Occasionally, doctors become patients too. While I wouldn't wish ill-health on anyone, it can be an inspiring lesson for medical professionals to suddenly be on the other side.
This happened to me a few months ago when I had a kidney stone, which had decided to make its unwelcome presence known in a rather romantic fashion just as I was going out for dinner. The pain came from absolutely nowhere but within minutes I was incapacitated. I was quite taken ab ack by how astonishingly painful it was.
As a doctor, I initially refused to believe that anything was seriously wrong, because I have witnessed countless individuals come to the emergency room convinced they are dying only for nothing more than trapped wind and then creep (蹑手蹑脚) out as they burp (打嗝) loudly and the pain disappears. However, the unbearable pain continued to exist, forcing me to acknowledge that this was indeed more than just a stubborn burp,
I was particularly pleased to read afterwards in a medical textbook that renal colic, as the pain is known, is the "most painful event a person can endure, often described as being worse than childbirth." It's no wonder chronic (慢性的) pain drives people mad. While doctors talk about pain and its management, it's hard to put into words how exhausting it really is until you've experienced it for yourself.
During my time in hospital, I interacted with numerous doctors, each exhibiting professionalism and kindness but one stuck out in my mind. He was actually the most junior of them all, but something about his manner was incredibly calming and comforting. Whenever he came to my bed to speak to me, he knelt down so he was at my eye level. This simple act rid me of the stress that other healthcare professionals unintentionally projected. Just kneeling down made all the difference.
Experiencing the role reversal of doctor-turned-patient provided me with profound insights into the realities of pain and effective patient care.
