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You did your best.

Thank you for sharing this with all of us. What matters the most is that you did the best you could in your given situation. This has truly inspired me to continue my medical career path. Thank you and good luck. :)

Posted: 24 November, 2009 - 11:49pm
by: DaniaR

hi

i know im to yung to have a career in medicen im in fith grade and im 11 years old i can't wait to be a doctor

Posted: 08 September, 2009 - 06:56pm
by: cc

Paediatrics or Adults

I am in my 3rd year of medicine in Ireland and I was wondering what your opinions are on what must be considered when choosing whether to work with children or adults in your medical/surgical career. I fear that I become too close to patients but I am passionate about doing my best so that can't be a bad thing if working with children right?

Posted: 21 August, 2009 - 12:17pm
by: NN

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On rare occasion I have had the unpleasant task to go to family members waiting in front of the operation theatre and inform them that a loved one has passed away on the operating table.

To witness the shock, pain, suffering and sorrow of the wife and children who have just heard that they have lost a beloved husband/father is indescribably sad. 

Let me assure you it is not pleasant. The emotions that you have to deal with are immense. 

The introspection that inevitably plaque you over the next few days, weeks, and sometimes years later is very hard on you. What if I did things differently. Should I have operated sooner or should I have delayed it longer? Should I have used different drugs? Should I have utilized the services of another anesthesiologist? Question after question!

A young man came into my rooms recently. He was referred by another doctor for the removal of impacted wisdom teeth. 

Following my clinical examination, I admitted him to hospital, I got a series of blood tests and x-rays and placed him on high doses of antibiotics. 

Inexplicably, his condition deteriorates overnight and he is transferred to the ICU the next morning. CT Scans are ordered. An Otolaryngologist and Neurosurgeon is consulted.

The patient developed an extremely rare condition: cavernous sinus thrombosis (blood clotting in the venous draining system surrounding the brain). 

He suffered from an acute sinusitis and the infection spread via small veins through the skull base into the blood drainage system of the brain and the blood in this system started to clot.

The increase of pressure in the skull cavity pushes the eye forward and causes the membrane covering the eye to swell a lot.

I tried more and higher doses of antibiotics, anticoagulant therapy (blood thinning medication) and cortisone to reduce brain swelling.

The patient had the benefit of the best clinicians, the best intensive care staff, and a variety of tests, monitors, as well as a tube in his trachea (main windpipe) ventilating him with Oxygen enriched air. 

For the next two days the patient improves, but then suddenly on the Thursday morning,  he deteriorates.

He is brain dead a few hours later - a vegetable only useful as an organ donor, for somebody who needs kidneys, a heart etc.

He was only eighteen. Eighteen years of nurturing and dedicated parenting ends in a disaster - a painful emotional disaster. 

Somebody needs to tell his parents, and then to make things worse, that person must ask them for their son's organs. Death for one person often means life for another.

Is this the type of thing that you will be able to handle?

Medicine is immensely rewarding - but be sure you can deal with the moments of exhilaration as well as the moments of sorrow. 

Be prepared for it so it doesn't catch you by surprise.

This Letter from the Doc was submitted on 02 July, 2009 at 06:03am

You did your best.

Thank you for sharing this with all of us. What matters the most is that you did the best you could in your given situation. This has truly inspired me to continue my medical career path. Thank you and good luck. :)

Posted on: 24 November, 2009 at 11:49pm
By: DaniaR

hi

i know im to yung to have a career in medicen im in fith grade and im 11 years old i can't wait to be a doctor

Posted on: 08 September, 2009 at 06:56pm
By: cc

Paediatrics or Adults

I am in my 3rd year of medicine in Ireland and I was wondering what your opinions are on what must be considered when choosing whether to work with children or adults in your medical/surgical career. I fear that I become too close to patients but I am passionate about doing my best so that can't be a bad thing if working with children right?

Posted on: 21 August, 2009 at 12:17pm
By: NN

BAD ENDING

IT WAS AVERY BAD ENDING FOR A FATHER OF TWO IN SOUTH SUDAN GED HOSPITAL TO TELL THE FAMILY HE WAS NO MORE AFTER BEING STABBED WITH A KNIFE OVER A FAMILY QUARREL WAS BROUGHT TO OUR HOSPITAL OF GERMANY EMERGENCY

Posted on: 14 August, 2009 at 11:17am
By: ONNWASY

sad moment

Thanks doctor for sharing ur medical exper. and knowledge with us its always great to fight save a life as a doctor as u have tried ur level best but as the rest of the other poster is in Allah hands Human can only try but Allah can do things. best of the very good luck

Posted on: 15 July, 2009 at 10:44pm
By: Dr. Rehman

you are the best doc

i am sure that you have done all your best,medicine is for life,so is either you get the results of life or death,but remember our life is in the hand of the LORD,you can have a confidence for someone to live but if a person or family made up their mind that their beloved one is suffering or in severe pain,many times they give up easly and ask GOD to do his will by taking the person away to home and suffered no more,life and death comes from the power of a tongue because the speech centre of the brain dominates all other senses(nerve cells),may the LORD strengthen you doc and your team and be of good courage because your work is very challenging,and may GOD comfort the family and their beloved one to rest in peace with love tumi.

Posted on: 08 July, 2009 at 07:08am
By: tumi

hi

thank you
Doctor for sharing ur feelings and encouraging me with videos

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 06:28pm
By: neetu

Thank you

Dear Dr. Anton, thank you for sharing your emotions and experiences with us. The thing is, your purpose is to save lives. Although you might not succeed every time, your purpose is always sacred.

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 05:27pm
By: Melanie

its o.k

thats o.k no body can stop god so if god want him to die so he dies its not your fault you try your best

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 04:23pm
By: doctor fahd

i take my hat off to you

i did not know that it was emotionally draining.you have really opened my eyes about it.thank you doctor anton.you truly are an inspiration. my condolences to the family.

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 03:47pm
By: yolanda

You did your best

Dr. Antony, you did your best!!. A doctor is still a human being. Being able to work on people and they get better does not mean that they can't fail sometimes.You did your best but because the Lord wanted him back to himself, he had to take him away. There is no way a doctor can stop God from taking his away. It is very sad for the parents though. But may the Lord bless them for allowing us to see this. May he comfort them and strengthem them and you and your team as well.

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 01:41pm
By: Jussy

Take heart Doc

That is one of the challenging moments of medical practice.The psychological trauma is not easy especially when a promising child of that age dies in such pathological condition.But hey Doc,put urself together, after all u have been percurssed and palpated during ur days in medical college in order to withstand this kind of emotional epilepsy.

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 01:31pm
By: brain

My condolences

Please accept my condolences for the family of this young man, and for yourself.This can never be an easy facet of your career to have to deal with, and I therefore sincerely appreciate your forthright handling of this subject.I can also however, only say a big "Thank You!" that you would be willing to accept this and the other myriad risks that are associated with health care, in order to make a difference in people's lives.I personally have no intention of ever following a career in medicine, and would prefer to stay away from Doctors and Hospitals as far as is possible within my power, but I wish you as a practising medical professional, and every young person considering a career in healthcare the very best of luck!

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 12:30pm
By: Paul_photo

What a sad story

I don't think one will ever be able to not let things like this have an effect on you. If it doesn't, then you are a sadist! I hope the medical courses offer some kind of pshycology on how to tell a person he or her loved one didn't make it...difficult part of medicine.

Posted on: 06 July, 2009 at 10:39am
By: Nosh