Doctors have often been seen as some of
the smartest members of the society, with good reason:
many years of training, re-training and a
lot more to be a good doctor. But they are still humans
and humans are fallible. To err is human;
however, physicians should realize that their errors
could result in death of patients. I have
visited the hospital these past weeks more than I did in a
particular year combined. The medical and
non-medical staff is familiar with my fallen, pale
face, as one asked if I were here the
other day and I nodded.
From time to time in a day, I take a deep
breath to sort of feel my nerves relaxed. And then, I did
the same and I felt my breathe stopped
half-way, just at my chest area. I shrugged it off to get
back to the exercise later. Every time I
got back to taking a deep breath, it just didn’t feel normal;
my lungs feel stabbed every time I inhale.
I will go for check up when I am off, I told myself.
Two days passed, and now the ribs hurt
when I yawn, cough, walk or even try to breath-in. All
the same, I prepared to go to work since
I’ve told myself I will check it out when I’m off from
work. I wore my flat shoe and picked my
bag to get on the bus to work.
My sister sometimes walks me to the
bus-stop when going to work. She followed me this
particular day, knowing I wasn’t feeling
well. As we walk down, I felt pain in my ribs, I could
barely walk upright. I held my side ribs
as I walk. My sister muttered we go to the hospital
seeing my condition. I wasn’t sure if I
wanted to go to the hospital or just manage myself to
work. Considering my health status, I
should go to the hospital; nothing is to been taken slightly.
But I have a job and I was sick just about
two weeks ago. All sorts of anxiety set in like someone
is constantly pinching me.
We arrived at the hospital. I met a
colleague with his baby and wife who use the same hospital.
While I waited to be called by a doctor,
we chit-chat and exchanged names. We knew each other
by face and not by name prior to this
time. It was my turn to see the doctor and I made my
complaints known. He said we’d run test. I
went to the lab and my sample was taken. Luckily, at
one prick, as But my veins played hide and
seek.
While waiting for the result, I blamed my
sister for bringing us to the hospital. I thought I could
as well spend the waiting time at work.
How do I call my team leader now to explain I am sick
AGAIN in the space of two weeks? I didn’t
know how to explain that on the phone. I preferred
to send sms. So I sent sms after much
agitation. She didn’t reply nor call back. That made me
panic. I consoled myself with the fact
that I’m not faking it and it is my life on the line here.
The result of my test is out and it turned
out that my white blood count is high, which is an
indication of the presence of infection.
What particular infection? I asked in my head. Can’t the
doctor stream it down so we know what we
are dealing it, I said angrily in my head. He said
because of the sickled cells that could be
the reason I experience pain on my side. Aaarrrhh!
Certain antibiotics, pain killers and
cough syrup were prescribed and given to me at the
pharmacy.
I was back at home and as the clock ticks,
the ribs pain eats away at me…slowly because I try to
overcome it mentally but that just helps a
little. Then the rug is pulled out when I realized I’m
not okay. I went back to the hospital
later that evening to make the same complaint, except that
the pain is aggravated this time. I met
another doctor (who I supposedly crush on) and he said the
medication will be raised and I will be
given injection for the pain. If the condition doesn’t get
better, I should come back. I was injected
and the nurse advised that I leave the injection room as
soon as possible before I become drowsy.
After few hours, I was awake and the pain
was still there. I had to start popping painkiller for
relief. I could barely sleep at night. My
side was filled by a deep, dull ache that threatened to turn
into a burning agony should I dare to turn
side or move. I stayed in the position of sitting upright
on my bed with my back resting on a
pillow. That was the only way I felt less pain and was able
to sleep till day break.
I was not anywhere near better. I was only
able to manage the pain with pain killers. Cough is
now persistent and could go on for some
seconds before it stops. Minutes later, I cough again for
another God knows how many seconds and I
have to hold my ribs each time to minimize the
pain that comes with the cough.
Saturday morning, I was back in the
hospital. Let me mention that the other visit was on a
Tuesday (same week). I explained the
condition to the doctor I met and also told him it was
pneumonia I had (I had to save them since
they didn’t seem to know what was going on with
me). Some doctors are not smart…this I’ve
been venting to my folks and friends who care to
listen. The physician checked with the
stethoscope to confirm if it was actually pneumonia. Of
course, I understand symptoms for
different ailment are similar. I’m not sure he knows what
different sounds from the stethoscope
means. He didn’t ascertain if it was pneumonia or what
exactly the problem was.
I was placed on admission. Saline fluid
(drip) injected with B-complex was passed to my frail
body. The nurse who attended to me was
appealing. She treated me like a friend and explained
what each injection would do and the name.
I didn’t quite grab the names, except for one which
was a painkiller. I opened my eyes and my
body was covered with a covering cloth of the
hospital, my phone which I didn’t come
with was charging and things on the table. I had been
knocked off by one of the injections; the
nurse informed me earlier.
My condition didn’t improve, even by the
following day. I was still coughing and in constant
pain on my side. It didn’t make sense to
me how the doctors couldn’t say exactly what the issue
was. I knew pieces were missing. Could it
be that a physician does not know how to use the
stethoscope to interpret what is or what
is not? They just didn’t get it! I questioned their
competence. I don’t know who is more
pissed between my sister and me about the effed up
physicians.
Alas! A doctor came in for ward-round on
Monday afternoon, and told him same old story. He
tested me with his stethoscope back and
front. Then mumbled what the issue was to the nurse
with him. He recommended X-ray, for
confirmation, I suppose. Fortunately, the x-ray can be
done in the hospital, so I was taken with
another woman whose baby had similar ailment. I asked
the radiology technician what the result
was and he said pneumonia. Lo and behold! If only the
other doctor could use the stethoscope,
perhaps, I would be better by then.
I felt relieved. At least, someone is able
to diagnose the problem. He added to my medication and
should be on drip but my veins were all
gone. Even my leg was checked none was found. I was
left alone to take oral medication; not
until after four pricks at different spots though. The initial
one had swollen and the drip was stopped.
With this ordeal of delayed or
misdiagnosis, I am even more grateful to the competent medical
care I got while growing up. It has been
found out that misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis of any
ailment is due to lack of experience or
exposure. Although, there is also system-inducing error, in
this case, the error was individual
inducing. This error is not permissible, that which is caused by
lack of interest, laziness or ignorance.
Everyone is implored to know their body and something
about their health to avoid naivety and be
able to make informed health decisions.
To the amiable, smart members of the
society in the business of medicine (every parent wants
their child to be a doctor), patients
should be first, not egos-attitude error. Mistakes are made
every day and while some are
insignificant, others can change lives completely.
