(IM)Mortality
Sunday, January 22nd, 2006Last week, I lost my patient for the first time…
This case is one of those cases in a diagnostic dilemma.
She came in with Septic-Metabolic Encephalopathy which resolved eventually. However, her persistent hypercalcemic state made us investigate on the probably of malignancy. It was a 15-day battle for her family and for us doctors.
On the day I accompanied her in GI Clinic for EGD, she was very conscious and uttered with so much effort the words "Thank you ha!" I wouldn’t forget how happy she was when she said that. I don’t know exactly if she was referring to our "general patient care" or for the EGD that she had which is a procedure that is slightly hard to tolerate. I admired her courage for allowing herself to undergo every procedure or treatment that we had offered her.
I opted not leave her when the priest came for her final sacrament. Tears flowed from my eyes. I can’t look at her son’s face for I don’t know what to say. When she finally left us, her son came to me and expressed his gratitude for taking care of her mother. I was relieved by what he said for it reflected acceptance of his mother’s death.
My patient’s death made me realize that I made a difference for my patients. Likewise, I was touched by their lives aside from learning from their cases.
