Yesterday I went to the psychiatrist and the internist. After the psychiatrist, while waiting at the pharmacy to pick up my medication, I saw a young man who had previously seen my medication record and started talking to me about my former primary care internist, the elderly M.D. Kitada. I decided to ask him about M.D. Kitada's situation.
After my name was called and I confirmed the packaged medications, and some I'd been prescribed before but stopped taking, and I'd recently restarted—I asked about M.D. Kitada. The man had silver-dyed hair and an ageless appearance. He said he didn't know much about M.D. Kitada personally, but hearing he had passed away shocked me. Apparently, it was due to a brain or heart condition.
It had been just over a year since I was startled to see the “Closed for Emergency Hospitalization” notice at Kitada Internal Medicine & Pediatrics last January. He was still in 70s. A bit too soon. My father, who lives in a nursing home, is in 80s.
I remember the small waiting room. There weren't that many chairs, but the practice clearly managed to operate successfully. It had a homey atmosphere, and whenever I went feeling anxious, the cheerful and kind personality of the old doctor put me at ease.
I do have some regrets about the end. He'd prescribed me 40 days' worth of medicine, and since I had a stockpile, I didn't go in November or December. I only went back in January when my medicine was running low, and that's when I learned about the doctor's emergency hospitalization.
Of course, doctors are human too; they get sick and pass away. I switched to another internist, but surprisingly, my current doctor also has sudden hearing loss and isn't exactly in perfect health. He says it doesn't interfere with his work, though.
M.D. Kitada, you lived a life dedicated to being a community doctor until the very end. Thank you.
昨日は精神科と内科に行ってきました。精神科のあと、院外薬局で薬をもらうために待っていたら、前に私のお薬手帳を見て私の前のかかりつけの内科のおじいちゃん先生、北田先生について語りかけてきたお兄さんがいるのを見て、北田先生のその後について聞こうと思いました。
名前を呼ばれて一包化した薬、前に出してもらってたけど中断してまた出してもらった薬などを確認したあと、北田先生について聞きました。お兄さんは髪を銀髪に染めた年齢不詳の容貌でした。北田先生についてはあまり詳しくは知らないが、お亡くなりになったと聞いて、ショックを受けました。脳か心臓の病気だそうです。
去年の1月に北田内科・小児科医院に行って、緊急入院でお休みですという貼り紙を見てびっくりしてからわずか1年ちょっとで亡くなりました。まだ70代でした。少し早いです。うちの老人施設に入っている父は80代。
小さい待合室を思い出します。椅子はそんなにたくさんはなかったけど、ちゃんと営業は成り立っていたんだな。アットホームな雰囲気で、不安な時に行くとおじいちゃん先生のほがらかで優しい人柄でほっとしていました。
最後の頃は少し後悔もあります。薬を40日分出されて、たまってたので11月、12月は行かなくて、薬がなくなってきた1月に行って先生の緊急入院を知りました。
当たり前のことですがお医者さんも人間、病気になるし、亡くなるわけです。別の内科に移りましたが、なんと、今のかかりつけの先生も突発性難聴で健康体というわけではないです。業務に差し障りはないそうですが。
北田先生、最後まで町医者としてがんばられた人生でしたね。ありがとうございました。
