Indexing Title: MJCABAHUG’s Medical Anecdotal Report [04-7]

MAR Title: Mother’s FEAR

Date of Medical Observation: October  2004

Narration:

            I was on duty at the emergency room on an ordinary Saturday morning. A sad-looking patient came in for admission, who was scheduled for breast surgery for a breast mass on the right.

            Three weeks ago, she sought consult at the out patient department due to a 2 x 2.5 cms, nonmovable, hard, nontender mass on the upper outer quadrant of the right breast.  No lymph nodes noted.  Fine needle aspiration biopsy was done. Histopathology report showed invasive ductal carcinoma.  Patient was advised operation.

            While doing the admitting papers, I cracked a joke, but she had no reaction. I asked her why she was so sad.  That instant tears started falling from her eyes.  She then talked about her life, the fear of dying and leaving her two young children behind.

            I then comforted her and started a spontaneous talk on breast cancer. She stopped crying but still had the sad-look in her face.  I advised her to pray the rosary and promised her of my prayers for her to have courage to undergo the operation.

            Four days after, while doing my morning rounds, I saw a patient with a very happy face, smilingly she said, “maraming salamat po dok MJ”.  I paused and thought who this patient was.  Then I realized this was the same patient I admitted at the emergency room with the sad face.

Insight (Physical, Psychosocial, Ethical; Reinforcement, Stimulus, Discovery):

            Most cases of breast cancer are diagnosed on its late stage.  This is because most women have this fear and  lack of knowledge about breast cancer. 

            As surgeons, we have this social responsibility to educate them about the early signs and the disease itself.

            We have to promote the campaign of the Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) project SSS- Sariling Salat sa Suso.

            Early diagnosis and treatment are vital for saving their lives.

            Saving a woman’s life means saving the future of her family, for women, especially  mothers, are major pillars of our society