I remember wishing that I was working when I was in the middle of my MBBS, yet barely 2 months into HO-ship, I started to wish that I was still studying. Started my 1st month in the Haem-onco ward at KKH paeds, and promptly felt out of league with all the cancer patients that were under my team. Well, the working environment was pleasant, the nurses were generally helpful and funny, and the team ever so ready to teach and clarify my questions, but still, the lack of an SIP in paeds was pretty telling.
I got the chance to know some of my patients better since a couple were long stayers, and others were readmitted frequently for chemotherapy.
I was touched by the devotion parents showed their children – the days and nights spent by their bedsides, tending to their child’s every needs. Even though we had to take blood frequently for tests, the parents were still understanding despite knowing what pain their children must be in. It must have been even more painful to watch their children undergo chemotherapy ever so often. More so, in palliative patients.
It was only one morning in my 3rd week, that I noticed the rosary that was hanging from the cot of a toddler. He had been in a couple of times before, but I’ve always been too caught up in the morning rounds to notice.
At that moment, I could feel His presence amidst my hectic ward round.
I started to appreciate a little more of the importance of religion.
Although I never got down to speaking with the mom more about their faith, it was enough of a reminder to me, of our calling as Catholic doctors.
Dr’s Blog is a feature of the CMG web site that aims to encourage interaction between Guild members. We hope to foster a spirit of community through the sharing of thoughts and personal experirences. The opinions expressed in these blogs are entirely those of the contributors and not of the Catholic Medical Guild of Singapore.