Speaking doctors

Yes , so its finally happening! Its that time of the year when people start to get sarcastic.”I’m gonna sleep tonight and wake up after one whole year!”. Anyways, for the docs working at AKUH, its been a tough year.Specially for us, year twos.An year of fourteen months.Before even autumn could come , our residents started to shed.It started with Mohsin, then it was Asad, then Naeem,  followed by Mohkum and eventually Saima Mangi.We had ‘fauji’ training the year round. Fourteen months were easily divided into five months of oncology, five months of  gastroentrology, two months of Neurologly, one month of pulmo and another month of ICU. We had ‘fauji’ training the year round And now , lets welcome third year! Third year……………. New team……….what team, myself and an intern…………..an intern who doesn’t know the system.Has no pager, and by the time he has one , wont know how to operate it….. And then the attendings… The rush calls, what would we do in them … The morning m...

I still remember , the day. I was in Matli, girls Government School, class nine. Fresh from overseas, I’d been asked by my teachers to make a speech on the special day. I painstakingly made a thunderous speech on the Quaid.His sacrificies, his dedication………. His sacrificies, his dedication………. I arrived in school to see a few girls dressed in army dresses.I asked one of them why are you dressed as such on the death anniversary of the Quaid! Its the defence day silly, I was told. Oh-uh……..I was to give the speech in ten minutes.”The Quaid” , was replaced by “our great soldiers” on the whole two page speech.The speech went well, anyways! On his birth anniversary, lets take an oath,just to be good. Be honest in whatever we do, people will start changing , once we change ourselves……..   Kam , kam, or kam…………….

Come long weekend and the world changes! I start noticing things  which are missed in the usual mayhem of routine.Drone attacks continue on our countrymen, as we party on the arrival of our Chinese friends!And they say that if one body part hurts , the whole body aches…………. The only China significant in my life is Chinese salt, soya sauce, manchurian! Its easy to guess how foodie this doc is! There are the nice ones , and there are the not so nice ones………. With the new year aroung the corner, the few of us , that is the new to be year threes jitter at the thought of running a team.A team which will consist of two interns, one year one resident and the attending (the boss). Now , the bosses come in all shapes and sizes……..there are the nice ones , and there are the not so nice ones………. ones which give you room and others which give space spread on hectares …… Our juniors tell us that we are a very decent lot (the to be third years), we don’t seem to have any differences among...

First call in Neurology.Weekend call.We start off with seven patients and discharge four.One is shifted to wing.Left with two more. I ask Dr Kamran if I could clerk some patients from ER. The offer delights him.He says I should cover his ER responsibilities from 8-10pm ,while he attends Neurology night.The deal is settled. I take my book out of the locker, and aim to study.Saima Kamal (lovingly called chulbul) is sitting on C2 counter.She offers tea and Aini joins in.I shrug the thought of studying and join in some hearty gossip…… I shrug the thought of studying and join in some hearty gossip…… Earlier , Aini asks Dr Kamran about the Neurology night, and whether we could join.He agrees. Done with tea ( and ither kee other ) I head back to C2 with the promise with Aini and Saima that I would page them before leaving for the function. As i complete my prayers ,Dr Kamran pages from ER.He asks me to come to ER immediately to see some patients as he doesn’t have the energy to see anym...

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 w...

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...