Survive...

Second week of attachment. I finally see for myself the difference between the patients in a community and an acute hospital that my tutors always tell us. In a community hospital, the patients are very much stable and have high chances of recovery while in an acute hospital, the patients need a lot of monitoring because one minute they can be very stable and the next, their conditions worsen very quickly. 3 last offices in just one week. Wow... One of the patients that i've been taking care of last week passed away today. I felt super sad. He was recovering well last week and kept in view of discharge but this week, his condition worsened. Some patients are discharged with terminal illnesses and DNR order. No chances of recovery. I also realize how vulnerable they really are. One minute they are told that they are in the lab only for an examination and the next, they have to undergo procedures that might save their lives. The anxiety that i felt from them was overwhelming. I realize how strong these patients really are. The fact that some of them agreed to procedures to fight for their lives. The fact that some terminally ill patients despite knowing they do not have long to live, still stay optimistic and are happy. Then, i realize how brave they are and how fragile life can be. I realized that much of the comfort i gained came from the many patients that i interact with. They gave me even more motivation to do whatever i can for them to make them feel more comfortable.

To me, a hospital is such an ironic place. Happy yet a sad place. A place where people recover from their illness but also a place where people die in. A truthful and harsh place. Then, i also realize how ironic people can be. Every second even when i'm typing this. There are people out there that are dying, people out there that are fighting to live on, people out there that are living life to the fullest knowing that tonight they go to sleep and tomorrow morning they might not be able to see the sunrise. Yet, there are some people out there trying to end their lives. Live life to the fullest. I see the full meaning of this phrase in these terminally ill patients eyes. Their determination to do whatever they want. Even till the extent of a simple thing like eating their favourite food everyday. We live to fight but they fight to live. Then, i realized, they are in fact much stronger than we are. We might be healthy but weak in our minds. They might not be in perfect health but strong in their minds and willpower.