So, today I spent most of my day in the surgery clinic. Not a bad way to spend the day I suppose, the cases are varied and we get to work pretty much one-on-one with an attending physician. I worked with two different ones today and both were very good teachers.
Anyway, after being there a couple of hours, I walked into an exam room to meet a new patient and begin my interview/exam, and lo and behold, who was sitting in front of me but none other than Mister Chest Tube. Yup, that Mr. Chest Tube.
He had been discharged from the hospital a few days ago and was there for a follow-up visit and to have his sutures (to close the hole in his chest where the tube was) removed. He did not speak very much English, but through the translator, he told me he remembered me from our previous encounter in the ER and thanked me- not for the whole "johnny-on-the-spot" medical heroics nonsense, I seriously doubt he even remembers any of that and I don't even know for sure if anyone told him what had happened. No, he thanked me for, as the translator said, "being so kind to him".
This kind of shocked me. Since my Cantonese isn't up to conversational snuff, I don't remember our having much of a conversation prior to his little "Waltzing toward the light" act. I must have had a dumb look on my face in clinic today because the patient then explained (again, through the translator) that I had gotten him a blanket while he was still in the ER and that made me a "very nice man". I do remember getting him that blanket because I thought he looked cold and I suppose I got all nurse/dad-like on him and tucked him under the blankets, but I never would have given that a second thought. It is something I have done hundreds of times before while working as an ER nurse.
It is strangely humbling and rewarding at the same time to have him remember this one, seemingly trivial, act and be so appreciative. I have to admit for the rest of the day I would walk a little taller and smile a little wider. It felt good.
I removed his stitches, dressed his wound and in a few minutes he was walking out of the clinic. Odds are that I will never see this man again and I am sure he will not remember me nor what happened that night last week. But I don't think I will forget him. No, not for a long time.
"Very nice man"
Yeah, I'll take that- and you are very welcome, Mr. Chest Tube. Thank you for reminding me what really matters.
No longer an intern (The Salt Lake Tribune, 7/6/13)
10 years ago
4 Comments:
aww. That's such a heart-warming story. haha.
This post sounds like on of those commercials...the Real Man of Genius ones .."here's to you Mr. Chineese food delivery guy"
"here's to you Mr. chest tube guy" haha
Amazing! Those are always the best moments, and the kind to keep on hand for those pesky "why the hell am I doing this again?!" days.
'Check yourself' my good brother .... you are on a precipice, staring out at the abyss ..... next thing you know you'll start wondering about the hows / whys .... you may even go out on a limb and begin considering far out concepts like Jung's synchronicity and 'the net of indra' ... keep this up and Chris Hitchens will seem more like Wolf Blitzer with an English accent than a 'philosopher' ... its only a matter of time before 'the pattern' emerges - orchestras require conductors, movies need directors, the heart doesn't work (at peak efficiency) without a healthy sinus node, dreams don't exist without a dreamer ...... you are wandering deep into 'Indian country'...
"When you stare into the abyss the abyss stares back at you."
Nietzsche
And that my friend, is what will make you a good Doctor! Those are qualities that can not be taught.
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