Follow up

The girl came in today. She decided to terminate the pregnancy. I spent some time talking with her, trying to make her understand that it is a life inside her body. Of course she already knows that, but she thinks her own life is more important. Before I could say anymore, she dashed out the door. I've never seen anyone leave so fast. Needless to say where she was heading...

As physicians, we see a lot of selfish behavior. If somebody wants something, they will try anything to get it -- from unnecessary antibiotics, to unnecessary tests and scans, to whatever they fancy just to suit their own lifestyle or convenience. I once had a complaint from a patient that I don't work on Sundays. In the girl's case, she is selfish about maintaining her own lifestyle.

We must reflect on our own behavior frequently and reject this kind of selfishness. If we get lazy about it, we will slide down that slippery slope and soon forget about the virtues and values in life. I know there has been some criticism on how the Catholic church focuses too much on sins. Some Christian denominations in the U.S. have chosen to focus more on love instead of sins because it comes across as more positive. But hey, if you think about it, we DO sin a LOT! It's just that in modern times, we have tailored the concept of sin to fit our increasingly busy lives. What should be sins may not be so bad anymore, in our eyes, because we want it that way...but God never said it's OK.

Well, I'm sure I will see that girl again. I cannot and should not judge her. As her physician, I have the duty to - and will - take care of her as best as I can. As a fellow human being, I have to respect her. As a Catholic, I have to love her unconditionally, no matter how she chooses to live her life. Hopefully one day, she will learn to value life more.