My wife was detected with jaundice late December. It took the GP a week to figure that out. Because it took him so long while it was painfully obvious to most of us around her, I didn’t quite trust the treatment he prescribed. Which is why, I took a second opinion. One look at her reports and the doctors suggested she ought to be hospitalized. Mercifully, they didn’t prescribe medication. Just a controlled diet and bed rest.

While she was there, I did some reading and figured two things.

1. She didn’t need to be hospitalized.
2. 1 in 20 people contract infections while at the hospital.

Asking for a discharge was met with contempt.

A few days ago, she caught a cold and went down with a seriously bad throat infection. Once again, we visited the GP who promptly prescribed antibiotics. I just didn’t get it.

• In the first place, what was he doing prescribing antibiotics for a woman whose liver still hadn’t started functioning normally?
• Secondly, you don’t prescribe antibiotics at the drop of a hat. Because when you really need it, chances are, your immune systems would be resistant to the whole thing.

Clearly, there had to be a better solution. She insisted we visit a classic homeopath. Three hours of questioning later, he prescribed some medicines. As much as he looked earnest, I’m not too sure of its efficacy though. I simply can’t come to terms with a system of medicine that is still trying to defend itself. Worse still, there is no conclusive evidence that homeopathy works for everybody, all the time.

So what am I supposed to do? Take chances with somebody’s life who means the world to me? I am at a complete loss.