So… you’ll remember the boy with the tension pneumothorax? And you’ll remember that he got discharged home…?
I had probably the best moment of my medical career so far when the little boy and his mother came back to the hospital to see me and to say thanks. I was so overjoyed to see him I had tears in my eyes! It was really special, seeing him smiling and running around, especially as the last time I saw him he was so sick.
Mostly when the children are discharged home safely, its because they presented in time to hospital, before they were too sick, because of dogged perseverance in making sure they get their medicines, because of a bit of attention to detail in fluid management and making sure they get fed, because their mother was educated by the nursing staff to know how to give ORS, because they received their preventative immunisations, because the system, flawed as it is, worked.
Its not very often I get to say I saved someone’s life but I think in this case, along with all my colleagues in ER, I feel justified in saying it. I’ll remember that little boy forever now; I’ll continue thinking of him and his family. He’s made my whole year worth it. You never know - maybe he’ll go on to do great things for this country!
No comments:
Post a Comment