My Patients & My Patience

"Patients are always like that. Never tried to understanding anything. Do they know that we are also human being?"
"But they are patients. They are sick."

"Why are they coming at this time 3 o'clock in the morning for not passing motion for 3 days?"

"Mr. X, please come to hospital. Your father is discharged today."

"Doctor, I cannot come today. I don't have the GL."

"We need the bed for someone else."

"Please doctor, tell the patient that we are not coming to pick him back home."

Grrr.

In the middle of night, around 1am - I was called to A&E,
"Doctor, the hernia (inguinal hernia) is disturbing me. Sometime it is painful. But I still able to pass motion and pass flatus."

"I think you don't need admission. We'll give you date to see us in clinic."

"But I couldn't sleep at night because of the pain"

"Ok then, we admit you to ward."

"But doctor, if I get admitted, I don't have money to pay for the bills. I only have RM50. I even borrowed money from my neighbour to buy my 6-months-old child's milk."

"So, what do you want for now?"

A police officer was treated for acute diverticulitis and he was allowed discharged as the pain improved.

"You can go home today and I'll give you MC until Sunday."

"Can you please write a letter for me that I am not suite for work."

"You can go to work after this. No harm."

"How can I work if I still have the pain."

"Please take and finish the medication and you can work as usual. If you still have pain you can go to KK to continue your MC."

"Doctor, when will my child go for operation? It's nearly 12 hours he's not eating."

"His name is in the OT list. Anaest will call the case. Our OT is quite busy today with trauma cases-more life threatening case. And if there is any EM LSCS, it is prioritized."

I explained to a mother of a gluteal abscess patient.

"I am just worried he's hungry."

"He will be definitely hungry but we are giving him fluid and sugar."

"Doctor, the gauze is soaked with pus. It's time to change."
"Doctor, now is the time for feeding."
"Doctor, when do you want to change my dressing? It's about lunch time already."

And the list goes on. Never ending list.

They are sick people. They are family members of the sick people.

I am not sick. I am taking care of the sick people.

It's the nature of taking care of sick people.

And they are innocent about everything in hospital.

Oh my patience, please always be with me.

P/S : not yet mentioning when dealing with other parties - friends, staffs, bosses!

Just be quiet when in anger.

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