The Wrong And The Right Writing

Okay, I get it. I am not one of those conventional ones. No matter how  hard I try I  cannot write like I am one, not even  with my right hand (well I am one of those lefties).Should I be happy about it? Ain't sure. I have had major issues in  the past, to a point that the nurses in the hospital have had second thoughts about following the orders in the patient's case  sheet, not that they could not understand it, their only problem was it was too neat. A doctor's handwriting can be deciphered by  only two gifted groups ,them and the pharmacists at the dispensaries. But if you were to ask the doctors to read their own  prescriptions or orders trust me many of them do see stars.

It is a funny thing, what makes us doctors scribble like we were never made to write cursive writing copies in school, is it the emergencies and erratic schedules, or the lack of attention to little but important things during all the treatment? On a serious note there have been occasions when doctors have landed up in soup, and have pulled their patients along. Bizarre but are happenings and nothing else is medically more criminal. The only gratification if  you have a bad way of writing is that it is too tedious to forge;-)

Coming back to mine, when someone says "Oh you write really well!" I really don't know if that is to be taken as a compliment! There are some exceptions to the stereotypes right, guess my handwriting makes me one. I remember my teachers liking how I write. Back in school I used to be this blackboard lover. Up with the date, day, total strength, number of absentees and a quote right in between everyday. Calligraphy was my forte. I guess I have not lost it in all the process of becoming a doctor. I feel this when I look at the way I write now. Ain't bad even though there is some amount of difference! I think I will never give in. When I say there are doctors with good handwriting, believe me there really are :-)

Picture Courtesy

Signing off legibly!
-R.