Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Communication skills



So I'm back writing again thanks to someone whom I spoke to sometime ago who had read the blog and liked some of it. I'm sure she's representative of millions of others (in my dreams maybe).
Well speaking to her reminded me of several experiences I had while doing a rotation in surgery at the national hospital Abuja that I'm yet to write about. One such experience I relate below.
I've been doing psychiatry for the past few weeks and there's been an emphasis on communication skills and its importance in the interaction with the patient. So why tell us about it I hear you ask. It's simple, learning about communication reminded me of the awesome skills of the great surgeon I worked under in the hospital. This is an excerpt of how a consultation with an elderly cancer patient went.

Says he: 'ah na cancer oh! Wetin we go do!'
Patient (replies with some trepidation having heard for the first time she has cancer): whatever you say doctor.
Doctor: we go cut am off.
Patient: ah! Cut am off?
Him: yes na. Abi you day use am for anything!

Where was the cancer I imagine you asking. Well wait for it... it was in her left breast!

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