Sometimes there are good things about being a doctor.

Every so often you do manage to do something worthwhile as a doctor.  Today we managed to get a young woman home after more than 80 days on the ward.  The woman had an unusual diagnosis  (anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis) and I managed to guess what was going on.  I did the right test quickly and we confirmed the diagnosis early.  We managed to deal with all the problems that can occur in this condition and we managed to deliver the correct treatments (or at least what are hopefully the correct treatments).

I cannot say that we got everything right all the time but we did our best and the patient seems to be better.  Her partner and her family were very happy.  I got a bit embarrassed and slightly teary when they were saying goodbye.  As a doctor you don't really expect people to thank you.  I'm just there to do a job to the best of my ability and I get paid well for it.  People are often unhappy with their doctors and I'm always a bit surprised when they are nice to us.

So, despite being run off my feet and working like a blue-arsed fly it was a good day.  We got a good result.  We don't always get them.