Zero Tolerance

I like to think that I'm a pretty open-minded person.  I didn't judge the patient who was being hospitalized for her fifth alcohol detoxification.  I didn't look down on the patient who was looking at inevitable amputation because he refused to take his diabetes medications.  I didn't scoff at the patient who had full-thickness burns on both hands and forearms after trying to simultaneously light an entire pack of fireworks.  When patients suffer, I can't help but feel bad for them, even if their circumstances are created by their own life choices.  What's most important to me is that I do everything I can to help them get better (even if that involves simply writing a note and putting it in a chart, knowing that nobody will ever read it again).

My policy for not making judgments goes out the window when the the same person who is making irresponsible decisions has a child.  If you're 16 years old and can barely take care of yourself, you probably shouldn't be having your first child.  If you're a cocaine addict who has already lost custody of your first child, you probably shouldn't be having a second child.  And if you're living on disability and two of your five children from four different men have developmental delays, you definitely shouldn't be having a sixth child by yet another man.  It's downright irresponsible to bring a child into this world that you know you can't take care of, and yet I have met each of the three people above.  Sure, I still feel bad for them, but I feel much worse for their children, who may never have the chance at a successful life thanks to their toxic environments.

On a brighter note, did you know that the song Like a G6 is performed by Far East Movement, an Asian-American group?  I didn't realize this until earlier this week, when I heard that they were the first Asian-Americans to make it to the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.  Far East Movement, I'm really happy for you and I'mma let you finish, but Sammas is the greatest Asian-American musician of all time.  OF ALL TIME!