A doctor with a difference

My nephew has just graduated from medical school, from one of the most prestigious faculties of medicine in the German city of Munster. With five languages in his bag, this tall, handsome and very kind young man will surely be a wonderful addition to the front liners, in a world that desperately needs them.

Another thing that makes me happy, is that with ageing one’s trips to the doctors dramatically increases, and to know our own family doctor is around is such a great comfort.

Unfortunately, the world of medicine too has not survived the tests and trials of materialism and corruption. And while there are many doctors with a high sense of integrity, there are also a few who spoil it for the others, they betray the oath they  took and prefer material gain. 

I have always found the domain of dentistry, a tricky one, when you lay on the dental chair, with the spot light blinding your eyes, and the doctor inserting  a metallic tool in your mouth, followed by a horrible injection that numbs your whole face, you have no option but to say yes, to any advice offered. And because most of us only visit dentists with agonising pain, we just want the pain to go away. 

However, when we are served with the final bill, it is the brain that will start fuming. It is for that precise reason that most insurance policies, only accept the basic dental treatment, the rest has to come out of your pocket. 

Some years ago I had a nightmare kind of experience on a dental chair in one of Kampala’s prestigious dental clinics. My regular doctor was away and a terrible pain pushed me to ask for recommendations from friends. I am sure my friends meant well, but my luck was not that good. I should have known better to leave that place when the nurse came in to give an injection even before I saw the doctor. But, the pain was unbearable and I had a big event coming up. I needed to be pain-free. 

I was told that I needed root canal treatment. It was my first but did not go well, and I suffered three consecutive infections. Walking in the conference hall with a swollen face and totally dazed, I looked so bad that one of the visitors recommended her dentist in France. A few days later, I was in the French city of Nancy, where I met Dr Elias, who for the next decade became my refuge. And what a difference a doctor makes in your life.

When I called my nephew to congratulate him for this achievement, knowing too well the years he spent studying and working hard to reach his goal, I asked him what he wishes now that he is a physician, his answer was: “I just want people to be healthy!”