How should a doctor treat a patient
the first time he sees him? Remember you're a healer, not a killer. You should offer hope and never a hint of hopelessness.
The moment a doctor sees a patient,
he should immediately offer hope of healing and recovery from illness no matter how severe his condition is by his friendliness, his welcoming gestures and his calm and patient conversation. ​Patient's first impression should be the doctor will make him healthy and strong again, that the doctor can heal him. But there were times when doctors weakened or made patients more sick perhaps unknowingly. I knew someone who had a liver disease who went to a doctor thinking he would be accommodated with offers of healing and cure but to his disappointment and frustration, he was blamed and berated for being sick in their first meeting. He was totally shocked. And during their conversation when the doctor found out about his unhealthy lifestyle: his unhealthy diet and lack of exercise, his smoking and drinking, he received harsh and cruel remarks instead of just being told comfortingly what to do to make it right. He got hurt and mad at the same time because they were totally unexpected. He maintain his composure and tried not to lose his cool. Then in a moment he felt down and low and blaming himself for his ailment and that the doctor was right. Thankfully in the end, he was enlightened with his disease and prescribed with medicines but the bad experience he will never forget all his life.
Doctors have spent
about a decade in school plus hospital experience make them so much better in treating various diseases so they immediately command respect from patients and people. But sometimes, perhaps unknowingly, they are at fault. Their words, which usually bring relief and comfort, now bring hopelessness and despair. Take this hospital scenario that happened many times already. A doctor, who was few yards away from a patient in coma, was talking to family members about how hopeless the patient's condition is and that there's nothing more to do. All along he was talking in a whisper thinking the patient couldn't overhear. But the truth is, even in coma, the patient hears every word clearly inside the room and even outside. He knows what's going on around him and is very much aware. So every time he hears words of hopelessness and despair especially coming from doctors and family, he would immediately feel weak and helpless and in no time, succumb to his illness. The doctor might not be aware of this, but this was recounted by a patient who survived the coma and eventually cured of his disease. During his coma, the only sense that was functioning was his sense of hearing so every word spoken in the room he never missed. Fortunate that he was such a fighter that he never let the doctor's words destroy his will to survive. One thing I know these days about doctors who are treating patients with severe diseases, they not only offer hope of healing, but also they encourage patients to never stop praying to God who they acknowledge as the Ultimate Healer. And this is the best a doctor does - to rely on the power of the Holy One instead of relying only on his knowledge and skill! One stupid mistake can undo a lot of good and one act of foolishness cancels out the greatest wisdom. Even if the doctor is the authority in healing, if he becomes a factor in the patience demise, then his years of experience and expertise will never amount to anything and there's no way to make up for the loss of life.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Life Blog
Articles and stories about human life and living that matter so much to everyone. They inspire and influence our very existence.
Other Blogs
Archives
December 2023
|