Cure

As a rule, I do not describe in this site my clinical encounters. Nonetheless, a recent incident really caught my attention.

(No, it's nothing exciting. I am only interested in trivial and unimportant matters.)

The story goes like this: My unit conducts a bi-monthly patient education class for patients with kidney disease, and we doctors take turn to sit in and give some occasional comments in case an audience put up some difficult medical questions in the Q&A session.

It was my turn last month. Towards the end of the two-hour session, an elegantly dressed middle-age woman, who was sitting at the front row, put up her hand and said, "Excuse me. I have something to share."

"Yes...?" My mental alarm rang. That sentence is no ordinary statement that a common-place patient would begin with.

"You know, I have here with me a secret remedy that can cure all kidney diseases."

"Really!? What's that all about?" I felt light beaming from my eyes.