Questions and Reflective Essay on the Time I First Felt Sick

When did you first feel sick and what were the symptoms?

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January 2004, I was from having a long bicycle ride with my friend Peter and Paul that I arrived back home tired and short of breath. As I lay on the couch, I felt a sharp stabbing pain that stroke simultaneously on my back chest and feet that loosened the grip I had on the glass of water I had. Among other symptoms was the swelling on my fore-limbs, continuous spells of fatigue and the extreme whitening color in my eyes.

Did you get a diagnosis and, if so, how soon after you felt sick?

It was after the sharp chest and back pains that I was rushed to the hospital and put under intensive medical care. While I was unaware of my pregnancy, I was rather shocked by the revelation that I tested positive for Sickle Cell Disease (S.C.D).

Were you treated for your condition?

While there is no clear cure for S.C.D, I was advised on the best management methods to keep the disease at bay.

Who treated you and what were the treatments?

I was treated by Clarence Peters, a clinical doctor at Valley Way hospital in Manhattan. The prescribed treatment included a daily dose of penicillin and hydroxyurea. Plenty of high fluid intakes has also tentatively aided in my well being by ensuring hydration.

Were the treatments outpatient or did you need to be hospitalized?

Indeed there was the need for hospitalization especially during crisis attacks and also for the well-being of the pregnancy I bore.

Are you cured and feeling better or is this a chronic condition that will need ongoing treatment?

Whereas my health status and that of my son are both well, we are still under constant medical observation as there is yet to be any known curative measures. Though a bone marrow cell transplant is effective, it only works for some but not all afflicted persons.

Have you ever felt that the treatments were/are worse than the treatment?

The disease in itself is painful especially during a severe crisis, and the treatment is just as bad, the constant inception of pills and inpatient management becomes `sickening' to some extent. Perseverance is the key, though.

Do you know what caused your condition?

The spread of S.C.D is said to be mainly related to hereditary factors concerning the genetic composition. In my case, I recline onto the idea that must have acquired it from my late mom whom unfortunately passed away from the disease.

Are their lifestyles changes that you needed to make or need to make to feel better?

Well, I certainly needed to abandon bike riding and to hike to high altitude areas completely. Areas with constant temperature changes and stressful condition are also a no-go zone.

What have been the major impacts of this illness on your life?

It is emotionally taxing especially during severe crises on my son when there is nothing you can do other than rushing to the hospital. It is as well financially draining more so where inpatient management is necessary.

Has your illness affected your relationship with others?

Yes, in a very positive way, more visits from friends, my son's social life has also grown.

Has your condition affected your ability to go to work?

Not really, though I now get to work fewer hours thus more rest; little has changed in my ability to deliver.

How do you feel you were the treated by the practitioners involved in your care?

I have never seen a more understanding bunch as those who took up my case.

Do you feel your concerns were addressed?

To the best of their (doctors) ability, they were supportive and kept advising me on the best way forward as well as on precautionary measures whenever I travel.

Have you learned anything about yourself that you wouldn't have if you weren't sick?

Probably that I am nagging when nervous, impatient and less understanding

Would you say that being ill has made you more or less empathetic to others?

I choose to see myself as more caring and attentive than before rather than empathetic.

Has the telling of your story made you feel better or worse?

Mixed reactions but I would say better as I hope it is enacted upon to better the lives of others in the same situation.

Reflective Essay

Being a student at Excelsior College, my continuous stay in medical school has revolutionized my approach to life. Growing up, raised by a single parent life was unrelenting when throwing curved balls our way. I engaged myself in internal monologue in a quest to obtain answers as to why the mother was always on drugs. Being tiny in size by then and with little comprehension of the world, answers were few and hardly forthcoming. Six years down the line and it hits me, the adopted habit of constant aqua consumption, anti-acids-she has Sickle Cell Disease (S.C.D). Seeing her in constant pain, I began my quest to join medical school and a couple of years down: here I am.

It was during one of inpatient attendances on mom that I met Loretta Schmidt, her ward roommate by then. Though the nurses did an exquisite job, I often chose to spend my time watching over her. The nurses' professionalism and rapport through which patients were handled were rather welcoming and warm giving you the feeling that you were all in a similar pool. Loretta was a beacon of admiration, her sheer will to overcome the condition was motivating but she is quick to note it was never all a bed of roses but rather roses and thorns. Like, mom, her lifestyle changed promptly, her long bike rides, hiking and traveling to high altitude were now no more. Despite the condition, she still sought to remain employed, and her desire to deliver has never been stronger. Fewer exercise though she notes as the reason behind her slight weight gain. On my part, personally, never have I met such a jovial patient, her smile lit the room.

The detrimental effects of illness though uncountable can properly be countered through endless support. Proper care awarded to patients is often a major contributor towards the renaissance of a healthy immune system. It is with due diligence that I noted that this greatly contributes to the well being of the ill. As in the case of Loretta, the tentative attention received on her part from both her family and medical practitioners is the main cause she owes her bright smile today. This realization has fuelled my desire to offer to the best of my ability the best services upon graduating with my medical honors. The ability to adjust to diverse conditions as in the case of lifestyle to Loretta agrees with my personal experience. During my transition from high school to college, the experience was rather difficult initially. Life here demanded more critical awareness and exposure to the world contrary to what life in high school was like.

As in Loretta's case, transition was never quite easy at first, more so during the early stages. The shift from normality and sacrifices made is a new experience that demands a valiant heart. Though there is little change in the original nature of a person, immediate change at times is psychologically taxing to the weak in will. There is thus the need to seek and establish a strong communication bond to an extent. Patients whom like Loretta are open-minded and willing to change when sharing their ideals and experiences bring about comfort with the audience in this case. Transformation is necessary, and the ability to adjust is welcomed in a field where flexibility is necessary. Though old habits die hard, consequently some circumstances force us into adopting diversity as a core part of life.

While it is never easy especially having ill parents, her children were quick to adjust. A daughter and a son, the latter tested positives while the former negative for S.C.D. The story well resonates with mine in that just like her daughter became her caretaker, and I was left in a symmetric position with mom. The desire to indulge in a medical related course rises with the urge to positively impact on the life of those suffering from any illness. The desires to ensure no more lives are lost from inappropriate and insufficient attention being awarded to the ill.

It is my hope that through the outright willingness and confidence by Loretta in letting her story known to the public that awareness is created on S.C.D. Her revelation and willingness to take up an interview in a hospital bed urge others in similar positions to come out and seek treatment. If anything, the experience with the medical practitioners at the hospital urges others in similar professional fields to adopt a similar stance on care and treatment.

It is my dire hope that the passive relation to this experience does positively impact on my treatment and level of professionalism to the ill. My relation to this experience has highlighted that there is never a level of `sufficient' when administering medical aid. It is hence my desire that as I further indulge in my medical course, that I shall establish a level of service equal to how I would deem satisfactory if in a similar position. The story of resilience and perseverance shall aid in overcoming any fears I possess upon my establishment as an intern and henceforth as a career.