In an emergency room (ER).

Mom displays nervousness as the doctor approaches.

Doctor: Your heart is racing and beats irregularly. You have … [incomprehensible jargon]. We have given medications to control it. We think you are eligible to correct it with a procedure called … [more incomprehensible jargon]. It works by … [even more incomprehensible jargon]. We may be able to schedule it for as soon as the day after tomorrow. Do you want to do it? 

Mom feels overwhelmed and confused.

Mom: I… I don’t know… Can you talk to my son about it?

Doctor: Sure, my number is on my card, your son can call me anytime. I will follow up with you again.

Son rushes to hospital ER.

Mom shows a sigh of relief upon seeing her son and they give each other a tight hug. They are very close to each other. She relies heavily on him, who is a native English speaker and health literate, to navigate through life. He is her most trusted person and greatest source of support.

Son: Mom, are you okay? What happened? Why are you in the hospital? What does the doctor say?

Mom: (Speaking in her native tongue) Thank goodness you are here, my dear! I felt my heart was beating so fast, I got so scared. So I came to the hospital. I think they said something about my heart not doing so well. They asked me a lot of difficult questions, many of which I didn’t know how to answer. They did a lot of stuff to me – placed needles and did scans – I have no idea what those were for. They tried to explain but I couldn’t understand a thing. I guess I was just too scared to take anything in…

Son: Okay mom, just relax. I will talk to them.

Son tries to talk to someone, but the ER was just too busy, everyone looked so exhausted.

Son tries to call the doctor at the number. (Ring-ring, ring-ring.)

Doctor’s office: Hello. This is the doctor’s office. How may I help you?

Son: Hello. I would like to speak with the doctor about my mom’s situation.

Doctor’s office: The doctor is now in a meeting. I will let her call you back.

Mom and son wait anxiously. They both notice despite how busy the ER is, it is scarily cold and quiet. All they hear are the intimidating sounds of medical equipment, busy footsteps of healthcare workers, and the moans and groans of neighboring patients. The whole experience is very unsettling, somewhat like a scene in a suspense movie.

As time goes by, every second seems longer than the previous one. Mom becomes more tired and less tolerant. She has made up her mind: she no longer wants to wait, she no longer cares about her diagnosis or treatment or health for that matter, the ER experience has been insufferable. She wishes to leave the hospital at once; but her son, being worried about her health, convinces her to at least wait for the doctor’s response.

Another hour has passed. (Ring-ring.) Son picks up phone call from an unknown caller.

Son: Hello?

Doctor: Hello. I am the doctor.

Son: Thank goodness!

Doctor goes on to explain mom’s situation, informing about a heart ablation surgery for mom’s arrhythmia. Son relays the message to his mom and explains the details in his mom’s native language. Upon learning the prognosis, mom and son both decide that it’s the best to receive the surgery.

Doctor: So your mom can either stay for two nights in the hospital until the day of the procedure or to be discharged now and return on that day, which one does she prefer?

Mom (exhausted and irritated): Please, I want to leave already. I don’t want to be here any longer. I want to be home. I will just come back on that day. I cannot bear staying a minute longer at this place.

Mom is discharged. Mom and son leaves the ER together, hoping they never have to return to any ER ever for whatever reason.

Dr. Jeffrey Chan, MD is passionate about public health and is a proud health advocate for his loved ones and himself.