First Patient.
Life has always created room for a first time, so I expected it but not as fast as it came. The invitation from one of the sales boy whom I later found his name to be DEJI came with too many reactions. My ear contracted in a manner similar to I can't hear you, in a split second all my sweat pores opened up and started crying. My heart was not left out as it skipped 300 times in 1 second. Since propranolol ( a drug used in the treatment of stage fright) was not available at the moment and the patient cannot come and be waiting, I took a deep breath and like a lion I surged towards the patient why making a mental calculation of my incomplete knowledge of pharmacology and hoping to make my unborn children proud.
The patient was a average height, fair and tough looking guy with an almost dirty cap to match his polo whom from my assessment should be in his early twenties. The way he replied to my greeting showed he had a inept understanding of Igbo language, this made me continue in our local language since I could remember Pharm. Maureen's voice (the lecturer that taught my class introduction to pharmacy practice) telling us that usage of the patient's local language is the most perfect form of communication.
After the usual exchange of greetings,
I was expecting him to hand his pescription script to me, but then he demanded for pain killers also known as ANALGESICS. His request for pain killers brought a very comforting relief to my troubled soul as it was amongst the pharmacology topics that kept me awake all night last semester. I was about to ask him his age and other dosing related questions but viam like the anointing sessions I see on television, my textbook ministered to me informing me that pains is an important part of diagnosis. This revelation took the smiles away from my face and got me more inquisitive. I asked why he needed the pain killers.
This question was the beginning of my problem. In a well calculated and rhythmic motion he removed his face cap, and showed me his left eye. The sight of the eye formatted the physiology of the eye I knew, in fact the only thing on my mind was Davido's song "SEE GOBE." The eye has lost it's innocent white color and was now putting a red attire depicting Nollywood cult scenes. In a split second, when did this happen was the only thing my innocent voice could summon courage to mutter. Two weeks ago was his reply and this left me perplexed. Now in a bid to get to the root of the underlying situation, like Hollywood FBI, I shot another question at him enquiring what happened. His reply paralysed my left thinking faculty. In a semi polished English, he informed me that the eye had been to the theatre and back three times, that things were going on well until a friend mistakenly hit him on the eye two weeks ago and since then He has been depending on the services of pain killers to take him off the excruciating pain the eye brought.
From nowhere, my fears turned to anger. I was almost about to descend on the sales boy that had been mix in pain killers for this innocent guy but on a second thought, since I was new let me calm down and learn. I utilized the power vested on my lab coat to withdraw the pain killers the sales guy got, I referred the patient whom was almost about to teach me my job by insisting on the pain killers to a nearby oculist and bade him goodbye. For the first time I felt proud on my lab coat, I smiled and went back to my seat. The rest of the day was supposed to be just validating and dispensing drugs but then some people would not let my brain rest..
To be contd..
Episode 3 coming thru
Thank You admin..
ReplyDelete