There's No Monkey Business Here

Today my consultant taught me a very important lesson, especially for the young doctors like me. It struck me like a thunder. seriously.

My wards have been a dumping zone, nursing home, shelters for some and house for some permanent residents. One of them is a very old Chinese man, very unkempt, bed ridden for 3 months and came with multiple bed sores, dehydration and pneumonia. The relatives called an ambulance to pick up this man and since then, passed the responsibility to us to take care for the rest of their parent life. Since that day of admission, we never see any relatives, nor any number to contact. This old man remains gaga. Another man is young and fit man, unfortunately get involved with drug early in his life. He is unemployed, staying with a drug lord in Chow Kit and runs errants for him. In return, he gets his high. Recently, he had a row with the Boss, and he is left on the street. Left with no food or clothes, he had to fake his signs and request for admission. Lastly, there is another middle age man, active smoker and heroin chaser, had burned holes through his lung. He needs long term oxygen, yet reluctant to give up his cigarettes and old habits. A little bit of cough will straight away bring him to the hospital and the admission unit is always kindly enough to put him to our ward. He will be admitted at least 3 times a week, and scowled at us if we discharge him.

It has been a serious headache for me and my other colleagues. Our registrar is under constant pressure to reduce these unnecessary workloads.

On the contrary, my consultant is exhibiting la belle indifference towards this matter. He just nod when we shoved him with loads of our complaints. If the man do not want to go home, keep him for another day. We were puzzled at first, but today he shared with us a story.

He is used to be a very proactive, eager, hot head doctors once upon a time. He always upright the juctice, not allowing any wrong, no allowance for these hanky panky stuffs. One fine day, he received a call from his son's headmaster, asking permission to meet him in person. His son was in primary five in a nearby Chinese school. On a separate occasion, his wife received another phone call from their son's form teacher, asking to meet in another time. Puzzled with this events, they decided to turn up together to meet up the headmaster. The headmaster was shocked initially, seeing both of them turn up together. He explains that the reason for meeting them in different time is because they thought there were family issues between both parents, i.e a divorce. The headmasters proceed to inform them that their son, who was a top scholar, drastically deteriorates in terms of school performance lately. My consultant was taken aback, when the headmaster ask for how long they haven't check on their son's school work and academics. The son was so into the video games that makes him neglect his school. All these time spent up holding the rights, making sure the ward runs in order and all other stuffs had cause a toll on his family. Since then, he had taken a step back. Prioritized the important things in life and learned to put family first.

That little story suddenly give me an insight. Learn to prioritize.

My Teacher, Then My Patient, Then My Teacher Again

Nothing touched me so much compared to this.

One fine day, my brother rang me up, told me that a patient had handed a note to him mistakenly, (as we share same surname). It was a small piece or parchment, apparent scribbled in a hurry. Each and every words were misaligned. After reading the note, there was a warmness spreading from the heart. Thus my tiredness bubbles. At least I know there is love in this world.

Read on for the content of the note:


Sometimes, a word of gratitude is more valuable than expensive gifts. His gratitude lights up the healing heart of mine.

Working is fun, all along.

Length Doesn't Matter, or Really?

I was doing my respiratory rotation when he admitted to the ward. Pretty advanced cancer of the oesophagus spreading to the lungs. He was breathless all the time. Chest tube was attempted by me and the initial drain was like a water hose spurting out the putrid greenish fluids. Afterwards, his breathlessness was gone.

Two weeks later, I learned from my friend that he passed away. Cause by failed ventilatory support system. Sad, nevertheless. But I learn something from this gentleman.

You can learn a lot from the patient if only you see. Whenever during visiting hours, the bedside is full with concerning friends and relatives, you know either he has a good social support or second possibility is that he has a lot of money and the will is not made yet. If you see a bouquet of flower on the desk, there is someone care enough to give the well wishes for the patient.

This patient of mine was a teacher. A secondary school teacher. What is peculiar about him was if you speaks malay with him, he will answer in english. Maybe that was his style. He will question every management plan we had for him, like why is this medication on, why is this procedures carried out.

With his death, his teaching life came to abrupt full stop. But many had learned from him, and become a useful person to the society. He may not teach anymore but his teaching still passed on. On the day of his death, there were a crowd more than 50 that came for him, the largest I've seen so far. The wife came up to me with teary eyes, thanked me for taking care of the husband. It stirs my inside, and I loss my speech. I just return her a sincere smile.

You may say he live a short life. Nevertheless, it was a meaningful and purposeful life, I say. Does the length really matter, huh?