the bitter pill

i remember my patient the other day. she was a woman in her late 40's who was rushed to the Emergency Room because she has difficulty of breathing, her heart is beating too rapid (around 200's!) and her blood pressure very high(180/120). it turns out that she is hyperthyroid and is suffering from the fatal thyroid storm. we gave her oxygen at 2lpm, started an IV line and gave her IV meds that would control her blood pressure and slow her heart. (this were measures to control the symproms of the attack, unfortunately, not the cause of the attack itself.) later, we gave her PTU to control her thyroid problem and hopefully stabilize her condition. but when i was giving her the pills, she refused to take them... only for the reason that it is bitter! i was like, "ma'am, i will be giving you meds to control ur thyroid problems. you just have to swallow them." (-*-): "no, i dont want those pills. they're bitter." (-+-): ma'am, you have to take them so you'll feel better"

(-*-): "no. (deep inhale) i (exhale) dont (deep inhale again) like (exhale) them. (deep inhale again).

this went on for like 30 mins and i was like shouting in my head as i listen to her stubborn excuse for not wanting to take the pill., "WOULD YOU JUST TAKE THE GO$%&^% PILL!!! LOOK AT YOURSELF, YOUR BREATHING IS TOO BAD, YOUR HEARTBEAT IS TOO FAST AND YOU MIGHT FU8*^&%$ DIE!"

sometimes, we are like this woman. we too refuse to tke our own pills in our lives. we refuse to confront our fears, we make excuses for not being the person that we ought to be, we linger in our own comfort zones and neglect our brothers who call for our help, we do not appreciate life and love and all that is wonderful around us, we choose to live with the pain rather than forgive the person who wronged us and just move on, we are like this woman who is dying but refuses her medicine simply because it doesnt taste good.

life isnt all candies and chocolates. life can be bitter, unfair and sometimes, cruel. i know you know this, for until you have experienced this, i tell you, you have not truly lived. this paradoxical aspect of life is what makes it fun and exciting. so let not your problems nor your shortcomings stop you from living a happy life. just accept this fact and swallow this bitter pill.