words

the other day i was telling a doctor something and said the word peeing. apparently doctors don't understand what peeing is in relation to illness and in medical terminology one must say voiding. I was chastened and realized that when I talk to professionals I must use professional terminology, and then conversely, I have to make it understandable to my patients by using lay-terminology with them.

deep down inside me something rages when things like this happen.

I rage because I wonder if the medical profession really thinks they can distance themselves from illness and death by putting a new name to everything. dyspnea. don't say he can't breathe, say he is experiencing severe dyspnea.

I don't care how you should say it, just help me fix it.

but then I realize I am supposed to understand this new language to it's fullest extent so that I can see how things are happening in the body at a clinical level...and I grow from being ragey to terrified. because, soon they are going to set me free on some ward somewhere and tell me to be a professional....not simply study for a test, observe the real professionals or get someone to watch me do something so i don't mess up. No...in a few short months I will be it. I will be the one as they used to say ...way back...in the philippines...so here I am getting ready for my last rotation, the night before I start....freaking out about how I am probably going to talk about peeing and pooping instead of voiding and bowel movement...