Emedinews:Inspiration:Eternally grateful

An Inspirational Story
(Ms Ritu Sinha)

Eternally grateful

As a young girl I remember a very special doctor name Dr. William R. Vincent. I had been to several doctors as a child, but I have a special place in my heart for Dr. Vincent. He was a Pediatric Cardiologist at UCLA back in 1971 who saved my life. I was eight years old at the time with a severe heart problem and I needed heart surgery. My Mom did not have the money to have it done, and without the surgery there was a real good chance I would not live to be thirteen years old. After contacting several organizations Dr. Vincent was able to get financial help for me through United Way, a Crippled Children's Organization.

Dr. Vincent was a handsome man; he was also very gentle and caring. I remember being in the hospital for an Angiogram test, and during the procedure I was crying hysterically, so the medical staff called in Dr. Vincent to calm me down, and he was able to comfort me when no one else could. Then the time came for me to have heart surgery; there was a fifty- percent chance that I would not make it through the surgery because it was experimental. At the time I was only the second or third person to have this procedure done, they reconstructed the main artery by using an artery from my leg. I was absolutely terrified, and again Dr. Vincent reassured me he would see to it that everything would be all right.

I had a lot of confidence and trust in Dr. Vincent; he was the most caring man I had ever known. He came to see me after the surgery, which was extremely painful but very successful, and brought me a stuffed animal. I was so surprised to get this gift from Dr. Vincent; I gave him a hug. I guess Dr. Vincent must have known I was feeling very lonely and scared because that brightened my day. You see, I had no family or friends visit me while I was in the hospital except for my Mom, and I am not sure why. I do know one thing; I had a wonderful doctor who took the time to help a scared little girl who felt all alone. This was twenty eight years ago, so wherever you are Dr. Vincent, I want to thank you for not only saving my life, but you helped me live a normal productive life, and for showing me that you truly cared, for that I will be eternally grateful to you.

Emedinews:Insights on Medicolegal Issues:Medical negligence

Medicolegal Update
(Dr Sudhir Gupta, Additional Prof, Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS)

The investigating police officer and the private complainant cannot always be supposed to have knowledge of medical science so as to determine whether the act of the alleged medical professional/doctor or hospital amounts to rash or negligent act within the domain of criminal law under Section 304–A of IPC said the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court says,

• “… As we have noticed hereinabove, that the cases of doctors being subjected to criminal prosecution are on an increase. Sometimes such prosecutions are filed by private complainants and sometimes by the police based on an FIR being lodged and cognizance taken.

• The criminal process, once initiated, subjects the medical professional to serious embarrassment and sometimes harassment. He has to seek bail to escape arrest, which may or may not be granted to him.
• At the end he may be exonerated by acquittal or discharge but the loss which he has suffered in his reputation cannot be compensated by any standards.
• We may not be understood as holding that doctors can never be prosecuted for an offence of which rashness or negligence is an essential ingredient.
• All that we are doing is to emphasize the need for care and caution in the interest of society; for, the service which the medical profession renders to human beings is probably the noblest of all, and hence there is a need for protecting doctors from frivolous or unjust prosecutions.
• Many a complaint prefers recourse to criminal process as a tool for pressurizing the medical professional for extracting uncalled for or unjust compensation. Such malicious proceedings have to be guarded against.

Emedinews:Makesure:A patient with renal failure came to a doctor.

Situation: A patient with renal failure came to a doctor.
Reaction: Oh, my God! Why was he given painkillers?
Lesson: Make sure to avoid painkillers in renal failure as most painkillers (barring nimesulide, paracetamol) are not kidney–friendly drugs.

eMedinews:Inspiration:Too good not to share

An Inspirational Story
(Dr GM Singh)

A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agree that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.

The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man's parcel of land remained barren! After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, there was a woman who swam to his side of the land.

On the other side of the island, again there was nothing! Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing! Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island. The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God's blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered.

As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?" "My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one was the one who prayed for them.” "You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings." "Tell me, O God," the first man asked the voice, "What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?" "He prayed that all your prayers be answered."

For all we know, our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone, but those of another praying for us. This is too good not to share...My prayer for you today is that all your prayers are answered. Be blessed.

What you do for others is more important than what you do for yourself.

Emedinews:Makesure:What is lust murder

In America the term ‘lust murder’ is also used in a related but slightly different forensic sense, to refer to an individual who gains sexual arousal from the act of committing murder, or has persistent sexual fantasies of committing murder, even if the murder itself does not involve the genital mutilation or other typical/signature characteristics. Based on my experience as autopsy surgeon, lust murder is a type of paraphilia. The dynamics of violent fantasy in lust murders is understood. However, an individual’s violence fantasy alone is not enough to determine if an individual has or has not engaged in lust murder. Moreover, to conclude that an individual is the murderer because he has drawn multitudes of violent images – some of which involve women is over reaching. The scene of crime is fabricated in many cases by the offender. The body is often removed from the crime scene. He may do this to "taunt" the police or to prevent its discovery by transporting it to a location where it would be well hidden. 

EMedinews:Makesure:A 62–year–old diabetic with coronary artery disease, on treatment for the same, comes for follow up.

Situation: A 62–year–old diabetic with coronary artery disease, on treatment for the same, comes for follow up.
Reaction: Oh my God! Why didn’t you put him on antioxidants?
Lesson: Make Sure to add antioxidants to the prescription because of their free radical scavenging and other beneficial effects.

Emedinews:Inspiration:Parent's take heed

An Inspirational Story
(Ms Ritu Sinha)

"Daddy, how much do you make an hour?" With a timid voice and idolizing eyes, the little boy greeted his father as he returned from work. Greatly surprised, but giving his boy a glaring look, the father said: "Look, sonny, not even your mother knows that. Don't bother me now, I'm tired."

"But, Daddy, just tell me please! How much do you make an hour?" the boy insisted. The father, finally giving up, replied: "Twenty dollars per hour."

"Okay, Daddy. Could you loan me ten dollars?" the boy asked. Showing his restlessness and positively disturbed, the father yelled: "So that was the reason you asked how much I earn, right? Go to sleep and don't bother me anymore!"

It was already dark and the father was meditating on what he said and was feeling guilty. Maybe, he thought, his son wanted to buy something. Finally, trying to ease his mind, the father went to his son's room. "Are you asleep, son?" asked the father.

"No, Daddy. Why?" replied the boy, partially asleep. "Here's the money asked for earlier," the father said.

"Thanks, Daddy!" rejoiced the son, while putting his hand under his pillow and removing some money. "Now I have enough! Now I have twenty dollars!" the boy said to his father, who was gazing at his son, confused at what his son had just said. "Daddy, could you sell me one hour of your time?"