Pediatricians didn’t choose to work in their industry for the money, not for any other accolade or glorification. They do it, for one thing, more than anything: because they want to help other people.
This is definitely the case of Dr. Stephen Odzer! This Topeka pediatrician was so dedicated to his job that he often kept an open line of communication with his patients’ families, even when that meant doing a lot of after-hours and being available around the clock.
One night, as doctor Stephen Odzer was sleeping, the phone went off. It must have been around 3am when he woke up to answer.
“Hello?” He uttered, trying to collect his thoughts and clear his voice as he was fully waking up. “Doctor Stephen Odzer, I am so sorry to disturb you at this late hour, but I am worried about my 5-year-old, Brian. He seems to be sick”
“Oh, so sorry to hear that, what seems to be the problem?” The doctor asked.
“Well, he’s really hot and he can’t breathe very well, he seems to be struggling a lot, actually.”
“How long has this been going on?”
“I am not sure doctor, probably for the past few hours, but it seems to be getting worse.”
“Can you get to the emergency room? I recommend taking your child there, so they can immediately assist you. I’ll be there, just the time to get ready and hope in the car.”
“Thank you so much doctor, this means the world to us!”
In no time, doctor Stephen Odzer was ready to go. He quickly got in the car and headed over to the emergency room. Thankfully, the kid and his father had just arrived as well, and they were being cleared at the emergency room.
Doctor Stephen Odzer helped the kid and his father in and made sure they were in the care of the pediatrician on call. He stood outside for a while enjoying the fresh air of the night, when he noticed a young nurse, waving at him.
“Hello, doctor, fancy seeing you here in the middle of the night!”
“Oh, hi Edgar. How do you do?”
“Not too bad doc, not too bad. It never ends right?”
The doctor smiled at the nurse’s comments. He knows he didn’t mean to disrespect the medical profession or the patience, but deep inside, he was only thinking about one thing. The reason why he chose this job was to help kids, no matter the cost! He saw a lot of sad things and had to go through a lot but ultimately, there is something that always pays back in connecting that way with another human. Something doctor Odzer will never forget, even if it is just about giving a father and his kid some moral support on a night off!