- Back in fifth year Medical School, I was attached to Dr. MB, a Consultant Physician at the Middlemore Hospital in South Auckland. Half way through our ward round one day, Dr MB suddenly told the team that he wanted to see Mr. Brown first before continuing with the rest of the patients. I was surprised as we did not have any patient by the name of Mr. Brown. I was even more curious when Dr. MB started walking towards the cafeteria. It turned out that Mr. Brown was not a patient but coffee!
- A native lady with chronic renal impairment was admitted to the Female Medical Ward for haemodialysis work-up during my houseman time. During ward round, our Nephrologist, Dr. C, spoke to the patient, who was then sitting on the bed. Dr. C wanted to know where the patient lived, so that dialysis could be arranged at a centre nearest to her home. “Mak cik duduk mana?” Dr. C asked, and the patient’s reply? “Atas katil lah.”
- The Orang Asli patient I saw at Seremban Hospital as a second year Medical student also had similar antics. She was admitted to the ward for symptoms of heart failure. The reply to my question “Bila mak cik batuk?” was “Bila saya batuk lah.” (From “Tales Out of School”) I remember asking her also about her appetite. “Makan macam mana, mak cik?” I said to the patient, and she replied, “Macam ni lahhhhh”, gesturing to me how she eats with her hand.
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