I thought there was so much work at the hospital that no one would think of generating some. I was wrong.
"Sir, this patient with uterine leiomyomas is to be posted for abdominal hysterectomy" my Registrar said. "But the anesthetists have found hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. They have asked for opinion from hematologists and gastrointestinal surgeons."
"Let me see her" I said. I palpated her abdomen, but could not feel the liver and spleen. "Liver and spleen are not enlarged" I declared.
"Even her abdominal ultrasonography does not show any enlargement of the liver and spleen" the Registrar said.
"Let us speak to the anesthesiologists" I said. I found senior anesthesiologist and told him about this patient.
"I asked for opinions of hematologist and gastrointestinal surgeon because my House officer found hepato-splenomegaly" he said.
"But there is no hepato-splenomegaly" I said."neither on palpation nor on ultrasonography."
"It is better to take those opinions" he said. "The patient looks emaciated."
"We will take all opinions required if there is hepato-splenomegaly" I said. "We cannot increase work of those superspecialists, who are understaffed and overworked. I suggest you palpate her abdomen yourself before asking for such opinions." I should have added 'they will laugh us out when they find no hepato-splenomegaly', but decided to let it go unsaid.
Finally he palpated the patient's abdomen and said 'there is no hepato-splenomegaly. I thought the House officer was right."
"Don't trust a person blindly" I advised. "Confirm that he/she is good before you trust him/her." I wanted to add 'or we will end up doing a lot of things, some of them bad for the patients', but decided to let it go unsaid.
Lately I have been leaving a lot of things unsaid, because I have realized that though I like to state the truth, people often do not like to hear it.
"Sir, this patient with uterine leiomyomas is to be posted for abdominal hysterectomy" my Registrar said. "But the anesthetists have found hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. They have asked for opinion from hematologists and gastrointestinal surgeons."
"Let me see her" I said. I palpated her abdomen, but could not feel the liver and spleen. "Liver and spleen are not enlarged" I declared.
"Even her abdominal ultrasonography does not show any enlargement of the liver and spleen" the Registrar said.
"Let us speak to the anesthesiologists" I said. I found senior anesthesiologist and told him about this patient.
"I asked for opinions of hematologist and gastrointestinal surgeon because my House officer found hepato-splenomegaly" he said.
"But there is no hepato-splenomegaly" I said."neither on palpation nor on ultrasonography."
"It is better to take those opinions" he said. "The patient looks emaciated."
"We will take all opinions required if there is hepato-splenomegaly" I said. "We cannot increase work of those superspecialists, who are understaffed and overworked. I suggest you palpate her abdomen yourself before asking for such opinions." I should have added 'they will laugh us out when they find no hepato-splenomegaly', but decided to let it go unsaid.
Finally he palpated the patient's abdomen and said 'there is no hepato-splenomegaly. I thought the House officer was right."
"Don't trust a person blindly" I advised. "Confirm that he/she is good before you trust him/her." I wanted to add 'or we will end up doing a lot of things, some of them bad for the patients', but decided to let it go unsaid.
Lately I have been leaving a lot of things unsaid, because I have realized that though I like to state the truth, people often do not like to hear it.
