A doctor comes out of the ICU and tells the parents,” Your daughter has four hours left…”, this line and many such lines from a typical Bollywood movie is what inspired me deep down to become a doctor. Why? Because I wanted to be that sure about things in life. I always imagined myself barging out of the OT and telling the relatives,” Bro, Jon Doe has got 2 hrs 26 mins left… Go and watch a movie with him!” That sure….Excuse me for the insensitive humour. Nonetheless, it so happens that reel life is different from real.
As a young doctor, I always looked at senior doctors with surprise when they would explain a worse prognosis to the relatives of a patient even when the guy would easily make it. Like 99% he would make it… why take that 1% so seriously. Just tell them- he is paralysed, he is in ICU but he would be fine, that would give them a sigh of relief. I just never got it, until that fateful day.
So the young doctor was on duty in the emergency room, when a 20 yrs old is brought rushing in an unconscious state. The individual was Type 1 Diabetic who just forgot to take Insulin for three days. The young doctor was quick to examine and conclude that its a Diabetic Keto-Acidosis. However, vitals stats were normal, organ function tests were fairly ok except for one thing- Acidosis. The patient was shifted to ICU under specialist care. Emergency was well taken care of at ER level.
However, just when it was all going as a normal day at any tertiary Care Hospital, the Young doctor looked upon the patient’s worried brother and thought of correcting all the wrongs he had witnessed till date… although the prognosis was 50-50 here but way to go- Empathy! The Young doctor walks up to his brother, consoles him and tells him,” He is going to be fine, nothing to worry!,” Such words from the attending doctor mean a lot. The Young Doctor was so proud of Himself for his good deed of the day besides managing the patient. Professional and Empathetic Satisfaction!! The blend is rare.
The next morning, the Young doctor walks up to the ICU to follow up his patient and expecting to bask in the glory of his empathetic deed. But alas! Life works in mysterious ways. As he entered the ICU, he saw the body of the patient being wrapped in white linen to be handed over to the family, with his elder brother sobbing beside his bed. As the family passed by the Young doctor with the body, his elder brother gave a misty look to him… The look he shall have to live with for the rest of his life.
The Young Doctor sat down in despair trying to hide his tearful eyes from the hospital staff. The realisation that sank deep inside his grey matter that day- A Worse Prognosis communicated followed by a Good Ending is far better than A Good Prognosis communicated followed by not so Good Ending. And if you are wondering whom to tell what, You will have to study a lot more books.
The phone rang in the ICU informing about an incoming patient of paralysis…. The Young Doctor washed his face for he knew what is to be done this time.
