HIV? Me? No, I’m married! (23)

By the thirty-sixth patient, I was exhausted but happy.

‘What a hard life a doctor’s life is,’ I mused as I bit into my nearly stale sandwich which I didn’t get to eat at lunch time because I was running late.

I could feel a mild headache at my temples which I always get when I am dehydrated.

‘Keep hydrated,’ I said to myself like I would say to my patients. ‘Doctor, practice what you preach!’

Ten minutes are provided for each patient: but how do you rush an elderly woman whose sole social engagement of the week is coming to see me?

Many patients like to tell me where they have been to in Africa. They might take a full two minutes trying to recall the places they have visited with the hope that I might recognise one of the places.
Lagos, Warri, Johannesburgh are the commom ones. And it is lovely chatting with them. But that usually leaves eight minutes or less for the actual consultation. It would be no problem except of course there is usually a list of things each patient wants me to sort out in the little time left…

I jumped as the receptionist knocked and popped her head round the door.

‘Are you free to speak to Mr Dike? He has been on the phone six times today. Says he really needs to speak to you.’

This is what I wanted to say: ‘Tell him to go away and never come back. Tell him that if he phones to ask for me, I will report him to the police for harassment. Tell him I have no business with him or his family.’

But all I said to the receptionist was: ‘Okay. Put him through.’

The Afrocarribean Health Event holds on 25th October at RCCG Fountain of Love Church hall, Palmerston Road, Aberdeen, Scotland. This free event is unique in that it tackles health issues that affect afrocarribeans.
Topics that will be featured include Mental Health, Hypertension and Diabetes, Sexual Health and Weight Management.
Experts on the above topics will be available to answer questions. Lunch will be provided. All adults are warmly invited.
Register for the event here.