A Doctor's "Secret" Health Notes

August 3rd I'm on my week-end off, however I had to be called to assist Dr Nsisi in performing an Elective Caesarean Section. I greeted the patient in the Theatre to help cancel some of her anxieties. The indication for the Section was, a previous Section in the past as well as a Breech presentation currently (buttocks-down position). What this indicates is that a past Caesarean Section would have weakened the potential strength with which the womb can muscularly contract during labour. This fact, now coupled with a Breech presentation which on its own constitutes its own difficulties for the baby's smooth passage, is what informed the decision as regards the mode of delivery. Hence, the option for an Elective (Planned) Caesarean Section. The surgery went very well. I cannot believe I failed to update you - The Hysteric patient with the convulsion. She turned out to be H.I.V. positive. Meaning that her convulsive seizures (or fits) must have been H.I.V. Encephalopathy, thou...

July 28th Monday morning ward-rounds were mine to conduct. I went about them with some of the nursing staff. I observed that certain notable patients such as the 12 year old with the Enteritis, had over the weekend been discharged and replaced by new cases. Our Hernia/Hydrocele case seemed to be fairly recovering post-operatively, today being the 6th day. I later settled down at the out-patients clinic. I admitted this woman who acted demented, not saying a word to me as I tried to engage her. This was after she walked into my consulting room all by herself. She was brought to hospital by a colleague of hers who would later act as the informant, and later joined by the patient's older and younger siblings who had been called. At one point during the information gathering, she became slightly aggitated and confused-looking, never uttering a word. A widow of 2 years who lives with her kids, the oldest being 13 years, she had exhibited a mild trait of delusion for which she had been s...