Sandra's patients

I will tell you this, I am not a career woman.  I enjoy helping people, I enjoy making my own money, and I enjoy using that to feed my hobbies like sewing, crafts and drawing.

There are many days where I am just going to work to make the money--I don't see myself as this doctor on a mission.  One thing I try to do, however, is make conversation with the patients and take home some realizations, small or profound, sweet or angering, tickling or saddening life lessons.  As I work with many elderly folk, it reminds me how short life can be.

Yesterday's episode *note this is all in Korean.
I call out a name and an 84 year old patient with advanced retinitis pigmentosa comes in hobbling with her dear husband.  They are dressed smartly and I show her to the exam chair as I point to the other chair her husband can sit on.
She smiles at me and says in the most pleasant way, "Are you a believer, too?  I love coming here because Dr. P is so faithful and the entire staff are believers as well."
I smile back at her, "Yes, well, we are so glad to have you here as our patient."
I begin the exam and while instill some drops in her eyes, I ask her, "So, what are your Christmas plans?"
Granny, sweetly: Oh, we will be going to church to celebrate our savior's birth!  I must say, I am very concerned about my vision--I can't see anymore!  You will help me right?
Her husband, firmly: Dear, please stop saying that you can't see any more! The Lord would be so displeased!  He gave you the gift of sight and you can see--it's just you can't see AS WELL.  Be more specific when you talk to the doctor.
Granny, a bit agitated: Honey, the doctor knows exactly what I am talking about even if I tell her I cannot see.  She sees patients like me all the time.
Gramps, still not backing down: No, you need to tell her accurately or else she may assess the wrong thing.
Granny, definitely upset: Doctor, you know what I am talking about, right?  Who is the correct one, me or this guy?
Me: Oh, you guys are both not wrong, but I know what you meant, granny.  This dilation will take a bit of time so we will be heading to the waiting area, any questions?
Gramps: Yes doctor, could you check if her her vision changed?
Me, as I scroll through her old charts: Hmm, no, there is a slight fluctuation, but it's pretty similar.
Gramps: See?  What did I tell you!  Stop saying that your vision is getting worse or that you can't see!
Granny, to my horror, shamelessly yelling with much vigor from her frail body: WHO IS THE PATIENT?  ARE YOU THE PATIENT?  I AM. DO YOU SEE THROUGH MY EYES?  NO, THESE ARE MY EYES.  DO YOU GO TO THE DOCTOR ON MY BEHALF?  NO THEY ASK ME DIRECTLY.  WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!  IF I SAY I CANT SEE, THEN I CANT SEE!  YOU DO NOT SEE WHAT I SEE.
I could see the Gramps, very embarrassed but also furious by her explosion, but before he says something back and patients waiting outside think that I am a terrible doctor doing something terribly wrong, I exclaim: Hold on!  Granny does have dry eyes, so vision can definitely go up and down.  So I wouldn't be surprised if sometimes you see things a bit more blurry than usual and sometimes a bit better.
Granny with large eyes: Yes yes!  That definitely happens to me!
Me, trying to cool the situation and smiling: As we celebrate more birthdays, we get more dry, but I will double check if it is solely due to dryness or other factors as well!  So please grab your purse and come with me to the waiting room!
Granny, stares back at her husband and lashes out in a decrescendo: SEE?  I can't stand you!  Don't you dare sit next to me...murmur..
I walk them down the hallway to the waiting area.  The granny is still furious and she throws her purse on the ground as her husband who is following her, sheepishly picks up the purse.  The nurses, techs and patients watch what is going on.
Her husband sits in the other waiting room with her purse and pulls out his cell phone.  The granny takes a seat by another elderly female patient, takes her hand, sweetly smiles and asks (as though nothing has happened within the past 5 minutes), "Do you go to church?"

It made me laugh so much inside.  I could relate to the dynamic of married life and the struggle of trying to live a life that glorifies God in difficult times.  It's so easy to love Him in front of strangers and when things are going well but when it comes to wrestling with our sins, we are so tempted to succumb to them to protect ourselves and our own pride.  It was an endearing and humbling episode.

Life is wonderful.