At one time I felt so empathy with patient who lives alone and has poor social support, thus his health deteriorates. At other times I was so angry with patients who, despite being counselled so many times, still ignore their health.
The nurses already warned me, " a professor is coming". I was in a rush. It was nearly lunch break and the cards were still many. This not so young mother came in with her two sons. She appeared to be educated ( in her own way). She complaint about multiple things, while her sons just kept quiet. From fever to otalgia, to lymphadenopathy. She asked me about her knowledge of " bengkak sawan" which I had no idea of. I started explaining to her about the lymph nodes in the neck region when she suddenly cut me off by saying, " ini bukan bidang saya, so saya tak tahu."
Mam, that is what I was trying to do - explaining to you, but you were too arrogant to listen! So I gave up. Better not to say much. She wanted a referral to ENT and requesting me to write "details" of the the problems in the letter so that she will not have to explain it anymore to the ENT team. Whatever. We don't write lengthy essays in our referral letter for new cases. Please kindly explain the problems when they take detail history from you. Thanks. Despite me being nice to her and speaking softly, she could not appreciate it. She wanted it to be in her own way. Act like a boss.
I wonder what is she working as? I pray that she will one day realize that she needs to tone down and respect others. We use our knowledge to guide our lives, mam, not to look down on others.
Patients are our teachers, they can be our motivaters, but sometimes their attitude is just unacceptable. That will include those who just couldn't wait for their turn and kept coming into the room. When you go to the bank, do you wait for your numbers or you keep going to the counter?
I hope not to see these patients anymore yet I know, I will somehow see them again!
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