Tedler D. Depaynos, MD
The 72 year old male patient was brought to the ER nearly midnight complaining of “slight chest pains” which he describes as merely “uncomfortable”. Being a retired teacher and a former “Scout Ranger”, he described his feelings in English from time to time. He insisted that his complaints were negligible but it was his grandchildren who “forced” him to be rushed to the hospital. From experience, elderly patients are usually in self-denial so if they finally consented to be brought to the ER at a very unholy hour, they must really be feeling more than “uncomfortable”. And to think that the monsoon rains were peaking at that time!
He had the usual work-up and true enough he had a “massive heart attack”. A cardiologist was consulted and he was placed in the Intensive Care Unit. Despite the aggressive supportive care and treatment he had a “heart failure” attack 2 midnights later. He was quickly revived but 7 hours later, he had another “attack” which he again overcame. After the 3rd “heart failure attack” after another 5 hours, the relatives were thinking of bringing him home even against medical advice. The attending MDs emphasized to them, however, that whatever their decision, it should really be a family consensus.
His recovery was surprising that when he regained consciousness, he wanted to say something but because of the tubes connecting his lungs to a machine to aid his breathing, he could not be understood. Some of the relatives were surmising that perhaps he wanted to be brought home because elderly patients when they know they are about to rest permanently, want to be at home with relatives and friends around. This we understand to be part of the native culture in our area.
Routinely, the patient’s medical records were reviewed. The attending MDs were aghast when they learned that 4 years ago he was diagnosed to have “colonic cancer” when a gastroenterologist did a colonoscopy and biopsy on a mass causing his rectal bleeding. He refused surgery according to his relatives. Two years later because of similar complaints, he underwent another similar procedure by another gastroenterologist in another hospital institution which revealed the same diagnosis. Apparently, the malignant mass has not increased in size because he never complained of colonic obstruction or difficulty of defecation. The consulted surgeons were all agreeable that this is a rare case for in their experience colonic Ca is very malignant. Within 4 years it would have doubled or even more than tripled in size and had already metastasized especially if the standard surgical and chemotherapeutic treatments were not done. They could not imagine the possibility that a similar erroneous histopathology result would come from 2 different gastroenterologists and 2 different laboratories from 2 independent medical facilities!
When the patient was brought out from the Intensive Care Unit with a stable condition, the attending physicians were all one in describing him as a “survivor”. A tall pulmonologist with a priest-like bearing mentioned that it was not yet his time and the One above had still plans for him. He is the One making the Final Decisions and the medical personnel are just human.
A week later when the patient finally passed away quietly, the tall pulmonologist again commented that perhaps it was already his time after talking to his relatives when he recovered from his “heart attacks”.
APHIO BLOOD DONATION
It is actually already a tradition that the Alpha Phi Omega Baguio-Benguet Alumni Assoc. sponsors a blood donation yearly event together with the Philippine National Red Cross- Baguio Chapter every September 1. Their president, Brod Jojo Gorospe and their treasurer, Sis Sonia Daoas who are actively coordinating this event would like to remind the members of the fraternity and sorority to join this Service activity. It will be held at the Maharlika Lobby from 8:00 AM to 4:00PM.
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