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Conversation with a bariatric patient
He sits across me
Uncomfortably fitting in the big chair
Still catching his breath
He sounds of a labored old truck going up the hill
I look at him
This catastrophe of modern times
An impending disaster, an epidemic
And ask
How can I help you?
A faint smile plays on his lips
Maybe he did not expect such politeness
After all everyone has told him
It’s his fault
He’s been eating too much
Lazy sod, can’t live without crisps and fizz
Now his urine’s gone sweet and he can’t sleep
Unless the machine that sits by his bedside
With Darth Vader reverberations helping him survive the dark and lonely night
He says he has tried hard
But the damned weight wont move
I sense his motivation
I speak of options, life-changing operations
Restrictive vs. malabsorptive
Their impact on his future
The pros and cons, the risk of dying, the long road he needs to climb
He looks through me
His expressions speak I have had enough
I cant live like this
I want my life back
You have the key to my self-esteem
Somewhere between the lines
I see a drowning man clutching for a straw
And at the far end of that abyss
I see the Bariatric team
I understand that there is
I understand that there is a 1% mortality rate in the operation... some people are in such poor health that they may seem more likely to die if they don't have the procedure. You have great
sensitivity.
DOCTOR VS PATIENT
A pathos filled poem describing a doctor-poet's efforts to instil positivity into a hopeless dying old man. Beautifully composed -- can almost be sung if a composer gives some thought to the lines that are interwoven with melody throughout. I am moved by your ultra sensitive nature my dear friend.
Muhammad Naveed Ahmed.
Pen name:Emmenay.
Yahoo email ID:Ambitious7
Initials: M.N. Ahmed.