Some remarkable stories about ambition, dedication, human weakness, and the meaning of life
The other day, I stumbled upon a Hong Kong television series entitled Dr. You Are Sick 医生你有病 From what I understand, the series is based on genuine stories about doctors and their lives.
I started watching it out of curiosity. Before long, I found myself thinking about the people behind the white coats. These were doctors who had devoted their lives to helping others, yet each had to face personal challenges that could change the course of his life.
As I watched, I was reminded of something we sometimes forget: doctors are human beings, too.
The Doctor Who Struggled with Writing
One story that caught my attention was about a psychiatrist who had difficulty writing.
Despite this learning difficulty, he managed to enter the University of Hong Kong's medical school. However, his first three years were extremely challenging. He could express himself fluently when speaking, but writing was another matter.
His essays contained many empty spaces where he had forgotten words and could not write them down.
Just imagine the frustration. Here was a medical student who had the ability and determination to pursue medicine, but something that most people took for granted made his studies exceptionally difficult.
Yet he persevered.
I found this story particularly moving because it reminds us that people have different strengths. Someone who struggles with one skill may be highly capable in another.
We should not judge a person's intelligence or potential simply by looking at what he finds difficult. Sometimes, the greatest achievement is not being naturally gifted. It is finding a way forward despite the difficulties.
When Hard Work Goes Too Far
Another story concerned a surgeon who worked extraordinarily hard.
His job demanded intense concentration and focus. He frequently worked overtime, sometimes for more than 12 hours. Eating properly and taking breaks seemed to come second to his responsibilities.
Then, one day, he collapsed.
When he regained consciousness, the situation was devastating. According to the story portrayed in the series, he had lost his memory and the skills he had relied on throughout his professional life.
The man who had once been a capable surgeon now faced an entirely different reality. He and his family were plunged into emotional and financial difficulties.
I found this story particularly disturbing.
We often praise people who work long hours and sacrifice everything for their careers. We call them dedicated, responsible, and hardworking. In some professions, working until exhaustion is almost treated as a badge of honour.
But at what cost?
A career can be important. Providing for our families is important. Serving other people is important, too.
However, if we sacrifice our health completely in pursuit of our responsibilities, we may eventually lose the very abilities that allow us to do our jobs.
I am not suggesting that every hardworking person will suffer such a tragedy. But this story is a powerful reminder that our bodies and minds have limits. Rest is not necessarily a sign of laziness. Sometimes, it is part of being responsible.
When a Surgeon Can No Longer Operate
Another doctor in the series specialised in surgery using a robotic arm.
This was a highly specialised field requiring considerable training, precision, and concentration. Unfortunately, he developed parkinsonism, which affected his ability to continue performing this particular role.
I can only imagine how difficult such a change must have been.
After years of developing specialised skills, a doctor may find that his own body no longer allows him to practise in the same way.
It is not merely a question of losing a job. It may also mean losing a familiar identity, a sense of purpose, and the satisfaction of doing something one has spent years mastering.
His story reminded me that life does not always give us the choice of continuing along the path we have carefully prepared.
Sometimes, circumstances force us to reconsider who we are and what we can still contribute.
Our abilities may change, but that does not necessarily mean our lives have lost their value.
What These Doctors Have Taught Me
Watching Dr. You Are Sick has given me plenty to think about.
The psychiatrist showed me the importance of perseverance and recognising different abilities.
The exhausted surgeon reminded me that dedication without adequate rest can have a terrible human cost.
Dr. Choi demonstrated the powerful attraction of a career that gives a person purpose, even in his later years.
And the surgeon affected by parkinsonism reminded me that our professional abilities cannot always remain with us forever.
At 80, I have my own experiences of ageing, health challenges, and learning to adjust to changes in life. I am still writing, learning about artificial intelligence, and documenting my memories through Grandpa Journey.
I enjoy keeping busy. I enjoy having something to work on when I wake up in the morning.
But I have also come to appreciate that life is not measured only by how much work we accomplish.
There is Julie, our family, old friends, a few games of table tennis, and the simple pleasure of sharing a meal together. These things matter, too.
Perhaps the greatest lesson from these doctors is that nobody is invincible. Not even the people who spend their lives helping others recover from illness.
We can be ambitious without forgetting our limitations. We can love our work without allowing it to consume our entire lives. And we can continue contributing to society even when age or illness changes what we are able to do.
My final thought?
I admire people who are dedicated to their work. But I admire people who know how to live a balanced life, too.
After all, we spend so much time learning how to earn a living. Perhaps we should also spend some time learning how to live.
And that lesson applies to all of us, whether we are doctors, office workers, retirees, or grandparents trying to make the most of our remaining years.
This is Grandpa Journey. I am still learning, still observing, and still discovering that life has something to teach us at every age.
Dr. Choi: A Doctor I Knew Decades Ago
Of all the stories in Dr. You Are Sick, the one about Dr. Choi caught my attention for a special reason. I knew him decades ago, when I was working as a hospital representative for Ciba Pharmaceuticals in Hong Kong.
In those days, my work brought me into contact with doctors at Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Dr. Choi was then working in internal medicine with Dr. H. K. Wong, a cardiologist.
That was a long time ago. I have since moved through different stages of life, retired from my professional career, and become an 80-year-old grandpa who enjoys writing about his memories.
Then, unexpectedly, I came across this television series and saw Dr. Choi again, this time through his story as a 77-year-old kidney specialist.
It was an interesting experience. Someone I remembered from my working days had become part of a story about the challenges of being a doctor, growing older, and looking after one's own health.
According to the programme, Dr. Choi had several health problems. He had difficulties with his eyes, had broken a leg in an accidental fall, and faced a family-related issue involving insulin. Yet he continued to lead an extremely busy professional life.
He worked from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday, running two clinics while also taking on responsibilities in a public association connected with the Hong Kong Medical Association.
He even described himself as a bad patient.
What struck me was his attitude towards his profession. He loved his work so much that he did not mind dying while doing it.
I found myself thinking about the doctor I had encountered years earlier at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the remarkable demands of a medical career.
I cannot claim to know everything about his personal journey. Our paths crossed through my work, and decades have passed since then. But watching his story brought back that connection with an earlier chapter of my own life.
Perhaps that is one of the unexpected pleasures of growing older. A face, a name, or a television programme can take us back many years, reminding us of people we once knew and the lives we once lived.
Dr. Choi's story also raises a question that applies far beyond the medical profession: when we love our work, how do we know when to slow down?
I understand the attraction of having a purpose and remaining useful. Even at 80, I continue to write, learn about artificial intelligence, and preserve my memories through Grandpa Journey.
But I also appreciate the importance of family, friendship, rest, and the simple pleasures of everyday life.
Perhaps the lesson is not that we should stop working when we grow older. It is that we should remember to look after the person doing all that work.
Watching Dr. Choi's story was more than watching a television programme for me. It was an unexpected connection between my past and present, reminding me that the people we meet along the way remain part of our personal history.
Suggested labels: Grandpa Journey, Dr. You Are Sick, Hong Kong TV Series, Doctors' Stories, Ageing, Work-Life Balance, Life Lessons, Retirement, La Salle Old Boys