Lisa and Dr. Csolak

Just a week after Lisa turned 18, she was involved in a vehicle accident on her way home from school. The paramedics rushed to the scene and thought that there was internal bleeding so they took her to the nearest Emergency Room. She got into the ER and was immediately seen by Dr. Csolak. Her parents arrived a few minutes later and ran to go see her. Dr. Csolak quickly told the parents what had happened, and in front of Lisa, said that she needed surgery right away, thinking that her spleen had ruptured, but would need an MRI to confirm.  Lisa interjects and says that she will not undergo any surgery. Lisa does, though, consent to having an MRI. While at the MRI, Lisa’s parents approach Dr. Csolak and tell her that she has been going through some rough times since her close cousin, Robin, committed suicide. They think that this is Lisa’s way of letting the pain go, by dying of something that can be treated. Dr. Csolak asks Lisa’s parents if anything has changed with Lisa since the suicide. They tell Dr. Csolak that Lisa hasn’t been sleeping, but when she does she has nightmares; she seems uninterested in things that usually maker her excited, such as painting; she hasn’t been eating a lot; and she has been moping and never seems to smile anymore. They wholeheartedly believe that if Lisa was not undergoing grieving of a loved one, she would chose to have the surgery. Dr. Csolak knows that a quick surgery will heal Lisa and that the success rate is extremely high. Her primary obligation is to the patient, but should Dr. Csolak listen to Lisa considering she has her whole life in front of her or should she listen to the parents?

--Written by Elizabeth Puzniak