Mar 26, 2011

Reflection Dos: Paediatric and I

To be honest, I wasn't very much looking forward to start this rotation. It's not that I don't like kids. It just breaks my heart that small innocent children with no guilt in the world should suffer such horrible diseases.

The first week was horrible. I had to force myself a couple of times to hold it together and not cry. Everything was overwhelming. Their sick, tired faces, their mothers dead worried looks and then we had to come and inflict more misery to them by bothering them with questions they already answered and consume the last bits of energy the kids have with examining them. And they almost never said no to me. They gave different excuses to why they will gladly be a part of my education. One mother allowed me to examine her infant because she was a psychology student and had to go history hunting from psych patients and she knows how tiring it is to look for a cooperate one. Another dad at the ER gladly let me examine his son who was in respiratory distress, just because his niece was named after me and he wishes that she becomes a doctor like me one day. Things like this touches your heart. Kindness still exist in this cold world.

A turning point in my relationship with paediatrics was when I was examining this four year old girl who has sickle cell anemia. She was so tiny and beautiful. Very cooperative and quite. When I was in the middle of listening to her heart sounds she started playing with my head scarf then grabbed my finger with all of her hand just like a palmer grasp reflex. It was very endearing and sweet knowing that it wasn't a reflex and she did it out of affection. Her mom then told me "she really likes you". And it was mutual. Then my perspective shifted. I shouldn't think of how much a child is unfortunate for being sick. I should only think of how much I can help them to get better. Even at this stage where all I can give is a warm smile and a gentle touch that hopefully will brighten a gray day.

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I don't really like the third reflection. I'm not sure I'll post it.
Anywho, Paediatric is OVER! FOREVER NO MORE PEDS! *DANCING*

End of peds celebratory cake at Chili's by Ghada.

After Ghada's editing


4 comments:

  1. Liked this one more , really it was sad and thank god it's over .
    U know I believe now when they say together we make a difference , good luck to us in OB & gynae ..
    Keep shining Hun (:

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  2. first I have to mark the coincidence that we started the third reflection in almost the same way..
    it's overwhelming indeed .. I like ur perspective here .. seems much realistic than the one I wrote .. plus u obviously mean it more than I do in my 3rd reflection ^^'

    p.s: sorry I didn't leave a comment earlier, apparently I'm a gigantic lazy a** :P

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  3. Aww better late than never. I bet almost half the girls started their reflections with that remark. And thank you. :)

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