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The Death Of A Blind Patient

Decent Essays

As I walked by the medical unit in St Vincent’s Hospital, I was told by a doctor to help watch an elderly man. When I timidly stuck my head into the room, the doctor asked me not to let the man leave. I entered and stood by the bed. “Who’s this?” an old man in his sixties asked. I asked if I could have a sit in order to know more about him. The friendly old man agreed, smiling and introduced himself as Pat. I looked at his walking stick, unblinking eyes and finally asked, “If you don’t mind me asking, are you errr.... blind?” I was a third year medical student, who was only taught basic history taking and physical examination according to systems, but I do not know what to expect from a blind patient.
The old man laughed, a bit amused and …show more content…

I can’t use my eyes to see, but I use my heart to feel. Beauty lies in the mind of the beholder to be precise, so one doesn’t need eyes to see beauty.” He asked me to look outside. I felt the warmth of the rare appearance of sun in Dublin on my face and it felt good.
The truth is Pat lost his eyesight in an accident 30 years ago. At first he couldn’t accept the fact and even tried to commit suicide. His attempt failed and he realised that he had been given a second chance by the help of doctors. Now he was admitted for a heart valve condition, and he was very keen to be treated, so he can always use his heart to ‘feel’. Medically, heart plays an important role, pumping blood and all, but to some people, it’s something more. This was my first patient contact experience, aside from passing pills and getting tissues. As I got pass my intimidated phase, I realised seeing the patient as human in need of companionship and understanding, is part of what makes one a doctor.
That was a year ago, the last 2 weeks of my pre clinical studies in UCD, where I got the opportunity to experience clinical practice in the hospital. I had just concluded my pre clinical stage and was still oblivious to what is ahead. In the short two weeks exposure in the hospital, I got to play doctor, nurse and best friend to some of the patients. I had the opportunity to shadow doctors through the medical departments, to watch doctors take histories and listened to heart murmurs

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