Indexing Title: RCHAN’s Medical Anectodal Report [04-3]

MAR Title: On Being a Surgeon and a Mother

Date of Medical Observation: March 2004

Narration:

            It was one of those typical mornings as a surgical resident when I got to the hospital that day. There lying down on Trauma bed 7 was a child who at one glance was toxic looking, weak, dehydrated, pale, tachypneic and VERY FAMILIAR. I went inside the quarters to put down my bags and went out to the emergency room to do my rounds. I immediately approached the child to find out that it was my very own patient. He was a 1 year-old male patient who had an imperforate anus. I did a transverse loop colostomy on him a year ago. He came in septic back then, with a 5-day undetected imperforate anus. We did not expect for him to go through the operation unremarkably. I diligently took care of this fragile human being, making sure he had a good fighting chance to live. Despite my fears of the baby not being able to make it, I made every effort to give some reassurance and support to his parents. At the back of my mind, I saw him as my very own son and how I would feel if my Adrian would be in his place. Eventually after two weeks  the patient was discharged improved.  On several occasions I chanced upon the same patient at the Pediatrics ward. He came in and out of the hospital due to either bronchial asthma in acute exacerbation or pneumonia. Despite their son’s condition, his parents still managed to smile and greet me whenever they saw me, but in their eyes I saw how drained they were, physically, mentally and emotionally.

            On that fateful day, the patient was not brought to the hospital for asthma nor pneumonia. He had an incarcerated hernia. He was booked for an emergency herniotomy As we were hydrating the patient, the patient went into respiratory distress. He had another exacerbation. We optimized his condition and we directed the patient to the operating room. We reduced a 10 cm loop of ileum and concluded the operation. The patient was extubated and brought to the recovery room. In no less than 30 minutes, the patient became cyanotic and tachypneic. The pediatric resident reintubated the patient and ambubagging was done continuously. A ventilator was secured the following day. Despite efforts to save the patient’s life, he expired that evening. I could not help shedding my very own tears as I saw his parents mourn over the loss of their son. As I was walking towards the Surgery ward, the thought of my own child passed through my mind, of how thankful I am that he is healthy and of how all of a sudden I missed him so much. I felt  the pain that my patient’s mother was going through, of how she will never get comb his hair once more, hear his laughter, feel the warmth of his embrace or see him smile. Tears  once more rolled on my cheeks and silently I offered a prayer.

Insights (DISCOVERY, Stimulus, REINFORCEMENT):

I always had a soft spot for pediatric patients long before I had my own child. I gave them a special kind of attention and care that was motherly in nature. On my second year of residency training, I became a full-fledged “MOM”. True enough, I became more attached to my pediatric patients, developing a bond with them and their parents that is unique and special. For every pediatric patient I encounter, the mother in me surfaces. I see myself as their mother and them as my own children. Whatever worries and pain that their parents are going through, I feel for them too. As much as I can, I always try to take care of them as I would want my son’s doctor to take care of him.

Being a mother helped me a lot in being able to empathize better with my patients and their relatives. It has reinforced in me the need to render better quality of care and service to my patients. The ability to build rapport with them made it easier for me as well. I have become more thankful and grateful that I am blessed with a healthy son. I have become more appreciative of the little joys and comfort that he gives me.