Rehabilitation Medicine Department - Manila Doctors Hospital

"Hindi ka na gagaling." These were the words Ronie, the therapist said to me last Monday morning. How can he utter such words to me, his patient who he was supposed to help "heal"? How can he say that after I literally JUST told him that this was my 3rd hospital to receive therapy from? I couldn't believe my ears. "Hindi na po ako gagaling?", was me repeating his words. Him, sensing my shock, tried to take back those hurtful words by saying: "Huwag ka mawalan ng pag-asa." You literally just said I would never heal and now you're giving me a half-hearted "don't lose hope"??? I was on the verge of crying. I've been suffering from these knee pains for the past two years and him saying those words made me scared of my future. I cried on the way home though. It was embarrassing. Prior to this, I was already skeptical about going through with this therapy. Last March 6, when I first went there for my doctor's appointment, the receptionist who was incredibly busy asked me to sign a form but just rushed off somewhere else. I didn't have a pen with me. I saw a pen inside the counter and I asked the therapist sitting at the far end (who turned out to be Ronie) to please hand it to me. He completely ignored me although I'm sure he heard. Also, when the receptionist asked him to take something upstairs (I'm assuming it's payment since the cashier is on the 2nd floor) because the patient wasn't in a good condition. He said, "Baka masanay." The receptionist backed the patient up saying he/she was really in pain. I mean, how can the receptionist have more sympathy for the patient than the therapist? I hoped he wouldn't be the therapist assigned to me. Imagine my surprise when I was introduced to him Monday morning. His first words to me were, "Ba't kayo na-late?" Mind you, I was scheduled for 7 AM and I got there at 7:13. A mere 13 minutes late and this is your first greeting to me? I am not your student. I am not your employee. I don't deserve to be berated like this especially when I already made a mental note to myself prior to getting there that I'll leave home earlier next time. It's my first session and my first time travelling there that early. Would a little kindness hurt? I couldn't help but be in a sour mood as we were starting the therapy. Needless to say, his "Hindi ka na gagaling." line did not help improve my impression of him. His intern though, was kind and patient with me even when I couldn't understand some of his instructions and asked him endless questions. If only he was my therapist instead. I have zero plans of coming back to finish my therapy sessions there. I hope that my next therapist will at least show some basic kindness required of the job.

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