Doctor, how is my daughter?

"Doctor, how is my father/mother/brother/son/daughter/neighbour's uncle's friends?"

This is the single most asked question I faced during ward rounds and especially visiting hours in the ward. And the most irritating one as well.

If you answer only once to the above question, it's perfectly well. However, when the second visitor come to take shift, they ask the same question again. And then come the third shift again, then they asked again, and again...

Generally, I would predict the worst for the family members. "Oh, your daughter, her condition looks grave. She might need surgery. But everything is 50:50. We can't guarantee her to be 100% perfect after the surgery. She might need Intensive Care support and ventilator after the surgery."

Why would doctors generally do so?

1. We were generally on a VERY TIGHT schedule. I wake up 5.30 am in the morning, reaching the ward by 6.30 am, start working until 7 pm. On on-call days, the working hours will be till the next day, non stop.
   
2. We are generally overworked and underpaid. On top of that, the ministry had slashed 50% of my Cost-of-Living Allowance (RM 100) and 100% of my Housing Allowance (RM 250)for a shared triple room per month. Others get a single room with nice and clean bathroom. Imagine, RM 1050 (350 x 3) for a room that is so horrible?
3. Patient conditions varies by day. No one will remain the same for the same period of time.
   
4. Some family member taking advantage by showing their filial piety by using doctors. Scolding doctors for not doing what they think is doctor's job or not doing fast enough.
5. There is no simple data to what the prognosis is. Everything is calculated based on 50% of the patients with the same illness. And there can be no same patient in this whole wide world.
   

What you can do to help the poor doctor:

1. Please keep your relatives informed about patient's general condition. We will help to bring updates, not to start storytelling one by one.
2. No BS in front of the doctors. We shall know who is the real and who is the fake.
3. Help doctors to help your love one. Let us do more important things to help your important persons in life.

We can't work alone as doctors. We need collaboration from all area. So please help us. Help me.