Everyone has “something the Lord has made”

bussee — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:56:19 +0000

I was watching the movie “Something the Lord made” and I got moved with emotions. I’ll say why. The movie was based on a true life story of one Vivien Thomas who became the first African American without a doctorate degree to perform open heart surgery on a white patient in the United States and who developed the procedures used to treat blue baby syndrome in the 1940s. He was a surgical technician.

The story, quite an interesting script highlighted the beginning of his sojorn into the medical technology in a laboratory run by a legendary Dr Alfred Blalock in the vanderbilt University. The stock market had just crashed in the 1930s during the Great depression which resulted from the economic imbalance caused by the first world war. In fact, Vivien had to put his

education on hold (he was planning to go to medical college) because all the money he saved in the bank for seven long years went up in smoke as the bank he had his savings in failed and packed up. He couldn’t recover even a cent.

He decided to look for a job which was not in surplus in those days especially for a black man and ended up getting an appointment to work as a janitor in Dr Alfred’s medical laboratory in the Vanderbilt University. Ofcourse, Dr Alfred was white. Not long after he started working, Dr Blalock found that Vivien possessed an extraordinary eye-hand coordination and a sharp

intellect as well. His passion for medicine was quite evident as he quickly moved from janitor to laboratory assistant. When Dr. Blalock got appointed as Chief of Surgery and Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, the number 1 medical university in America at that time and arguably till now, he requested for Vivien to accompany him and become his assistant in Johns

Hopkins. The race segregation was so bad in those days that Vivien wasn’t allowed to go into the hospital through the front door. He had to use the back door. Needless to say, he was the only black person in the hospital staff who was anything more than a janitor or a cook and his paycheck wasn’t better than the afore mentioned categories. While some of his black colleagues respected and almost revered him, others despised him and were quite jealous.

Vivien refused to go to medical college at the time because he enjoyed working with Dr Blalock and achieving record breaking feats in the field of medicine helping to save many lives. Unfortunately, because he was black and not a doctor, many of the feats that were achieved largely because of his input were never merited to him. In fact, he was never mentioned in the news

as having had anything to do with it. At some point, after getting the manouver to heal the blue-baby syndrome, he felt quite left out when he wasn’t invited to the party done in honour of those involved in making it happen. He sneaked into the party and when he didn’t hear his name mentioned while Dr Blalock was thanking the team that worked with him to achieve the feat,quit his job and went to do other things. He later came back because of his love for the work and ended up becoming the

Direcor of Laboratories in Johns Hopkins(the first without a degree).

The most touching part for me was when after the death of Dr Blalock and 34 years after Vivien had started working with him, he was given an honorary doctorate degree and his portrait was placed on the hospitals walls of fame next to Dr. Blalocks. I almost couldn’t control my emotions on watching this scene and noting the look on the new Dr. Vivien’s face that seemed to say “At last, it has been proven that it was worth it” and I thought to write a few lessons I got.

1. Find your “something the Lord has made”

In one of the surgical manouvers, Vivien executed such a flawless procedure that the suture line was almost invisible prompting Dr. Blalock to remark that the medical intervention looked like “something the Lord has made”. We all have our talents and gifts. we all have our areas of core competence. Find your talent and gifts and let them make way for you. Many comedians in Nigeria now earn more than oil workers because they found their talents and using them.

2. No setback in life is an end, it’s just a bend

The great depression and racism combined with Vivien’s loss of his college tuition in the bank was enough to kill any aspiring black doctor’s dream but it didn’t kill his. What setback have you had that is making you feel like a loser? Have you lost all your money or your job or your benefactors or have you failed some qualifying exams? It’s never over until it’s over. Don’t let situations and occurences around you kill your dreams. You can still be YOU according to your destiny.

3. Out of sight can be out of mind and out of greatness

Never lose sight of your goal. Vivien could not get a decent job and couldn’t go to college. He decided to get a job even though as a janitor but with a doctor because he wanted to be close to his dreams. He wanted to be surrounded with the tools and pictures of his dream. What are you surrounding yourself with? Why wouldn’t you rather volunteer in an organisation that looks like your dream than work for money in one that looks against your dream. How are you positioning yourself? He couldn’t

have moved from janitor to lab assistant if he was a janitor in a supermarket. Who are your mentors? Who are your colleagues? Do whatever is necessary to keep the vision in view.

4. If you are not having fun, then you are doing the wrong thing

Many people will do anything once they feel the price is right. They have no niche or key area or skill or even dream they have discovered. They exist in the same sphere as 93% of people who don’t achieve anything in the world. What would you do even if you weren’t paid for it that adds value to other people? For Vivien, he was so consumed in the work and the opportunity to change the world by solving one medical mystery after the other that he couldn’t leave it and go to medical school despite the fact that the pay was poor and the environment hostile. If you’ve not found anything like that, start a self-soul-search today otherwise the whole of life will be a struggle for you.

I’ll continue the lessons in the next post.

At LUTH

bussee — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:40:45 +0000

I am currently sitting on the second row of the New great hall of the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital with some great students of that college. Actually, sitting with me in the hall are scores of college of medicine and dentistry students looking all radiant in conservative coloured suits and blue shirts and blouses.

YBC is the name of the group that put together the symposium that is holding currently in the hall. I actually was dragged to the symposium by a dear friend, Christian Love who had been asked to come and speak on a topic “Working Class Heroes”. I really don’t remember ever being on the premises of this great hospital complex but am I glad to be here.

I love being in the midst of excited and energetic students if for nothing at all, to feel their energy, vibrancy and youth. Don’t mind me. I’m very much a youth and an energetic one at that.

And for your information, YBC means Year Book Class. This I guess indicates the final year students in the college of medicine and surgery and dentistry.

The Hall wasn’t neglected in its decoration as drapes of different shades of blue and some pink hung as a back-drop in the front of the hall and decorations of royal blue with pink ribbons hanging from the stage.

The list of guest speakers at the symposium is quite impressive. From the Chairman to the other speakers, I caught names like Tonye Cole, MD of Sahara Oil and Gas, Mrs Craig from Poise Nigeria, an eminent professor and a very intelligent doctor, both female I might add.

As at the time of writing this article, the symposium/year book launch, the latter of which I just learnt about a few minutes ago is in full swing. In fact, launching of the year book is going on currently.

Anyway, why am I writing this post. As I sit down enjoying the excitement and energy of this gathering, I can’t help but wonder, 5 years from now. How many of these doctors would be engaged in upholding the health industry in this country. They will swear an oath in a few weeks to come but how many of them would die to keep that oath. The keynote speaker said in her presentation that the number of medical doctors practicing in the United States of America alone were 21,000 in 1995.

Part of the theme of the symposium is “The Solution to Brain Drain”. How many of these new doctors would not agree to allow their brains be drained? How many would not be satisfied with 3rd class and 4th class citizenry in countries that would accomodate them only because they need Taxi drivers, barbers, security men, soldiers, assistants and other non professional workforce.

My passion and love for this country causes pain to rise in my heart and burden to rest on my soul when I ponder what these graduands are moving into the working-class world to experience. Would they be depressed and discouraged by the harsh realities of a non-caring system. Would they be caught between observing and standing by the values of their profession in Nigeria and bowing to the prevalent corruption, selfishess and greed that currently exists in the society?

I really can’t answer these questions but I know that the fire is re-kindled in my spirit to do all I can and all I must to ensure that those who become doctors a few years from now will not have the same challenges and dilemma that these ones currently have.

Busayo Akanro - Light does not shine in light » Medicine

Everyone has “something the Lord has made”

At LUTH