Before she came into my room, I was pulling out her medical case notes.
Big stacks, 3 volumes. Been to 12 medical/ surgical departments in the hospital I work in.
Besides diabetes, she is dealing with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia.
She is also dealing with anxiety and depression.
Her diabetes is poorly controlled and already on insulin.
I don't blame my colleagues, that they will "size" up the patient "profile" before talking to her.
Most probably another patient who will complain pain every where.
Most probably another patient who does not adhere to treatment plans.
Most probably another patient who does not eat healthily.
Most probably another patient who does not exercise, sedentary lifestyle.
Ya.. so again most probably another patient whose glucose is always high and well.. that's best we can do, cos we have already provided the optimal treatment and medical management
When you talk to her, you will realize these.
Her physical pain in her joints, she is actively doing something about it.
She is seeing Rhuematology, taking steroids faithfully as prescribed and going for physiotherapy.
Her emotional pain is "killing her".
She is a widow since her youngest kid was 4.
He is now married to a daughter in law who cannot get along with her.
Now she is staying with her brother whom has mental illness, and she is caring for him.
Her children do not really know the severity of her medical conditions.
She knows she is not mentally strong, and accepting the fact that she can burst out crying.
She knows she is not mentally strong and having bad insomnia.
She knows and accepts she is seeing a psychiatrist for that and taking medications.
She wants to overcome that, she wants to one day stop taking the "low mood" medications.
She wants to overcome her diabetes, testing her blood glucose almost everyday and yet they are still out of the normal range.
Poor social support, having problems with coping, joint pain due to pathology and poorly controlled diabetes with insulin injections everyday.
Yet she is still doing something for herself. On that merit, should we SEE her as a person for once?
Or her medical problems list has overwhelmed you that she is just another patient which unfortunately this is that much we can do?
Because we SEE the mountains of problem she has like the mountain of medical notes in front of us.
Or another patient? Another patient in the same category of "non-compliance"?
Sadly... young medical colleagues I encountered today, whom most probably in their peak of their careers, experienced little physical illness, needless to say emotional loss.. will never truly SEE her.
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