Insulin Shots and a New Haircut

It was Mum's third appointment with Professor SP Chan. We made sure we reach UM Specialist Centre before 4PM. By then there were already quite a number of people waiting and we were the seventh on the queue. A long heavy rain followed as we waited for Professor to arrive. While at that, I took the opportunity to take some pictures of Mum, and Bro; with her new haircut which looks refreshing! It was funny seeing Bro adjusting her hair, tidying it up for the photo.

A couple of days earlier, her doctor at Wijaya International Medical Centre advised her to shave her hair or have it cut short as the radiotherapy sessions will make her scalp look patchy. Aunt Amelia wanted to bring Mum to the hair saloon but Mum wanted to keep it simple so aunt cut it for her with a pair of tailoring scissors.

It wasn't long after Professor arrived at her clinic, Mum's name was called and we hurried in, taking out Mum's blood sugar logbook to show her. Professor was not too happy with the effectiveness of Gliclazide as she's worried about the steroids Mum are taking this week and the next. To be on the safer side, she decided to get Mum on an insulin shot routine. She's to go on a shot of 18 units of NovoMix Insulin Aspart during breakfast, with an additional 4 units if her blood sugar level is above 15. And during dinner, 6 units of NovoRapid Insulin Aspart with an additional 2 units if her blood sugar level goes past 15.

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.