Where may my doctor be?
Text by Tatiana Bruscky, Pernambuco doctor
A history of the public health service in Brazil; probably applicable to other countries.
Today I woke up feeling a little pain, a pain without explanation and a throb!
I decided to look for a doctor.
I was rambling along the way, and I remembered that doctor who served me dressed in white and that, for me, he had a little of a father, a little of friend and angel…
My Doctor, who cured my pain! Not just my body, but my soul, in conveying to me peace and calm!
Arriving at the office reception, I was attended with a question: — “What’s your plan?”
My plan?!? Ahhh! My plan… is living more and happy! Giving smiles, warming those who feel cold and filling the void I feel now!
Yet, the answer had to be another! “My Health Plan”.
I presented the said document, already kind of sweaty as my pocket, and I waited …
When I was called, I ran hurriedly! I was going to be attended by the doctor. He who heals any kind of pain! I entered and looked at him …
I was surprised …
A sad and tired face. Was he sick? Yeah, who knows, maybe flu! I didn’t have a cheerful reception probably due to his fever.
I gave a half-side smile and a good day to him.
I looked at the well-decorated environment. On the table ahead of him was a computer and on his countenance was his pain. What did you do with the doctor? That’s when I, suddenly, heard his voice:
- “What do you feel?”.
I would like to know what he was feeling… He looked more sick than I, the patient.
- “Me? Ah! I feel a little pain in the belly and a throb”; and waited for his reaction.
He will examine me, listen to my voice and auscultate my heart.
To my surprise he didn’t give me a prescription; he just gave me a paper with a request and said: — “Ask for permission to get the realization of these exams”.
When I read it I almost died: “Computed Tomography”, “Magnetic Resonance” and “Scintilography”! Oh my God! What agony !!! I only knew of “Abreugrafia”[1] … I only knew what it was like to “resonate” (to snore), “magnetic” I knew of a look … and “sparkle” just the stars!
Would I be on the brink of death? To go to the sky? Would I die in the abandonment of the doctor?
At that moment shyly thought of saying, “Won’t you have a free sample of human warmth to warm this cold? What to do with this empty feeling? Observe me doctor! The “father of medicine”, the greek Hippocrates believed that “The art of medicine is watching”.
Look at me!
It is quite true that his oath is outdated! A Doctor is not a priest … has a family and all the problems inherent to the human being…
But please look at me! Listen to my story! I need a doctor to listen to me and hear me! Examine me! I’m missing having to say the “thirty-three”!
Please, don’t abandon me like that at once!
Look for the signs of my illness and cultivate my hope! Feed my mind and my heart … Give me at least one explanation!
You have not asked me if I walk barefoot … Yes! I like to step on the sand, walk and leave my footprints on the roads of life; am I wrong?
Or doI have yellow fever? Will there be a few drops of a solution? Is there a vaccine against boredom already? Or will you have no medicine?
Oh! How I miss a doctor, my former Doc!
Where’s Scott, the one in the emulsion?[2]That tasted horrible, but it made me even a “Samson”! And the elixir? Paregoric and categorical! And the bump of Melissa, who let me smile without being dizzy? Did I say nonsense?
Ahhh! My dear and sick doctor! I miss your ears to listen to me. Your hands to examine me, your understanding and friendly gaze, I miss your thoughts…
I miss the smile that relieved my pain, gave me the strength to fight the disease and stimulated my health and belief.
Will I leave here for a coffin? I need to live and have health! Please help me!
Ohhh! My God, take care of my doctor and me! Otherwise, we will end up bad; because from the consultation only remained a request typed on a computer and the doctor’s vague and tired look!
We urgently need our friendly doctors. Medicine is dying. I hear even its moans.
Please! Bring my doctor back! We are all sick and feeling pain!
And I wish, for the human being a recipe of “heat”, and for the exercise of medicine a prescription of “love”!
Where may my doctor be?