LIFE OF A YOUNG NIGERIAN DOCTOR PT2…

May I have the folder please? “dem neva make any payment o doc” says the nursing assistant. please you guys need to make a deposit at the front desk I say to the relatives who suddenly start grumbling. what’s the matter? I ask, “we nor get any money here o dokita” they reply. ok, can you at least obtain a card with 1k so I can document my findings and what has been done so far? “gbo gbo awon private hospita yin gan, owo le ko ma ma be re f’un, e ti like owo ju gan, ahn ahn!” (All these private hospitals are too money conscious) one of them says. sorry I don’t understand yoruba pls, I say. “dokita, dey treat am go, we dey come”!!! another replies.

please nurse, can we open a temporary folder for Barr Gbenga please? “Hehn doc! these people nor go pay o”, she says. “make we just refer them now now bekoz me I nor dey for this kain work o” she adds. I got a piece of continuation sheet and started documenting my findings. “Doc, the RBS still dey show high o”, the nursing assistant informs me. how many pints of IVF has he had pls? 4L o she says. please we’ll require that soluble insulin now please, I said to the relatives, there’s a pharmacy just opposite the hospital. kindly get it from them so we can commence it for Barr Gbenga.

“wheech kain hospita be this one sef”? they yell, “una nor get am for here”? it’s currently out of stock please, I reply. “ehn make una go buy am na”! one says, “shebi una be hospita”? we go pay for e’fritin afta” he adds. Exasperatedly I ask all the so-called relatives who brought Barr Gbenga to the hospital, so none of you has any money with you? To get the soluble insulin (Actrapid) from the pharmacy just across the hospital? We need it urgently to save Barr Gbenga’s life pls…silence all across the room as if an Angel had just passed bye.

Okay can any one pls at least make some deposit? So we can see what to do about securing the Insulin? “Shebi mo ti so f’un yi wi pe ka ma wa si hospita yi (I told y’all we shouldn’t have come to this hospital)”…one of the female relatives mumbles, “won ti like owo ju ni biyi won o de mo ise, o ye kati gbe won lo ri baba (they’re only interested in money here and are highly incompetent, we should have taken Barr to see the herbalist)”. Excuse me pls, I don’t understand yoruba, can u pls speak in English? I say…“Ah say una sabi work for this place”, she replies…I just stare at her and keep quiet.

Laboratory results are ready. MP (+), FBC (WBC, Neu and ESR elevated, other parameters within normal limits), WIDAL (significant titre), SEUCr ( K+= 4.5mmol/L, Na+= 139mmol/L, Cr= 0.8mg/dl, Urea =3.7mmol/L), LFT also within normal parameters. Lipid profile not yet done. Can I pls get his wife’s number so I can speak with her? “080-tiri-5”…they call out the number for me. Hello, good evening, this is Dr Francis calling from Benson Memorial hospital, I then explained the situation to her and she pleaded with me to help in anyway I could, that she was currently en route to the hospital. she offered to transfer some money to my acct but I declined asking her to transfer to the hospital acct instead and she did that.

Pls call accts dept to confirm funds transferred by Mrs Gbenga I tell the nursing assistant and if possible to get the actrapid ASAP. “Dem say the money don enta but oga nor dey to approve release of fund”,  says the nursing assistant…I suddenly had a severe headache, God! Why me? I was supposed to be off duty today but had to locum cuz I needed the extra cash…choi, water don pass garri o. I tried reaching the boss, but his phone kept ringing without response. The meager 5k I was paid for the locum I had to give to the orderly to help me procure the insulin.

A short while later with Insulin in hand, the  treatment regimen was commenced as in management of HHS with hourly RBS check and IVF therapy continued. Pls also commence IV broad spectrum antibiotics I tell the nursing assistant 12hrly as I continued my documentation. After several hours and doses of the current treatment plan…Alas, Barr Gbenga opens his eyes and asks, where am I? Jubilation all across the ER and the relatives start dancing and shouting “praaaaaaaise da Lord!…Hallelujah!!!” Pls, let’s all calm down and allow the Px rest I say to them.

Just at that point, Mrs Gbenga hurriedly enters the hospital and is directed to the ER were she finds her husband conscious and improving. I then updated her on his treatment so far and what was expected next. That he’d have to remain on admission for the night, complete the treatment plan and when he’s able to tolerate orally and his BG is below 290mg/dl, he’d recommence his oral hypoglycemics. I then asked him when last he took his meds, it’s been over a week doc he replies. Mrs Ramatu told me about one baba who cures DM using herbal concoctions and urged me to try it. And so I had been taking the herbs for almost a week now whilst discontinuing my prescribed meds.

Mrs Ramatu it turns out, was the relative who was mumbling a few hours ago…u recall? I turned and looked at her and she pretended to be staring at her feet. In clear and crisp yoruba, I then informed her she was likely the one responsible for the Barrister’s condition, that being Africans,there’s always room for herbal medicine but it should be from those said to be registered with NAFDAC where the active ingredient, dosage and regimen had been crosschecked and that she was lucky he made it…Mrs Ramatu stood frozen, jaw dropped, cuz it suddenly dawned on her, I understood all they had been saying. I grinned, and walked away.

As I completed my documentation and treatment plan, I looked up and realized the other doc to take over from me was already around…and more importantly, my tummy growled more intensely now. I picked up my bag to leave as it was already pretty dark outside…and just as my day started, biiiiiiike!!! I hailed another okada man and headed on home. On our way home, it started raining heavily and just like that, due to the bad roads and lots of mud, the bike man and myself fell into a gutter by the road side.

Too tired to argue or shout, I looked to the heavens as if saying; what next? I got up, checked for any injuries…there were none, other than my badly bruised ego that is, and the hunger pangs that just wouldn’t relent and just walked the remaining distance until I got home. Had my bath and finally had a warm meal (I wonder what breakfast,lunch and dinner all lumped into one meal would be called?…Any ideas?)

As I sat there thinking about how my day turned out and wondering how Barr Gbenga was doing, I passed out and before I could say Jack…my alarm blared. I struggled to open my eyes, and realized it was already morning and I was to be at work in the next 15mins…I groaned and muttered, I wan be doctor, I wan be doctor…shebi u don be doctor now? Lubbish! And funny enough, I started laughing cuz when I think about it, I’d actually have it no other way…it’s a calling y”all…though better renumeration wouldn’t kill anyone yeah?…wink!

…Here’s where I drop the mic for now, put on my shades, and walk away, Lol…Shalom.