Indexing Title: TMEDINA’s Medical Anecdotal Report [04-6]

MAR Title: “Dead on Arrival”

Date of Medical Observation: April 28, 2004

Narration:

            My duty in the ER started regularly enough. The usual round-up of trauma cases came and were treated accordingly. I thought to myself, this might turn out to be a “peaceful” tour of duty. But sure enough, as most premature predictions go, I was soon to be proven gravely wrong.

            At around 10 that morning, a man was wheeled in on a stretcher. He was immobile and seemed unconscious. The patient was obviously riding a motorcycle, he wore a long sleeved jacket and a helmet.

            I, and a few clerks, methodically proceeded to attend to the patient, just as we have done so many a times. Vital signs were taken but he had no pulse, no blood pressure and respiration. We carefully removed the helmet and saw that there was an open fracture of the mandible at the right inferior ramus and seven centimeters laceration at the right parieto-occipital area....he bled to death.

            It turned out, the patient was a messenger. He was riding his motorcycle when two private cars in a hurry to go to work hit him.

            Death in the ER is not uncommon and having seen a few, it becomes too factual, almost impersonal. But on this occasion, such was not the case. We went through his things to gather information as to his identity. He had a name, a wife, and a daughter, both of whom thought that he was just going to work and would be back at the end of the day. At that very moment I felt that it was part of my job to inform this new widow and her orphan about his death.

Insights: (Physical, Psychosocial, Ethical) / (Discovery, Stimulus, Reinforcements)

            Being a doctor, logically puts us in the position that deals with life. But akin to this, it also brings us closer to dealing with death. As surgeons, our prime purpose is the preservation of life and its quality for each of our patients, without exemptions. In order to do this, so that we may see our patients’ lives are precious, as surgeons, we can only do as much. We don’t have control over certain things or events, just like death all we can do is respect.