Saturday, August 08, 2009

awkward

recently something happened that i must admit i didn't know how to deal with. now it's funny but at the time i just felt awkward.

it was more of a convenience consultation. i suppose you could see it as a favour. one of the sisters knew a patient who would soon be going home to mozambique. she apparently needed slow release estrogen tablets implanted but was not too trusting of the local doctors in her home town. the sister asked me to do it. now generally this is not the task of a surgeon. without sounding too arrogant, we view such trivial procedures as beneath us. but i decided that i would do it as a favour to the sister.

i went to see the patient to find out exactly what it was she wanted me to insert. they were two tiny little pellets. i would have to make a small puncture in the skin, place them and place one stitch. ridiculously simple.

as i read the insert of the product, the patient made small talk.
"have you ever done this before?" she asked.
"no." i answered truthfully.
"don't worry, you'll be ok. i don't mind being a guinnae pig for you to learn." no words came to mind so that is exactly what i said. nothing.

when we got ready to start, again the patient felt the need to encourage me.
"you're going to be just fine. i'm sure you'll do the procedure perfectly." once again i gave an answer of silence. this time it may have been slightly more chilly.

i localized, made a tiny cut, inserted the pills and threw in a stitch.
"see! you did it well!" she told me helpfully. by now my reply was practised.

later i couldn't help wondering what she would do when she got her bill and realised a specialist charges more than her usual gp (even if he had done it many times before and didn't quite need so much encouragement.).

8 comments:

  1. You charged her??? Eish, it was supposed to be a FAVOUR!! Has SA changed so much since I left that "favour" is no longer code for "free"?? ;)

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  2. Hi Bongi- You said "once again i gave an answer of silence. this time it may have been slightly more chilly." THAT'S Funny! LOL!

    You could've flipped it around and told her you didn't want her to be concerned because this is something basic that any doctor could do.

    It was sweet that she was trying to be supportive of you and it was nice that you did this for her.

    Even Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. :) There are docs who would not waste their time for something so trivial... but you took the time to help her. :)

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  3. Please, what are slow release estrogen tablets and when are they called for?

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  4. Bongi - Maybe it was because you were reading the instructions in front of her. Women know that men get frustrated if instruction-reading becomes necessary. Encouragement is usually needed :o)

    -SCNS

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  5. anonymous one, they are just another form of hormone replacement therapy for post menopausal women. if you don't want to take tablets and you don't like the skin patch, this is a possibility.

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  7. Yoh that's great.

    If doctors needed cheerleaders then I am sure they could organize that themselves.

    Why try help in a situation where your knowledge and experience is minimal

    he he :)

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  8. It was sweet that she was trying to be supportive of you and it was nice that you did this for her.

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