less than an ideal method of care

A man cut his hand and went round to his neighbour for help. The neighbour happened to be a doctor, but it was not the Doctor but his 3-year old daughter who opened the door. Seeing that he was hurt and bleeding she took him in, pressed her handkerchief over his wound, and reclined him, feet up, in the nearest chair. She stroked his hand, and told him about her marigolds, and then about her frogs, and, after sometime starting to tell him about her father-when he eventually appeared. He quickly turned the neighbour into a patient, and then into a bleeding biohazard, and then dispatched him to hospital for ‘suturing’ (The neighbour had no idea what this was). He waited 3 hours in Casualty, had 2 desultory stitches, and one interview with a medical student who suggested a tetanus vaccination (to which he was allergic as it turned out). He returned to his doctor next door the next day a few days later, praising his young carer, but not the doctor (who turned him into a patient), nor the hospital (who turned him into an item on a convenor belt), nor the student (who turned him into a question mark; does a 50-year old man with a full series of tetanus vaccinations need a booster at the time of injury?)

It was the 3 year old who was his true nurse-and-physician and universal health worker, who took him on his own terms, cared for him, and gave him time and dignity.
Question her instinct for care as you will: point out that it could have led to harm, and is inadequate for scientific medicine, and that the hospital was just a victim of its own success. But remember that the story shows that there is, as T S Eliot said, at best, only a limited value in the knowledge derived from experience… the child had the understanding and natural compassion that we all too easily lose amid the science, the knowledge, and our stainless steel universe of organised health-care.



(From Oxford hand book of Clinical medicine)

I wish it was "mind the Gap"

I never had a problem with tattoos.
Some people can be creative with them and some are quite artistic.

But this was a step too far.
I was at the Early pregnancy assessment clinic last week, this is where ladies come for their first check up after becoming pregnant.
This mother with thick glasses well dressed walked in with the midwife. I introduced myself and smiled. As you do.!
Anyways I started with the normal questions: how many weeks do you think u are?
any oedema? any nausea? discomfort pain?
All that is fine.

Now I asked her to go up the couch and make her self comfortable coz I need to examine her tummy and then listen to the baby’s heart beat.
Btw, listening to the heart is the mother’s favourite part. . mine as well Its nice to see people smiling.

Now time for examination
I lower her pants a bit to feel the baby’s head… now get this. Im standing there, the midwife is standing next to me, quite lady with thick glasses is laying on the couch with an innocent smile on her face and im smiling back. (Pretending to know what im doing)

I look down and about 3 inches from her belly button a Tattoo with an arrow pointing downwards I read:

“slippery when wet”.

ok pause.

Now I am not a pre-judgmental person (ever heard anyone describe himself as a pre-judgemental person?) but when this lady walked in I never thought she is a tattoo kinda person, certainly not that inda tattoo!!.
well I don’t know what goes thru a persons head when he/she is drunk but that was one Huge mistake. Coz the day that lady will go to the labour suit and if she has to go for a C-section, I am telling you, the whole town will know about that tattoo,,, Not that I care. coming to think of it, It would be nice to hear about it so I could stand with a Grin and say: I was there.

unpause

Slippery when wet!!
Well you may think: so what? it’s a personal choice!... indeed I agree but then imagine how I had to be dragged with the midwife all over the Health centre to tell the Story over and over and over and over…

Now you know why I hate tattoos.