Indexing Title: RMUJER’s Medical Anecdotal Report [04-4]

MAR Title: God’s Mercy

Date of Medical Observation: July 19, 2004

Narration:

            The duty was relatively calm with the usual throng of law offenders brought in by cops for medico legal certification. I was assigned to operate on the patient booked for emergency OR for the night.

            Early dawn after an operation, I went down to the Emergency Room to assume my post as the junior resident on duty with the hope that the night will continue to be peaceful when the triage officer informed me that there was a 42 years old stretcher borne male with a gunshot wound conducted by ambulance from a private hospital in Las Piòas. True enough patient came in, for someone who was shot on his left upper abdomen. Patient was so calm and conversant to queries as if nothing had happened despite being hemodynamically unstable. A through Physical examination was conducted on the patient and we noted a surgical abdomen that mandated immediate exploration. We found out a massive hemoperitonium, avulsed left kidney and through and through perforation of the transverse colon and jejunum. Operation was successful with no untoward conditions happened.

            In that same morning while doing rounds, this patient sincerely said Thank You. He stressed that, “Faith in God gave me strength. I prayed like I never prayed before. I had not prayed to God in a very long time. In tears, I begged the lord to please make me recover for my illness.”

Insights: (reinforcement, stimulus, discovery)

            This is a story of how prayer and an unshakable faith and trust in God’s mercy can pull us through even in a seemingly hopeless condition. Medical science has gone a long way in improving the human condition but faith also has a great role in the well-being of individuals.

We as a doctors are all parts of God’s great healing activity and truly a God’s gift to us. What if the precious gift of life is slowly drawn away from us? Does it mean that we are wanting in faith?

            As a surgeon, it is our opportunity to make better use of that divine gift.