Motherly Doctor

"Bilik Pemeriksaan 14"
That's what the sign says in Malay for Examination Room 14. It's the very same room Professor SP Chan, Mum's endocrinologist, has been using for her consultations for as long as I remember. The first time we came while waiting to see another doctor, when I saw the same sign on door number fourteen, I thought she was a man, because her initials sounded so resolutely manly and regal to a certain extent. Even Brother thought so.

It was only a week ago, in my moment of distress worrying about Mum's diabetic condition, I called the hospital to ask for Professor. I was expecting a male voice to answer but an older woman's voice resonated on the other side of the line. I tried to set an appointment with her, and even though her schedule was already full, she decided to squeeze Mum into her timetable. I gave her an insight of Mum's condition and by then I could sense a little compassion melting down her cold, hard tone.

On Monday, we saw Professor for the first time. Concerned about Mum's diabetic condition, she instructed us in detail on what to do in order to control mum's sugar level, and warned us that steroid intake which her radiotherapist prescribed would increase her blood sugar level. She gave us a chart where we recorded Mum's sugar level over the next four days till today, Mum's second appointment with her. To normalise insulin secretion in Mum's body, Professor prescribed Gliclazide 30mg, two tablets a day, to be taken for a week. Today's appointment was arranged specifically for Mum and another patient as she doesn't see her patients on Fridays. We're grateful for that kind of diligence demonstrated by Professor.

When we came out of the room, I reiterated my question to Bro, "She's NICE, isn't she?"

"She's like a caring mother to her child!" he exclaimed.

This is the kind of doctor we need these days. Caring, loving and dedicated.