Friday, June 13, 2008

Double standard

I love observing people. Be it people I work with, or people passing by as I go about window shopping. I think there's a lot of entertainment value in observing people's behaviour.

Seriously. Just try and sit on a bench somewhere (1Utama new wing has really comfy ones) and watch people go by. You will laugh, be touched and even cry.

We had a VIP patient at our casualty the other day. You know something important has happened if suddenly there are people the size of a small kampung gathering at the casualty waiting area.

I had been busy in OT all day and only heard about the VIP presenting at our casualty with chest pains.

Now, this VIP is famed, amongst other reasons, for having 4 wives. Allegedly, one of them had been an ex sweetheart of his own son. Juicy, no? I found it amusing that people were more interested in the fact that all his wives had turned up together rather than the nature of his illness!

When I finally went to the casualty department to review my ortho cases, the VIP was still very much the centre of attention. I observed in silence and in much amusement how one of the officers (non MO) at my casualty department was speaking in hushed tones into the phone, pondering on the ECG as if his life depended on it, with cold beads of sweat spattered on his forehead. This is the guy, whom, if this was any other regular patient, would've just walked by and went home.

Makes you wonder doesn't it? It makes ME wonder, anyway. Me, as laser as I can be, I treat my patients the same. My priority depends on the severity of the illness. Of course, I make certain exceptions for members of the profession, I guess in life we have to make some leeway somewhere.

1 comment:

scrubber said...

my dear friend, i only just found out about what happened to your pregnancy, I know it's a bit late, but I just want to say I'm really sorry , I'm around in the cyberworld if you need to talk or for anything at all. Take care hun. xx Najmiah