Statistics is very much part of our training in medicine. The graph above is known as a survival curve and every step signifies a death. Whilst a million death is a statistic, each death is to a doctor a powerful if not sometimes painful reflection.
For we may try our utmost and do whatever we can but sometimes, some will slip through our hands. With each death and with the bias of hindsight, there is always that nudging, albeit transient, feeling of guilt. The feeling that I could have perhaps done things better or that I could have done more, if I can do it all over again.
Or perhaps it is with the knowledge that with each death, we are ourselves one step closer, that is the origin for this wishful thinking of saving our patient's life, such that ours may one day be saved.
But alas, sometimes, and oftentimes, they don't survive.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and certainly the mark of a great, caring doc :)
ReplyDeleteWould be great if everyone in your fratenity thinks and feels this way! Am sure patients and their families will deeply appreciate and be comforted to know that you have tried your best for each of them, even if the eventual outcome is a sad one.
Thank you for your kind comments.
DeleteAm so touched, Dr BL Og! Cos many in the medical field just turned numb abt pp dying!
DeleteThanks too!
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