There is no greater service than helping someone in sickness. This ability to help those in need, the satisfaction one gets each time your patient overcomes his disease or disability is the best reward. Helping a mother deliver a baby, or helping a sick child / adult become better, seeing your patient with clutches walk again, seeing a trauma patient come out of it alive, being a part of the bigger miracle is the is the hope which keeps a doctor going.
I was doing Housejob in CVTS Department in Rohtak during the later part of year 2003. I had already given the state entrance exam and had fared ok. Hoping I would get a decent branch, I was enjoying the past few years of hard work.
My duties there would involve getting patients anesthesia fitness for surgery, post operative wound care, the usual clerical work and informing CTVS ICU if any patient went sick and needed a transfer.
I still remember that little 5 year old girl who had come for a surgery for ASD. The sweet wonder was not afraid of drawing blood unlike adults who would wince and cry. However, she would never allow anyone else to draw blood or touch her other than me. When had we formed that connection, I hardly remember. She would come for change of her dressing and follow up and would tell the surgeon that the only person who will examine the wound would be me. Later, she would come just to meet me.
There was an old man who had been admitted for Double valve replacement. He was afraid of all the procedures be it simple blood draw or the surgery which he had come for. I don’t remember exactly but his surgery kept on getting delayed, possibly he had some coexisting condition. Every time I would be on round or would collect his samples, he would call me sister. I would be irritated. ” I am a doctor. Why do you call me sister?” He would just chuckle annoying me further. Finally, he got operated, stayed in the ward due to some post operative complication and was finally discharged healthy. A month later, he came for the follow up. He gifted a wall clock for the ward which had become his second home for the past couple of months. He had got inscribed the names of all the doctors, the two who had operated on him and mine in the clock. The consultant though was irked, as I was just a temporary doctor.
Having shifted to pathology, I sometimes miss seeing this joy on patient’s face. Yet, I still find my own comfort in the histopathology slides. Though the diagnosis of cancer is always painful for the patient, but i find solace in the truth that at least now the patient has a diagnosis and has a chance to get the right treatment. Those are the times when I feel grateful for the choice of profession I am in. Those are the times i thank God for giving me this ability to serve others.
I am participating in #A2Z2021 hosted by Blogchatter. Blogchatter community binds all the Indian bloggers and has put blogging at a forefront. You can visit them at https://theblogchatter.com
The Vagabond 
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