June 24, 2009

a rewarding challenge

been doing clinical dentistry for 4 years, and yet that was the first time i've met a child patient with learning disabilities and behavioural problems.

it was tough. *geleng kepala*
i wished i've followed my instinct of referring him to the general anesthetic department for an extraction. i must have been crazee to accept dr.C's challenge - to extirpate the pulp! *big sigh*

even though the patient willingly said YES to the treatment option, i doubt he actually understands what we were trying to tell him. he seemed to be in his own world; playing with the water, sipping, gargling then spit it out- which he claimed that's the only way to make the toothache go away.

after a while - because he kept on returning to the sitting position after being laid down in supine position - i got annoyed! i think the nurse was pissed off too. she told him it's his last sip, then took the cup and threw it away. ha ha ha. bingo.

fine fine, kesian jugak laa....but hey, we need to get some work done ok!

...first challenge -> ID block injection. *sweating* he wasn't happy when he knew about it. so when he pushed my hand as i was injecting 1/3 of the local anesthetic, i was kinda half-prepared for it.

the needle bengkok 45degree.
everyone was like, " are you ok? did you get hurt?"
the nurse scolded the patient.
but awwww he was so sweet. he looked at me, guilty+worried like everything that happened just now was uncontrolable. then he apologised.

nasib baiklah the kungfu-reflex in me managed to retract the needle asap, and it wasn't clumsy enough to cucuk other parts of myself or the patient. i.e. takde lah needle-stick injury. pheewwwww, lucky moi!

and alhamdulillah, the rest of the treatment was do-able. he behaved well. poor mum, she fell asleep when i was treating him. it must have been hard on her for the past 3 days. he's lucky to have her. may allah bless her always. insyallah.

before i left the clinic, the tutor told me he's giving me distinction for accepting the case and willingly do something that most people won't do. just because he's "special".

i smiled.
not because of the grade. but just because i think i've done something good today. i felt like an angel being sent to earth. rofl over giler, i know :))

2 comments:

Husna said...

way to go dr ash!

ashieBee said...

*all smiles*
tu je i mampu buat to help him....