold the door for you, they insisted on carrying their girlfriend’s shopping bags, they silently watch out for the girls when walking through a more rowdy crowd (you could see it in their body language or rather, you could feel the sense of security when walking with them). One incident, which struck me the most, was when a Thai guy quizzically asked my Malaysian guy friend, who was of course, walking with empty hands, why I was pushing the luggage trolley filled with bags myself. What a laugh! And of course, what an ‘Awww…’ moment for us, girls.
I like also that Thais are extremely patriotic and religious. Every crook and corner of a building or streets has an altar of Buddha or monks; in the universities, in the hospital, on the streets, in shopping malls....everywhere. And they love their king a lot. I feel kinda ashamed. But hey, you can’t blame me. I can’t possible FORCE myself to love my king right? Love cannot be forced, yo!
Bangkok is a metropolitan city with about 12.5 million people. It is no wonder the people are very civilized. Personally, another factor I usually use to measure how civilized or developed a city is, is by looking at their toilets.
Seat toilets + toilet paper in every cubicle = developed nation.
Plus every restaurant and stalls provide you with tissue. Now, this is what I call developed and civilized and cultured.
*AFS= American Field Progamme. I was once selected for an interview for a students' exchange programme organized by AFS. It was the real stuff. A year in USA or Spain or Japan etc..If you are selected to go, you are really like an ambassador for your country. You have to not only be well-versed in all the cultures and traditions of your country, you have to know how to do it as well, meaning you have to know how to dance that traditional dance, cook that traditional dish and of course, you have to be an all-rounder, a good public speaker and all in all, an outstanding person. Apparently, I was not at that time. But the interview was quite an experience, though.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)