Speaking doctors

Its Sunday, I get ready for my call, arrange food in my tiffin for the tough day ahead.As I head for the hospital ,the rest of the city seems to be asleep.I gather my energy and tell myself, its ok, its the last call in oncology! Almost five months, and it definitely does not seem like yesterday! . It all started with wing (private wing).One month there.I was blessed with the luxury of an intern,whose claim to fame was that he’d gotten married the previous month.An elderly lady, with metastatic carcinoma of ovary was admitted for management of gastroenteritis.Once done with history the patient said, “Doctor, all I want is some HIV drips and an early discharge tomorrow!”. My jaw almost dropped to the floor.”Oh sorry doc, I meant to say IV drips”, she gave a sheepish smile. That month eventually passed smoothly. The chiefs then forgot to displace me for the next three months Subsequently followed by a gap of five months I again landed in oncology, but this time around it was floo

Before the writer dies in me…..I must write something! Venue : Ibn-e-Zuhr Oncology clinic. Characters: Dr Zarka, Patients. “and you call this hospital, of International standards”. Scene one. Dr Zarka stands on the counter, swinging in the chair, waiting for a room to empty so she can clerk a patient.In comes the 65  year old gentleman (patient one). Patient one says to nurse (in a rather loud and annoyed voice): “When is my turn going to arrive?! I’ve been waiting since two”. Nurse looks at the mountain of files and lets him know that it ll take another half an hour. Patient one is annoyed no end.He says “and you call this hospital of International standards”. Half and hour elapses.  Patient one is called.He enters’ room five. As Dr Zarka enters room five , ‘I ve seen this patient before’, She thinks to herself.She greets the patients, and tells him ,”I ve seen you before”. Patient one says, “I think so too” Then Dr Zarka suddenly remembers, “You have a foreign wife!” Pa

Calendar says its 8th of November,2010. My heart says its call two today in oncology. Its Sunday , while the rest of the family starts for the lazy morning, I hurriedly rush for the hospital. Its the usual day in hospital, plenty of patients ,only this little doctor to sort out the mess. As usual all the stable patients turn unstable, and together… . . . . I love oncology’s craziness! ”Do you take drugs Aunty” I ask the patient, with a smile. On the back of my mind lingers on the thought that I’ve to give intrathecal chemotherapy.Done with clarking three patients, I proceed for the chemotherapy.Every thing set, LP needle, GP pack,pyodine, midazolam, consent. I call the staff for assistance in positioning the patient. Patient’s room stinks…she has passed stool. “Clean it up”, I tell the staff. Ten minutes pass.Meanwhile I clark the fourth patient. I peek into the earlier patient’s room.Everything nicely cleaned up!”Lets start” I signal the staff.Two and a half ml of midazolam, no r

“Haven’t you written  anything new “ Saima Kamal asks.So people are reading my blog, my heart bumps and jumps!               With the month of November, this doc is to rotate in Oncology…. after three months of oncology (i.e. July --- September) I tell Dr Tayyaba that “I really enjoyed Onco “, she smiled and said “well maybe you should continue for another month then “. “NAAAH! “ I thought then…….. The month of Pulmonology was a bliss. My first call in oncology , 28 patients……the night before, Dr Tayyaba told me to perform prayers before my call so that I admit only a few patients ( not the bundle that I m notorious for ).I do exactly that.But Allah wants me to multitask  . . . My eyes scroll through one of the patients blood gas. I know how to interpret this, I think. There are six steps Check internal consistency Ascertain whether there is acidaemia/alkalaemia Find out whether the defect is metabolic / respiratory Check for compensation For metabolic acidosis: