The summer I turned fourteen, my cousins and I went to visit our rural village, where we had a unique experience. We noticed a lot of the children were turning bald and wondered why. With closer inspection I recognized ringworms. We alarmed their parents but they didn’t seem worried; so we just took the children with us to the local infirmary for treatment. We started checking all the other children for ringworms and we also brought them up to date in their vaccinations. We spent our days talking to the local villagers about hygiene, bringing awareness about vaccination, taking pregnant women to the infirmary for prenatal care, and educating the village drunk about cirrhosis. Every summer afterwards, amazed me more than the previous. Connecting
…show more content…
It was one patient in particular that caught my attention. He wasn’t my first assigned patient that summer, but his story touched me in a way no other had before. The patient was an elderly man with an advanced case of lung cancer. He was condemned to die in a couple of months, but was seeking further treatment. I was assigned to take his blood pressure and temperature periodically, give him his medicine, change his IV fluids and check on his overall well being. Part of me felt sad to help this man; another part of me was disappointed. I wanted to watch lives being saved, and I was stuck with someone whose life could not be saved. When I came into his room and asked him how he felt, his wife would bless me. They would both talk to me about their travels and their grandchildren. Every time I just propped his pillow or gave him a blanket his eyes would light up. I started to realize that everything I did for him, though seemingly insignificant, affected him. I could not save him, but I could soothe him. I became aware that saving lives was not limited to performing thrilling surgeries or solving medical mysteries. Saving a life could also mean providing the care and compassion that would allow someone to die with dignity. Looking back, I realize that this was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I now understand that being a physician
It was one patient in particular that caught my attention. He wasn’t my first assigned patient that summer, but his story touched me in a way no other had before. The patient was an elderly man with an advanced case of lung cancer. He was condemned to die in a couple of months, but was seeking further treatment. I was assigned to take his blood pressure and temperature periodically, give him his medicine, change his IV fluids and check on his overall well being. Part of me felt sad to help this man; another part of me was disappointed. I wanted to watch lives being saved, and I was stuck with someone whose life could not be saved. When I came into his room and asked him how he felt, his wife would bless me. They would both talk to me about their travels and their grandchildren. Every time I just propped his pillow or gave him a blanket his eyes would light up. I started to realize that everything I did for him, though seemingly insignificant, affected him. I could not save him, but I could soothe him. I became aware that saving lives was not limited to performing thrilling surgeries or solving medical mysteries. Saving a life could also mean providing the care and compassion that would allow someone to die with dignity. Looking back, I realize that this was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I now understand that being a physician