People…
Well, I’m going to say a few words here, and don’t feel I’m bashing any of you in particular, I’m not…some of you I don’t even know. But here goes anyhow. I think one of the characters about myself that I take pride in is that I am a reliable individual. If I say I will do something, you bet it will be done. This is even more so if the matter has to do with my work, or a need of someone in my family or close friends. Now, much as this may be a quality that I think is admirable, people can take advantage of it, and USE me….of course, that is simply if I allow it.
When people who I haven’t heard from in moons suddenly call, (often times when I’m at home chilling) and they sound all nice on the other end of the line, I know they not calling to seh, “Whappen, you cool?” No, that is usually just them trying to make it seem that they give a shit. They want a favour. Quite often at short notice. Short notice sometimes results in one having to stress out yourself in order to grant the favour……dem need a recommendation…when for…well…the deadline is tomorrow….but I only just remembered….. 
My impression of these types of last miunters is that they are highly disorganised, and I can’t work with them. Plus, me nuh like people use me. Someone who would probably never call suddenly remembers that I can legally sign a prescription……’Hi….I was wondering if you could call in a…..” Indeed, I do have folks that I will do that sort of thing for, not all and sundry, sorry. The people who I will do that sort of stuff for know who they are. Is not that I expecting anything in return, but, a bredrin doh have a problem buying me a VX, my family does plenty for me and vice versa…you get me? All de likkle free loader dem might not even remember that I exist ’till another year passes and all of a sudden they need a favour again at short notice.
I don’t quite finish yet…and please don’t think I’m some chronic complainer. Let me give you a word of advice….rely on yourself….do not expect others to come through for you….people are notorious for giving plenty lip service….”Yeah man, it will be ready tomorrow morning.” You check back….”Rahtid, you know I forget?” 
I don’t have a very large ’support group’ availabe to me and as a result, I have to do almost everything that needs to be ‘done’ myself. Of course, there are times that one can become overwhelmed, and when that happens I need to prioritise….Ok, what can be slashed from the list to be done today that can wait? You know ’bout?
Anyway, I’m going to end this little discourse by saying, if you commit to something, give it your all. If you don’t consider yourself a doer, then don’t promise to do….it is not nice to be let down. Try not to use people, it is not a good habit to get into. Be willing to offer a hand to those who you hold near and dear to your heart….immediate family…bredrins/sistrens…life would be anaemic without the love that we get from them. Last of all, do not rely on others, rely on yourself.
On a different note, with the heavy rains we have been having (last night no different) we have had an explosion in the mosquito population. I tell you, as I sit here I have been waging an all out war with the annoying beasts with my little tennis racquet shaped electric swatter which fries them. I guess I just have to live with it. No rain meant the place looked dry and barren. Nuff rain means the place is lush and green with plenty mosquito. Whatever. Sorry about the trivial nature of the post…but occasionally the mind does run a bit. Feel free to comment and add any little bits of advice you may have. A good day to all.
May 26th, 2005 at 10:37 am I agree with you. I try my best to live the same way.sometimes though things dont work out. There is one situation where right now I’m feeling a bit badly about. Promise to help someone with something months ago but told them I needed to check with some experts to be able to help. Approached the experts and they all keep putting me on hold everytime I ask so now the person still waiting and I still aint come thru. I recently decided though that although I aint an expert I just got to bite the bullet and do what I can. Hope they not too mad at me cause its my fault but still not totally my fault. but I still fairly vex bout it cause it mek me look bad. My beef though about helping the ones who come last minute and ting so is that you help a fella and really I dont expect nothing from them but juss a lil phone call afterwards to say thank you would be nice. I mean that juss seem like common courtesy especially if is not someone ya close with
May 26th, 2005 at 10:51 am Hi Dr. D. I totally agree that if you say you’re going to do something then follow through. Now as far as doing favors i.e. writing prescriptions for “associates” and even friends-that’s a dangerous practice as far as diganosing over the phone. Couple of my girlfriends are physicians and they don’t write prescritions just so. They always advise going to our physicians. Anyway, I guess if they were your closest friends you would give them a blighe. If you can citronella plants down there that’s a good deterrent for mosquitos. Other than that Avon “Skin So Soft” lotion is good. Have a great day.
May 26th, 2005 at 11:57 am I know what you’re talking about on a different level. I had a close friend who stole a girlfriend from me in high school, and then years later he would show up at my house on his birthday like nothing happened. Wish I could have slipped him a prescription for “go away and never come back” but time finally took care of him.
May 26th, 2005 at 3:52 pm Don’t feel too bad JDid, do what you can…it is not totally your fault. Another thing I try to do is recognize my limitations…I don’t offer to take things on that are outside the scope of my capabilities. Ask me to fix a computer and you may well end up having to buy another one! And yes, I not really expecting nutten in return JDid…family, friendship is priceless. Sunny…I’m very careful with the Rx writing or calling in…it can get you in serious trouble if you have no documenatiton to say you saw the patient. People simply don’t understand the legal issues and responsibilites involved in prescription writing. Hence the reason why I am VERRY cautious about whom I will do it for. Your point is well taken. I’ll tell you a little tale…a few years ago one of my neighbours called me to ask a favour on behalf of someone she knew. A female friend of hers was bereaved, one of her sons had drowned on a school outing to the beach…three boys drowned actually…think it was Naggo Head beach…item was in the news. She told me that the lady was unable to sleep for days due to the death. The funeral was a few days time and she was asking if I could write a script for some sedatives for her. Now, I am pretty sympathetic to people when they are in an acute situation like this and unable to sleep. But, on a whole, I am unwilling to prescribe sleeping pills for more than a few days. I wrote the script for four tablets… one to be taken at bedtime. That is four nights worth. It should help her to get out of the sleepless cycle. Fine. Two nights later…sometime after midnight my phone rings…I stumble outta bed to answer. The voice on the other end asks for me….I answer but do not recognize the person. She explains that she is a relative of the lady, she wants to know the name of the pills I prescribed for her… as they cannot find the container….AND…the woman is lying on her bathroom floor…UNRESPONSIVE! Instantly I froze and almost shit up miself…saw my medical license come before me…the years of medical school…I do not even know what this woman looks like. Anyhow, I told her the name of the pills and they were planning to take her to A&E. I did not sleep the rest of that night…I swore she took an overdose in her state of bereavement. Anyway, the relative called back the next morning….the lady was fine, she had not taken an overdose, they found the pills. She is actually a diabetic, had taken her medication and not eaten, so her blood sugar was low resulting in her becoming unresponsive. They thanked me for my help. I was relieved, but I vowed not to write medication of that nature for anyone that I don’t know, or haven’t seen professionally again. It is not worth the risk. Medicine is such that in trying to help a situation, we can so often get screwed and blamed for trying to do our work. I won’t even bother to mention the U S of A! T Bone, what did that guy expect? That you were going to offer him a beer on his birthday?
May 26th, 2005 at 4:49 pm Not a trivial post at all.Actually,it is quite good.I can relate to what you saying because sometimes it seems that some my friends only call when they need stuff done.Then they get upset if you can’t do it or worse they hardly come through for you when you need them.I like to keep my word because I get disappointed when people promise me things and do not deliver
May 26th, 2005 at 5:01 pm …haven’t got time to read your post but I’m sure it’s very interesting…the reason I’m here is that I need a quick favour and I thought you’d be the man to ask…what I’d like you to do is…wait, hang on, come back, no honest, please don’t run away from me like that… …damn! looks like I’m going to have to drink this crate of red stripe on my own then - I was hoping you’d give me a hand :^)…
May 26th, 2005 at 5:57 pm Tennis shaped electric swatter? Where can I get one of those?
May 26th, 2005 at 9:01 pm Yuh post not trivial Doc. The sad thing is that the sed people who do take advantage of people and situations are the ones that will not read or understand. It one of the most annoying human characteristics…using people… I think we all at sometime have talked about those people that only call or showup when they want something. Tek it easy and let de steam off. As to dem mosquitos, I do have a nightly fight with dem and de bad thing is dem does win eva night
May 26th, 2005 at 9:48 pm Kami….’friends’ who call only when they need something are probably better described as acquaintances or USERS IMHO. Indeed billy, drink the case of Red Stripe solo….I’m tired of people using me to partake of alcoholic beverages and share drunken states with them!
May 27th, 2005 at 11:09 am Maybe doctors are in those situations more than others. I can’t honestly say that I get asked for many favours. And when I can help, not to the detriment of myself, then I help, and when i can’t I say that. A few years ago though, while working a steady job, I would have people ask for help with things outside of my department…and I used to bend over backwards. They were appreciative but I was zonked, so I made up my mind to only say yes when I know I could manage it. I realized that I HAD THE POWER. That’s a powerful thing to realize.
May 28th, 2005 at 9:34 am Yeh, so I joined the conversation late. Doc, you too mean. Coho, is just some tiny favour the people dem asking, and the reason they don’t call or come check you is because you make up your face well sour when dem around, so they think you doh like them. Is just tru dem desperate that them check di I! Doh mean up youself, man, its all your fault!
May 29th, 2005 at 12:58 pm Howdy do Dr. D. My 2 cents worth? What happens to me when I grant favours is usually that the grantee tek it fi joke afta dat. Had a situation here at the complex. A woman in need on behalf of her daughter’s eyes. Now being a glasses wearer, I know actuely what it is like to need glasses and not be able to get them. So, help I did - in the form of a phone number for my own optitian and a $2500. - jus’ cos having replaced my own glasses for 8grand, I know how expensive it is. A month later, she want money for lunch… a week after that, help her pay out her pardner cos she doan get pay yet, a week after that? If mi nuh have nuh phone put dung….
May 31st, 2005 at 12:02 am One does have to rely on themselves, first and foremost. I can see (by the situation that you told about in the comments that writing a Rx for someone that you have not seen can be so very very risky and I’d have been shitting my pants were I the doc and receiving a call about the unseen patient unresponsive! Glad to hear that she did not OD, and that you safely learned a lesson that can guide you now. Glad to hear you got the rain and therefore the green-ness, but damn to the pesky mosquitoes!
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