INDEXING TITLE: RSMUJER’S Medical Anecdotal Report (05- 08)

MAR Title: The “Care of”

Date of Medical Observation: August, 2005

Narration 

My pre duty Saturday started with my usual morning rounds. My patients were recovering quite well, and I was pleased to write down “MGH” on several of the charts.  The knowledge that their present physical state was greatly influenced by my action- surgery- never ceases to give me the feeling of contentment and a sense of accomplishment. For with a single mistake during operation may cause the patient to experience pain and to have complications. I was glad that these were absent with my post- op patients... I thought to myself, “Today will be one fine day.” Or so it seemed like it was going to be…

I had no scheduled operations that day, but then I was asked to do an  appendectomy in a patient admitted in the infirmary. I have done this procedure numerous times such that I felt no hesitation in accepting the case. But that was before I knew the real story…

This case was supposed to be handled by a senior resident as per request of the patient who was care of a hospital employee.  A super care of. This was the arrangement between the surgeon and the patient.  But as the patient was being prepared for operation, an acute abdomen was developing in another infirmary patient which indicated an emergency exploratory laparotomy.

A revision of the schedule had to be done.  The exploratory laparotomy was delegated to the senior residents, and I was tasked to handle the appendectomy. A dilemma was presented to me. Despite the confidence I had that I could do the appendectomy, I could not help but feel bothered. I was caught in the middle.  Knowing my strengths and weaknesses as a surgeon, I decided to proceed with the planned appendectomy.  And as expected, I finished the operation in record-breaking time and encountered no problems. Tomorrow came and so did my morning rounds. I visited the patient and was apparently doing fine. I was greeted with a sincere gratitude, which again gave me a warm feeling of affirmation in my being a surgeon.

INSIGHTS:(discovery/stimulus/reinforcement)  (physical/psychosocial/ethical)

No one knows us better but ourselves. We know the gauges of our strengths and our limits due to our weaknesses.  Being true to ourselves will surely guide us in our actions and deeds. We should stay on our lane. For if we were to try to over cross our known lanes, accidents are bound to happen. One’s boundaries can be expanded by experience

As we gain more experience points in the game of life, our abilities get stronger and our weaknesses get narrowed which make us better equipped to handle the obstacles that are always ahead of us. But keep in mind that life sometimes pitches you a curve ball. Our initial reaction is to be a little afraid that you won’t be able to hit it. But as the ball courses our way, our determination would make us confront it and eventually causes a homerun for our character.