Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Medical Miracles or just Mistakes

Who hasn't heard of that amazing story - the one where they are about to operate and decide to scan one more time. Miraculously the growth has dissappeared! Usually these true stories accompany shiurim on the power of tefilla, emuna, and bitachon.

How many of those 'miracles' might be mistakes?

This current pregnancy started with a real rollercoaster ride. The inital ultrasound technician confirmed that there had been a pregnancy - but that there was no fetus to be found. A follow up call to my doctor, and we prepared to rid my body of the pregnancy leftovers. I was to come see him in the morning.

Next morning's ultrasound shows a healthy 8 week old little blob with a heartbeat.
Well, imagine the emotional drama..ooops pregnant- Why Hashem?...well not really - Why Hashem?... yup, pregnant - Oh um Thanks Hashem? Obviously we are meant to learn from every experience - no taanos on how Hashem wants to run His world- every minute of it but..

Medical Miracle?
Or in my dr.'s words,"NO way was that not there yesterday afternoon!". So - umm this technician needs to go back to school?

(We obviously don't trust our doctors too much, as I recently read an article about some sort of temporary tattoo used to externally mark the patient before surgery in cases where there are 2 of whatever needs to be operated on....This tattoo is becoming policy in that hospital.)

So I was thinking. How often is human error the 'cause' of a medical miracle?

13 comments:

Rafi G. said...
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Rafi G. said...

interesting question. we do hear these stories often, and I sometimes roll my eyes when hearing them. Like the guy who was given a week to live with a brain tumor the size of a golf ball. A rebbe gives him a bracha and the next scan is clean.

socialworker/frustrated mom said...

Definitely a very intiguiging thing to think about, you sure have lots going on you have a great attitude.

We're the ones who have to put up with them said...

An excellent question indeed. At least this mistake had a happy ending!

Happy Mom of 6 said...

rafi - but I have heard enough of those stories from people first or second hand..so what's with that? - maybe it is a ll matter of perspective...even it is was a mistake - it is gone now - so it must be a miracle

swfm - it is interesting thought material- not sure about the attitude - but thanks

mizellie - so far so good.

frumhouse said...

I totally believe in miracles!! IYH - you will be able to say you have your very own miracle! That's an amazing story.

Anonymous said...

Miracles do hapen, we say it in tefilla V'aal Nisecho Shbchol Yom Imonu ועל נסיך שבכל יום עמנו
B"h you had the Z'chut to see it

Anonymous said...
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Happy Mom of 6 said...

frumhouse - Be'ezras hashem I will -thanks for the wishes..

noch - I guess it is all a matter of perspective..

Happy Mom of 6 said...

anon- you must be new to the jblogging world - trying to publicly uncover an anonymous blogger's identity is just plain rude. That's what email adresses are for.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry. I didn't think.

Anonymous said...

This is not a comment on your story, but one on the "miracles" we hear about in certain circles. We as Frum Jews have a responsibility to seek out excellent medical care especially if we have an illness or medical problem. We have a responsibility to make the greatest Hishtadlus possible. Yet many of us do not. Many go to the nearest doctor or worse overemphasize the power of alternative medicine. I am not completely dismissing alternative medicine, but I believe that Hishtadlus means pursuing that which is the most statistically significant. Within conventional medicine, there are many grades. Many frum people despair of negative experiences or negative outcomes with conventional doctors and this leads them to lose faith in the system as a whole. We must make efforts to see the best physicians in the fields that relate to us. Though mistakes can happen, they are much less likely. Though sometimes insurances do not cover these physicians, Bikur Cholim organizations can help with that in certain circumstances. Today, there are hundreds of women seeing excellent OB/GYN's who help them either get pregnant or maintain pregnancies that other OB/GYN's could not have accomplished. They either are covered by insurance or are working out arrangements with these physicians and with the help of Chesed organizations. This is a secret that is not unlike the ones you discussed in the post previous to this one. Women and anyone with a medical problem does not usually discuss their actions with others. We don't know what the rest of us is doing. We just hear stories of this one and that one, good and bad. There are heart patients and cancer sufferers who get better care than others too. Miracles do happen and sad things do happen that are also Hashem's will, but I am saddened by how many of us in the Frum world do not understand that not all conventional medicine is the same, that not all physicians/hospitals/treatment plans are the same. Organizations like Echo and Bikur Cholim exist for this purpose. By the way, not all labs, radiology practices are the same either. That is why if you are seeing a good physician with a great track record, he/she will be affiliated with a good hospital and will recommend you to specialists/radiology practices that he/she trusts. It really can make a big difference. Again, this is not about you. Hashem decides all and miracles do happen. We just need to do our part, though.

Anonymous said...

They can be mistakes, THEY CAN RECK FAMILIES. It's never the babies fault, just the fucking people who do these things who have no heart for their proper family. abortion is necessary.