Nose a vital organ for breathing, a symbol of super-ego-is so delicate that it starts flowing like a river in a simple attack of flu and if it is blood that flows out than search for cause is a real task for ENT surgeon.
And as it was not enough it has become popular playground for children’s wildest imagination. Children play hide and seek, and put anything and everything available to them in dark cave–pearl, paper, eraser, pencil-tips, button-battery, buttons, stone, grains, seeds, pea nut…what not.
But what I never thought was that I can ever meet my angel while travelling through nose of my patient.
This Christmas I was depressed and angry on God for 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai, financial crisis in the world and dissatisfaction with busy life of metro.
I gifted smile to a 2 ½ year old girl and her parents as it is my professional duty but I would never forget what I received in return…more so because I needed it at that time of my life.
Dec 25th 2008, 10:30 pm, I had just finished my dinner…and my mobile started ringing. It was call from my hospital for a patient with high blood pressure and bleeding from nose. I had advised her admission at 8 pm when she consulted me but she refused. I was irritated on call as I knew this is going to happen…
As I was ready to go, once again mobile was crying…this time from a charitable hospital; a 2 ½ years old child had put something in her nose.
As I was drained out physically, mentally and emotionally, I did not quite welcome these two calls.
Out of sense of duty, I reached hospital, managed bleeding patient and left for other hospital at 11:15 pm after due instruction to duty-nurse.
I entered familiar yet somehow distant emergency department of charitable hospital, a young man with anxious looks, holding a girl child, approached to me curiously.
Night’s tranquility, absence of nursing-staff, my mood and parents anxiety mixed with girl’s cry created an uncomfortable ambience…a detached feeling…
Father informed that girl had put tamarind seed in nose and trial of removal had already been attempted at some hospital.
I quickly looked inside girl’s nose, started talking to father and at the same time struggled to arrange some staff to help. This entire made father more scared …suddenly my husband-who drove me to hospital-asked him “what is her name?”
“Swara” father replied.
Beautiful name, quite different, isn’t it?
Reluctantly listening to their conversation, from my side vision, I saw a sparkle of smile and pride appearing on father’s face and shy twinkle in mother’s eyes. I too smiled back…ice melted down. Now atmosphere was light, parents at ease a bit.
I explained him how I am going to remove the seed from nose, limitation of removing without general anesthesia and possibility of giving general anesthesia if child is not cooperative.
But not in a position to understand a word, he just said -”Please do whatever you feel is right”.
It is one sentence which gives full liberty to work and at the same time brings with it emotional weight on doctor as other person is blindly relying on you.
Someone had to hold child tightly ignoring heart-tearing screams.
As usual, I prayed my God, remembered his “gift to me” and next moment duty doctor exclaimed “so big, it’s out”, it echoed from his voice as if a healthy baby was just being delivered by a gynecologist.
Next moment what I saw was very strange and touchy scene beyond my description in words.
Father excitedly jumped about 11/2-2 feet above the ground, took two rounds around himself and clapped cheerily…next he came running towards me, turned last moment towards my husband and bent on his feet.
As staff took him away he started crying loudly…long built up tension released slowly with tears of joy and relief.
I was awestruck, cry stuck up in throat, everybody present was transfixed…no one in a condition to utter a word. Only little girl’s sobs heard now.
Father regained his composure after 10 minutes, went out and came back quickly with a handful of money collected from people accompanying him.
With due respect for dignity of a lady doctor, he tried to transfer the money in my husband’s hand…requesting to accept as his thanks for doing our duty at Christmas night. I had to fight him with words to convince him to avoid involving duty with money.
His attitude, still respecting doctors is hard to find in a patient now a days, more rare in a not so affording father of a girl child who had to visit a hospital in the night after a days hard work. His act of thanks was strongly contagious to all even to otherwise emotionless walls of casualty department and now no one was in hurry not even the nurse who was on Christmas vacation officially.
By showing respect they strengthened my belief in my profession which–I strongly think–is turning towards commercialization. By keeping faith in me they revived my sense of humanity, which enables me to forget my every personal worry when I talk to my patients.
And above all they brought me closer to my faith of remembering my “God-Gift” before removing a foreign body.
This Christmas night “Swara” came as an angel to touch my life at a time when I was searching the vary purpose of my existence, was introspecting deeply and was asking God to help me take a call. It was a divine intervention to help me overcome my recent over- irritability and reminding old days when I used to forget myself while talking to my patients especially kids.
Thanks for keeping the faith alive…
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Archana, We are proud of you.
Thanks a lot …