Now I shall Not Become Zombie

CONQUEST OF DEATH 24

(NOW I SHALL NOT BECOME ZOMBIE)

“May I come in doctor?”

Knocking the door of my consulting room asked a young boy.

“Please come. Have a seat” Said I

“Doctor, my blood test for typhoid is positive. See this. For months my doctors have been giving me various antibiotics but no use. I still get fever everyday. Now I have lost appetite, I lost 18 kg. weight in a month’s time. I am skin and bone now. At this rate soon I shall be a living dead or a zombie-----“with these words he started weeping.

I got up from my chair cuddled him and wiped his tears and asked

“Have you come all alone? Who is accompanying you?”

“My parents----- They are finding a parking place-----“

Soon entered his parents. Seeing me assure him solve his problem his mother became emotional. Her eyes brimmed with tears. With a quivering voice she said

“So caring a doctor is hard to find these days-----“

“Please be seated” I said. “We don’t treat lab. reports or x-rays. We treat patients. Tell me your story right from the beginning.”

“OK. I am working in merchant navy. Our ship was bound for Africa. On that day she was at high sea. In the evening I had a peg of whisky. Not more, just a peg. Then I had fish curry and rice. About an hour later I vomited. Some where in the midnight I developed fever. Our doctor on the ship gave me some medicine. It was not effective. Fever continued. I had bitter taste in the mouth. I had no appetite. I took liquid diet. I had persistent nausea and loss of appetite. The fever continued for 3-4 days. Then I started getting continuous dull aching pain in the stomach. The fever was continuous. The doctor on the ship sent blood to test for typhoid. The blood test was positive.

“We have two base hospitals. One in Africa and the other in UK. The doctor on the ship reported my case to both the hospitals. The specialists from the Africa advised to start the treatment for typhoid.

“The specialists in UK suggested the diagnosis of appendicitis and advised an emergency operation.

“Since our ship was nearing the African port the doctor started antibiotics to treat ‘typhoid’.

As we reached the port I was admitted in the base hospital. In 3-4 days my nausea became less. I did not vomit. The fever continued. Loss of appetite continued. I was in the hospital for three weeks. Then they sent me back to the ship. They advised to continue antibiotics till I reach back home.

Hummmm---- With this story I am here now ------“

“Please lie on the couch. Let me examine you.”

He was emaciated due to acute weight loss. His pulse was rapid and understandably so. He was pale. I recorded his temperature. It was normal. I showed him the thermometer and said

“You don’t have fever. Right? “

“Yeah”

“Convinced?”

“Yeah”

I examined his abdomen. It was scaphoid. He had a lump in the region of the appendix. I took his hand and rolled it on the lump.

“Feel this?”

“Yeah. What is it?” He asked

Then I made him feel the contra lateral region.

“Empty. Right?”

“Yeah”

Then I made him feel the lump again.

“What is it?”

“This is appendicular lump. You had an attack of appendicitis.”

“B—u—t doctor my blood test was positive for typhoid.”

“I repeat. We don’t treat reports, we treat the patient. When well selected drugs fail to evoke a desirable response against the disease we should revise our diagnosis. Lab. tests can be ‘false positive’ or ‘false negative’.

They are ‘aids to diagnosis’. The clinical judgement is ‘final’. We take into consideration all the factors.”

“So what is the way out” asked his anxious mother.

“Please be seated on the chair.”

I helped him get down the couch. As he sat, I said

“Stop all the antibiotics. Record the temperature every two hours on the thermometer. Write it on the paper and see me after two days.”

“OK”

“What food can he take?” asked his mother.

“Let him take light diet e.g. rice, curry. Avoid spicy food and non veg. diet”

“If required we shall get back to you tomorrow” said his father.

“Sure.”

Two days later they returned.

“He has no fever” said his father.

“But doctor I am not comfortable”

“I did not get you”

“I have intermittent dull ache in the stomach. I am not quite hungry”

“You require an operation for the appendix problem”

“Please go ahead” said his father.

“Not now. After an interval of three months”

“Three months?” He asked “Can I survive? I am skin and bones-----“

He became emotional and started crying.

“No--- no--- Soon your appetite will improve. Start taking diet. Your nutrition will improve. You will become fit for operation. After operation you shall regain your pristine health. Till then you come to me for regular follow up.” I assured them.

Three months later I performed the surgery. For three months he came to me for follow up. He regained his pristine health.

With a cheerful face he said

“I am sure now I shall not become zombie!!”

A TRUE STORY IN REAL LIFE!

A DRAMA IN MY LIFE!!

DR. HEMANT VINZE