A&E

Yes, it's true that recently my life revolves around what I do as a medical student. I have to admit I'm addicted to the A&E. It's my source of action and drama, lagi cool daripada tengok Grey's Anatomy. Oh btw, I've seen both episodes of the new season of House. Lega gile tak payah dengar Cameron membebel and Foreman being hostile. And that new unethical chick can so kick Cameron's ass. I hope she stays. The new people are a lot more fun than the old ducklings.

Back to A&E, I've seen quite a few things that I've classified as interesting. The other day my friend Shin and I were doing a night shift (saje nak kiasu), and a Chinese man happened to make his way to the A&E, crying and moaning in distress. Being the only person able to speak Chinese there, Shin became the translator.

Shin finally gathered that this man had been living in the UK for the last 6 years and had only worked for a year. He had 200 pounds which he was supposed to hand over to his niece who was coming from China as he owed his brother some money. But on that day he was walking around and found himself at a gambling centre. Being the idiot that he was he thought the numbers and odds looked great; and naturally (duh) he lost all his life savings in just one go.

Having to translate this story many times to various staffs of the A&E, Shin admitted, "Dia ni memalukan kaum aku je. And now he's asking for someone to give him 200 pounds. He's a big fucking idiot."

That man was later referred for psych review after they found a card saying he was a patient at a mental institute. But his story was still true, and pathetic.

Me: Can he not talk to his brother? Maybe...
Shin: Dia tak berani cakap. He got 17 miscalls already.
Me: Yea but you know, maybe the brother boleh faham ke. I mean, he's a mental...
Shin: He doesn't have a brother anymore.
Me: What? You just said...
Shin: No, he doesn't have any family anymore.
Me: *still blur lagi* What?
Shin: Mane ade dah.
Me: Wait.... Takkan kot.
Shin: Yea la, these things happen.
Me: Gile berkira orang Cina!
Shin: Eh you Melayu mane you faham. I Cina I tahu la...

Life's a bitch. Even though I know that man was an idiot, imagine losing all family because of one act of stupidity.

I met my first nurse who was really keen on getting rid of patients from the A&E. Apparently there's always one in every A&E. "If that Chinese man/lady on crack wants to leave AMA, let's not discourage him/her."

In some countries they won't treat alcoholics or drug addicts because they won't budget for such thing. In the UK, a proportion of people think they can always get treatment for every addiction that they have because the NHS is built for the people. It's hard to say what's the right answer to this issue.

On a lighter note, after I gave two sutures to this one young man, his father was trying to be nice to me (after grilling me dah berape banyak training I had on suturing - sorry la I was nervous at the beginning) that he offered the fish and chips he bought from the cafeteria earlier. I went back to the doctors' station and plopped down between Helen the SpR and Shin. I showed off my fish announcing, "He gave me fish!" Helen couldn't stop laughing and Shin asked, "So bila you nak kahwin dengan anak dia?" Shin thought it all seemed suspiciously like Malay culture, macam expert sangat la.

Maybe one day if I end up in A&E as a patient or a family member of a patient, I should try to be nice. Honestly, makes someone's day =)