Korean Patient Care

I have been blessed during my stay in Korea. I have had few ailments and nothing serious to speak of until this week. I got an ingrown toenail. Now, I know I am one to complain, so please bear with me here; there is a point to all this.

I had been 'suffering' from a swollen toe for about a week before I sought the advice of the online BC Medical Guide and, subsequently, my director's wife. Both told me that I should visit the doctor quickly, so I did. I was briskly taken to the nearest 'hospital' (clinic) by my director where I thought I could visit the doctor and, being Canadian, make an appointment for some future minor surgery. Unfortunately, many countries, including Korea, are not nearly as leisurely about this surgery thing, and before I knew it, I was getting multiple injections in my toe.

If I made it sound like this was happening very quickly, it is the truth, but the doctor did ask me a question first: "Have you ever had local freezing?" to which I replied, "yesowwwwwwww!" Now, I never thought I was a wuss about all this surgery stuff. I have been under the knife before and handled it pretty well. If I ever let on, it was because I liked the sympathy (or the nurse), not because I really felt bad. I had a wake-up call here.

In Canada, every effort is made to make one feel comfortable. That is patient care. I never understood how important it really is until I started getting cold sweats on the operating tabl... I mean bench and stool. It didn't get any better when the doctor said, "if it hurts, just tell me." I thought that meant he would do something about the pain, but I think he just wanted assurance that he was inflicting some pain. I felt the scalpel cutting through my nail and when I told him, I think I saw him smirk a bit. After cutting off half my toenail and bandaging it up, I was ushered out of the office. "Finished. No more pain." I was white as a ghost, seeing stars, and ready to pass out.

I know, I know... I should just suck it up, but I am from Canada. I am a product of a lavish medical system where patients are made to feel comfortable, and damn it, I am (kind of) proud of that... even if it does make me a wimp. I just realized how important patient care is. It showed me the difference between thinking I am brave and recognizing that I'm not.