Everybody lies…
He came to us with a big distended tummy, swollen legs and yellow eyes..it didn’t take much time to figure out his liver was failing.
He knew the diagnosis, before I scribbled it on my prescription pad. He was hospitalized prior and told about his condition several time.
Now, it doesn’t bother him much ..he knows his fate. He knows, he can make it only few years. We deny, we bargain, we cry out why it’s me, but finally we accept. It wasn’t much different with him.
He was a daily wage worker who spent his earning on drinking,for years. It had been few months he discovered,his liver couldn’t cope his habits anymore and have failed.
Now, water began to fill inside his tummy, legs and they started to swell up. we couldn’t do much, most of our treatment was to ease his symptoms and to improve quality of life.
He was admitted in my ward and was advised few tests to evaluate his condition.He said, he couldn’t afford any of them. With clinical evaluation n findings we started his treatment.
He needed albumin transfusion to prevent further swelling, which he agreed ,he shall afford.
Three more days passed away and he started enjoying hospitality of free hospital stay, that he even forgot to fetch necessary drugs from pharmacy.
We were furious about this guy taking undue advantage of free hospital stay. Just to make things quick, i uttered the word ” if u can’t get the albumin, we shall discharge you”.
Now comes the twist..He isn’t new to the business.He knows the trick.
Next day in morning rounds, when consultant asked him, whether he passed black stools..all he did was saying a big yes..
He was sure, it will work.
Next day. worse was yet to come..he said he had two episodes of black stools. Now my consultant asked us to transfuse him blood.
A guy with no donors, no attendants and no money is suddenly our responsibility now. It was 9 in the night, we were in blood bank, asking to provide blood without any exchange. Finally succeeded getting a unit of blood and spending money from our pockets for his tests.
He was enjoying his free supper and with a grin on his face, a little rejection towards us for planning to get him out of hospital. We transfused blood and left for the night.
Next day morning, he is ready with fresh complaints, newer complications, few are genuine and few are cooked up to extend his stay.
All he knows is, art of survival and a little deception to get some more benefits.
Now I just wink at him when I pass by and he winks too..his smile delivers a message “everyone lies “.
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