Child Within...

SONG VERSION :

Adulthood comes quickly,
That we don’t realise,
Inner child gets lost on the way,
As the years go by.

When we’re young, we wanna grow up fast,
Our innocence fades away, and won’t forever last.

The time that is gone,
Will not be back again...

Looking down the memory lanes,
Those joyful days and fights on games,
We never value, what they meant
And miss them later to repent.

Time slips through our hands, like grains of sand,
Why don’t we grow up, like we had always planned?

The time that is gone,
Will not be back again... 

How I wish, I could go back in time,
Live this life again, that childhood which was mine
Why am I so helpless, I wonder in pain,
When the Child Within craves, to grow up again…

The time that is gone,
Will not be back again...

ORIGINAL POEM VERSION:

Adulthood came so quickly, I didn’t realise,
Now,with my while coat and stethoscope,I look very wise,
But the child in me didn’t grow up,as time went by,
I searched within,now I know the reasons why…

How I wish I could go back in time,
Live this life again,that childhood,which was mine
Wish it had more colours,I wonder in pain,
So helpless I’m to that child, which craves to grow up again…

This is the irony of life…When we’re kids , we yearn to grow up quickly…run behind success, money, materialistic things, etc….and when we finally step into that phase of our lives and look back in time, how we wish we had never grown up…. :-(

Doctor uses ‘Corporate Hospital Lingo’ with wife, strategy backfires.

Mumbai: In an incident which has sent shock waves in the medical community, a doctor regretted his decision to use ‘corporate hospital lingo’ with his wife, when she asked him to take her out for shopping.

It is a well-known fact that in most corporate hospitals, for any demand by doctors to the management for any new equipment or a new process, justification has to be given if the demand is ‘desirable or essential’. Also, an explanation has to be given for any faults in the current equipment or ongoing process. On most occasions, the management comes out on top and is then able to smartly push the requirement for the next financial year, and the vicious cycle continues.

In an exclusive interview with the Quackdoses, Dr. Pati Parmeshwar said, “For the past few months, every time the salary got credited in my account, my wife would ‘unrealistically’ demand that I take her out on a shopping spree or a movie, hand over my credit card to her, buy her a new I-phone, etc. Initially I could pacify her with my boss’s standard strategy on me by telling her that there were budgetary constraints, or we could plan expenses in the next quarter, etc. Things really got out of hand the day I innocently asked her to justify if her demands were ‘desirable or essential’, and explain if there was anything wrong with the clothes in her wardrobe or her current phone."

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that Dr. Parmeshwar has been sleeping on the floor of his bedroom and ordering his food online for the past 3 days.

Emergency Trauma Management - Life In The Fast Lane.

A 17 year old boy is wheeled in to the Accident & Emergency Department after being run over by a truck. The patient is rapidly assessed, given essential life saving emergency care including blood transfusions and is immediately rushed in to the operation theater for a suspected pelvic (hip bone) fracture. Two weeks later, the patient is sent back home, alive and hearty - one of the many success stories where prompt emergency management saved a life.

So what does a person involved in a motor vehicle collision or a fall, a child who breaks a bone, and a physical assault victim should do? They all must seek emergency treatment for their trauma-related injuries.

Trauma refers to a bodily injury resulting from the application of an external physical force. It is the leading cause of death under the age of 45 years all over the world, with majority of victims being young males. Motor vehicle accidents are the major culprit of these types of fatalities; in children too under the age of 18, trauma is the leading cause of death above all other diseased conditions combined. Surprisingly, the number of years of life lost before the age of 65 due to trauma exceeds those lost from heart disease and cancer put together. There is a massive additional social burden from disability affecting survivors as well.

While the word may have a fairly simple and standard definition, when it comes to treatment of trauma patients, there is nothing uniform or standard about it. Traumatic injuries can range from minor isolated wounds to complex injuries involving multiple organ systems. The trauma can be blunt or penetrating - like a stab or a gun shot wound.

Majority of deaths occur either at the scene or within the first four hours after the patient reaches a trauma center. Relatively, fewer patients die after the first 24 hours have passed following the injury. Most preventable deaths are due to excessive blood loss.

Regardless of the cause or type of trauma, the ultimate goal of treatment is to minimize the disability and deaths associated with the injury. It involves reducing the deaths associated with the 2nd peak period which occurs in the hours shortly after the injury.

A systematic approach toward the trauma patient allows for rapid assessment and stabilization of the victim. This maximizes outcomes and reduces the risk of undiscovered injuries. Established protocols within an organization allow physicians to evaluate the patient in a logical, algorithmic (ATLS) manner and treat injuries in the order that has the greatest chance to prolong life and also minimizes long term consequences from the injury.

Global Hospital, Mumbai is a Level 1 trauma centre providing a multidisciplinary, extensive emergency medical service to trauma patients with the highest level of care, and is capable of offering definitive treatment for any type of injury.

Apart from an Accident & Emergency department which is manned by emergency physicians who specialise in this field of practice, it also boasts of availability of all surgical sub-specialties and advanced imaging capabilities. The hospital operates on a “team approach” whose staff includes emergency physicians, general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, reconstructive surgeons and anesthesiologists who are experts in treating trauma victims.

We also have a 24 hour functioning blood bank and a NABL accredited laboratory, apart from a 24X7 Radiology department for carrying out emergency X-rays, Ultrasound, CT scans and MRI. The hospital also has 24x7 operation theatres equipped to carry out all life and limb saving emergency surgeries.

With our comprehensive trauma care and emergency medical services, we are able to care for the most life threatening emergencies at a moment’s notice.

A Prayer

Dedicated to God - My strength, my teacher, everything that means to me in life.

It was written in September 2009, when I was going through a very rough patch during my MBBS. Through these few lines, I just wanted to thank HIM from the bottom of my heart for adding some colours back again to my life (then)…I had really forgotten to smile, fighting.

When I was helpless, you went to hide
There was no one, by my side
Was there a reason, I needed that help
Fighting the odds, all by myself.

Down my cheeks, the tears rolled
As time went by, I was growing old
But faith remained in my heart,
You’d come back...

I say a prayer, for you,
Show me a way, what to do,
I say a prayer for you,
You're all I need, that's true.

I was so numb, lonely inside,
With shattered dreams, no one to guide,
I kept pretending, in a false mask
Where would life lead, is all I asked.

To prove again, that I was right,
You held my hand, in this fight,
By my side, always you stay
Don’t let go ever….

I say a prayer, for you,
Show me a way, what to do,
I say a prayer for you,
You're all I need, that's true, that's true.

21.09.09

Medical Student picks biscuit from plate, examiner left stunned.

Mumbai: In an incident which has captured the imagination of medical students across the country, an anatomy external examiner was left stunned when a 1st year MBBS student during the viva exam picked a biscuit from his plate, instead of a bone.

Medical viva exams have a long history of being surrounded in controversy every year, with male students often accusing male external examiners of being partial towards females. The most famous & controversial viva incident was with a 1st year female student recently who was shown a uterus specimen and asked to identify it. When she was unable to do so, the male examiner gave her a hint that neither he, not her boyfriend had it. In spite of answering ‘brain’, she still surprisingly managed to top the university exam, for which she credited the prayers she performed the night before the exam.

In an exclusive interview with the Quackdoses, Dr. Kabhi Matbann ⟨™⟩, who is now being hailed as a future surgeon said, “On the 1st viva table, the examiner asked me to identify someone’s balls hanging from a forceps. When I answered that it was a ‘male testicle’, he annoyingly shouted back asking if I had ever seen ‘female testicle’. It made me so nervous and scared that I became Anand bhai of Munnabhai MBBS for the rest of the viva. On the 2nd exam table, when the external examiner asked me to ‘pick anything’, how was I supposed to guess that he meant a bone. Surprisingly, he did not ask me anything after I picked the Parle-G biscuit from his plate. Unfortunately, I had nothing to tell to my batch mates when I emerged from the exam room and they surrounded me to ask ‘Kya Pucha, Kya Pucha’.”

Taking cue from this incident and avoid a similar embarrassment, the Pathology Examiner’s Association has summoned its members to not offer students to ‘pick anything’ from the table during the viva exams, but instead personally hand over the formalin filled organ specimen jar to describe.

The Miracle

“You have to come back…. Where will I go with the 2 kids?” urged the sobbing wife clenching hard to her husband’s chest as he was being rushed in to the Cath lab, and I was still pushing some lifesaving drugs in him. Dramatic scenes which I don’t think I will ever forget in my life.

The 37 year old was brought to my department last month with history of sudden onset chest pain 30 minutes prior to arrival, followed by unconsciousness en route to hospital. On arrival, he was gasping, there was no pulse, spontaneous breathing, or recordable blood pressure with pupils which were non-reactive to light – no signs of life.

We immediately started CPR, initial rhythm was a ventricular fibrillation and he was shocked immediately, intubated and all life-saving drugs were given as we frantically tried to revive him.

After a gruesome 22 minutes, his heart started again and we immediately rushed him for an angioplasty as his ECG and bedside 2D Echo were suggestive of a massive heart attack.

His elder brother, sister in law, wife were all in tears and disbelief with lots of questions – we were also in a situation where we only could do our best and leave it to God, pray that the brain survives those precious minutes of CPR and that the heart does not go into sudden arrhythmias again.

I followed up with our critical care team that night and I was elated to know that he asked for his mother, he asked for water – signs that he was well protected neurologically - news which fills us with joy and satisfaction of saving that young life.

Against all odds, this patient WALKED BACK home from the hospital after a few days, with no neuro-deficit. He was clinically dead for 22 minutes, but miraculously, doctors brought him back to life, a tale nothing short of a medical miracle.

Today, the patient and his brother came to meet me and say thank you - a very emotional and heart touching experience which I will never forget in my life.

During our conversation, I also showed them my blog posts & Facebook posts, how even we at the hospital wished and prayed for his recovery.

When I told them that they should be thankful to God, I was left tear eyed when his brother said, "The only God we knew that day was you." I was left speechless.

"Can we have a photo of you with him? Please add his photo to your articles", he added.

Not a day goes by that I don’t thank God for all the miracles he does every day, and we’re happy to play a small role in them.

Note: Due to lack of awareness about bystander CPR in India, less than 5-7 % of patients suffering from out of hospital cardiac arrest actually survive. Not everyone is lucky like that patient. Hence, bystander and first responder resuscitation become extremely crucial. CPR effectively keeps blood flowing and provides oxygen to the brain and other vital organs, giving the victim a better chance for a full recovery.

CPR saves lives! Get trained – You have the power to save a life.

Patient’s relatives address female intern as ‘shister’, doctor goes berserk.

Mumbai: In a never before incident in the history of medicine, a patient had to face the wrath of a female medical intern’s anger after her relatives continuously addressed her as ‘shister’. In retaliation, the irate intern refused to catheterize the patient and to deliver the blood samples to the laboratory, for the patient who was posed for an emergency C-Section.

The unfortunate incident happened in the obstetric ward at the Quackdoses Multispeciality Hospital. It was only when the panicked houseman and registrar assured the intern that they will pay the arrears for all the tea-breakfast she had bought for the unit during her internship posting, did the young doctor calm down and agreed to not put her phone on flight mode the next day.

In an exclusive interview with us, the intern Dr. K’abhi Matbann (™) said, “I have lost count of how many times I was referred to as the ‘Khoon nikalne wali doctor’ by patient’s relatives while I was posted in medicine ward. The tone in which the relative said, “Ae shister, injection khatam ho gaya hai”, activated the fight-fright-flight mechanism of my sympathetic system, since it felt similar to stingingly being called ‘Auntie’ by people who are older than me. Why are the male co-interns wearing aprons not called by patients as mamas or technicians? Till when can we be immune to this inequality?”

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that after getting inspired by the courage of Dr. Matbann, the Obg-Gyn society of India has now launched a social media campaign to spread awareness for people to address them as Obstetricians or Gynecologists, and not ‘lady doctors’.

Be a Life Saver !

 

Sudden cardiac death from cardiac arrest is the most common cause of death worldwide. Cardiac arrest is defined as the cessation of cardiac activity as confirmed by the absence of signs of circulation.

Cardiac Arrest occurs suddenly, disrupting the blood flow to the brain and other parts of the body. With a cardiac arrest which is left untreated, irreversible brain damage occurs within 3-8 minutes and death rapidly follows. About 90 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest die.

Even in patients who are resuscitated (revived) from cardiac arrest, post-cardiac arrest brain injury is the main cause of death, and the main cause of long-term disability in those who survive the acute phase. This is attributed to the fact that even though the brain constitutes only 2% of body weight, it receives 15–20% of total blood volume pumped by the heart for its normal functioning.

Brain tissue viability strongly depends on consistent supply of oxygen and glucose, and cessation of blood flow to the brain results in an immediate interruption of brain activity, causing a hypoxic brain injury – similar to that of comedian Raju Shrivastava after suffering a heart attack.

A young 37 year old male was brought to Global Hospital Emergency last week with a history of sudden onset of chest pain 30 minutes prior to arrival, followed by unconsciousness. On arrival, the patient was gasping, there was no pulse, spontaneous breathing, or recordable blood pressure with pupils which were non-reactive to light – no signs of life – in cardiac arrest.

The team of experts immediately started cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR), his initial rhythm was a ventricular fibrillation and he was shocked immediately, intubated and all life-saving drugs were given as the medical team frantically tried to revive him.

After a gruesome 22 minutes, his heart started again, he was immediately rushed for an angioplasty as his ECG and bedside 2D Echo were suggestive of a massive heart attack.

Against all odds, this patient walked back home with no neuro-deficit. He was clinically dead for 22 minutes, but miraculously, doctors brought him back to life, a tale nothing short of a medical miracle.

Not everyone is lucky like that patient. Hence, bystander and first responder resuscitation become extremely crucial. CPR effectively keeps blood flowing and provides oxygen to the brain and other vital organs, giving the victim a better chance for a full recovery.

CPR saves lives! Get trained – You have the power to save a life.

Need of the hour !

‘0 percentile can get super speciality medical seat’ – A shocking but real truth which shows the mirror to the wrong policies in medical education in the country.

With close to 750 super-speciality course seats going vacant this year, and 100s of seats going vacant every year even in premier institutes, the government and authorities surely need to relook at the current prevailing policies.

Even after 4 rounds of admission this year including 2 regular rounds, mop up round and a special mop up round, 100s of seats out of the 4500 super-speciality course seats lie vacant, causing a loss of close to 800 crore to taxpayer money.

The government must understand that post graduate doctors can’t be treated like bonded labour. Asking doctors to serve a compulsory 3 -10 year service bond in rural areas or pay 2-5 crore to the government for opting out of the bond service, after a 3 year super speciality training is the main reason behind doctors not wanting to opt for a super-speciality course, and that too at around 30 years of age (after post-graduation) when everyone would like to professionally settle down and start earning like their peers.

At the same time, practising broad specialisation gives a better career and money compared to extra years spent pursuing the super speciality course. Other reasons include inadequate seats in popular courses, in-service reservation, introduction of NEET-Super Speciality Exam and problems in transfer or choice of service location, to name a few.

The Supreme Court too declined to consider a plea recently to limit service bond period for super speciality course uniformly in all states to maximum of 2 years and a discontinuation penalty of Rs. 20 lakhs.

We are already going through tough times when more than 70 % of the doctors I know not wanting their children to pursue medicine now, and the remaining wanting their child to go abroad after their medical graduation in India.

The far fetched effects of such faulty government policy might not be palpable immediately, but it will surely be detrimental to the Indian Healthcare system in the years to come with lack of adequate number of good doctors & super specialists in the country.

Shocking! Study shows 30% Indian doctors suffer from ‘VIP syndrome Headaches’.

Mumbai: In a first-of-its-kind ground breaking study in India, it has been found by researchers at the Quackdoses Multispeciality Hospital (QMH) that more doctors are now suffering from headaches owing to the increase in the incidence of ‘VIP Syndrome’ among the general population.

‘VIP syndrome’ is described as a cycle of patients expecting doctors and healthcare workers to meet their unrealistic expectations, kiss their ass and also provide special privileges, including 24x7 Whatsapp availability for their chronic non-emergent queries or zero waiting time for the stool pan. Earlier it was commonly seen in arrogant and abusive patients, especially in Emergency Departments, who created difficulty by dazzling or intimidating the care team like certain employers maltreat their domestic helpers, but now many patients feel that they own the hospital immediately after paying the OPD Consultation charges.

In an exclusive interview with us, the CEO of QMH Dr. Kabhi Mat’bann said, “Thanks to an endless parade of health care startups that have turned medical treatments into direct-to-consumer goods, more people than ever before have access to nurses, doctors, and more, available to act on their medical whims. Even we had allowed patients to Vlog their OPD visit and their brain tumor surgeries (guaranteed zero scar & zero blood loss ™) to make their hospital visits more impactful on their Instagram story & other social media feeds, but the other day we had a patient who wanted a Facebook live while undergoing a rectal examination saying that he wanted to show his butt like Ranveer Singh and become famous. How ridiculous can patients get?”

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine will include the detailed classification and pathophysiology of the ‘VIP syndrome Headaches’ in its next edition as the 1st chapter.

Orthopedic Surgeon prescribes new antibiotic, shock waves felt in OTs around the country.

Mumbai – In a surprising incident which has sent shock waves in Operation Theaters (OT) across the country, the pharmacist at Quackdoses Multispeciality Hospital has claimed that he received an indent for an antibiotic never heard of – for a patient admitted under an orthopedic surgeon.

It is a well-known fact that Orthopedic Surgeons in India are aware of, and are taught about only 2 antibiotics during their residency, ‘Supacef’ before surgery and ‘Ceftum’ at the time of discharge of a patient. Arguably, a famous cliché that has been passed down in generations of medical practice is that, ‘the only difference between an orthopedic surgeon and a carpenter is that the carpenter knows at least 3 antibiotics’, a claim not rebutted by any surgeon so far.

In an exclusive interview, the pharmacist Dis’Kount Dey said, “When I received the prescription indent, initially I found it ‘humerus’ thinking that it was a joke by the nursing team. But I was left in utter disbelief and panic when they confirmed that it was in fact a prescription for ‘Cefakind’ from the orthopedic surgeon. Only when I realised that both ‘Ceftum’ and ‘Cefakind’ had ‘Cefuroxine Axetil’ in it, did my hyperventilation stop and I had a sigh of relief.”

The Orthopedic Surgeon Society of India has meanwhile downplayed the incident, claiming that the norm of sticking to only 2 antibiotics throughout is to contribute in reducing the crisis of antibiotic resistance in the world.

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that Aamir Khan, who is now the brand ambassador for PharmEasy, has been often seen roaming around with MRs to meet doctors, for pitching prescription of newer drug brands, in exchange for the useless healthcare awards (with zero credibility and can be easily ‘purchased’ like the Bollywood awards these days).

The Hope Within

                                       

They said - Don’t aim too high
It hurts when your dreams are broken
I said - I want to fly the sky
And spread my wings out wide.

Life is too short to worry about what others think,
In the end, it doesn’t even matter,
Never give up on hope is all I say,
Coz miracles happen every day.

They said - Don’t go deep in the ocean
You might also drown like many others
I said - I wanna to be the guiding light
And leave my footprints on the shore.

Life is too short to worry about what others think,
In the end, it doesn’t even matter,
Never give up on hope is all I say,
Coz miracles happen every day.

Not concerned about what they said
I walked alone and found my path
Now they follow me behind and shout
We always said this boy would win.

Life is too short to worry about what others think,
In the end, it doesn’t even matter,
Never give up on hope is all I say,
Coz miracles happen every day.

21/12/08

I want to Break Free

Standing… in the path of adversities,
I am sick to bear, all this
The rebel in me is telling me,
I don’t give a damn now,
I am a free spirit,
I wanna break free…

From the clutches of money,
From the punches of time,
From these winding roads,
And life’s thunderbolts

This shower is pouring hard on me
Trying to burn me to ashes
I have seen it all before
And gone through all the clashes

I wanna break free, wanna break free
I wanna break free, wanna break free

From the rat race,
From being out of place,
From my broken desires,
Help me, my hearts is on fire,

Why worry about the future,
Why weep for the past,
Why ignore the present,
And lose on time which runs so fast…

I wanna break free, wanna break free
I wanna break free, wanna break free

Aug 2007

The Last Wish - Please Come Back

It has been more than 11 years now that I have been working in the Accident & Emergency (A&E) Department. 

Time and again I see instances where an equally old husband/wife comes all alone with their old ailing spouse, a patient who requires an ICU admission, a quick decision to be put on a ventilator, get thrombolysed for a stroke, be immediately taken to Cath Lab for a heart attack or to the OT for emergency surgery. On further inquiry, the picture becomes clear that their children are well settled abroad, leaving the old couple back home to fend for themselves, only sending them money for their existence.

Many times I have myself spoken on phone to the son/daughter of the patient, staying thousands of miles away, briefing them of their parent’s condition and receiving the same reply, “Please go ahead do your best, whatever it takes. Don’t worry about the cost of the treatment & the investigations.” Seldom have I heard anyone say, “Doctor, you proceed, we will be there soon.” It really hurts me to the core…. At the end of the day, I feel that the only people who can leave everything behind (for want of money/better quality of life) and never look back at their own parents, are those who are selfish and self-centred.

With the following few lines, I have only tried to bring out the pain, the feeling and the thought process of such a patient lying on the bed, right before my eyes in my A&E.

I’m weak now, I can’t even walk,
You became all busy, with no time to talk,
Education gave you wings, I showed you the way,
Our life is difficult now, alone we stay,
Please come back… Please come back

The money you sent, few phone calls you made,
Never made us happy, wish together we stayed,
Not playing with your kids, not meeting your wife,
What wrong did we do, to deserve such a life?
Please come back… Please come back

I fight to breathe now, with pain in my chest,
Remembering old times, I did my best,
I might die soon, do you really bother?
After I’m gone, who' ll look after your mother,
Please come back… Please come back

These tubes and pipes on me, really make me think,
Wish I could see you all, and not even blink,
In my dying moments, by my bedside you stand,
Consider it’s my last wish, come hold my hand,
Please come back... Please come back

(06/12/12)

Seize the golden moments after a heart attack.

The sudden death of singer KK today was a shocking news for music lovers and his fans across the world. What was even more shocking was that he showed the typical symptoms of a heart attack including sudden onset chest uneasiness and profuse sweating, which was not recognised in time. Off course he could have survived if the all important ' PAL - In the Golden Hours' would not have been wasted. Read on to find out more.

Heart Diseases are the number one killer in India. A Heart attack is caused when a clot completely blocks a blood vessel in the heart.

Worldwide, people fail to identify heart attack symptoms on time or seek appropriate medical help.

Post a heart attack, the heart muscle starts to die within 60-90 minutes after it stops getting blood, and within six hours, almost all the affected parts of the heart could be irreversibly damaged.

As a consequence of damaged heart muscles, either the heart can go into a sudden complete standstill, or into abnormal heart rhythms called “ventricular tachycardia” and “ventricular fibrillation” where the heart muscles contract at a rapid rate, without any active pumping of blood from the heart – called as a cardiac arrest. A person with a cardiac arrest will be unresponsive, will not be breathing and will not have a pulse.

Cardiac arrest occurs suddenly, disrupting the blood flow to the brain and other parts of the body. Lack of oxygen causes irreversible damage to vital organs, and within minutes, patients die.

Most patients don’t get another chance if heart attack is not treated in time.

The first hour of definitive medical care is called the “golden hour”. Nearly 47 % of deaths occur due to cardiac arrests during this period, even before an individual reaches the hospital. It is a window of opportunity to the patients, their families, and doctors to take appropriate and quick actions, thereby impacting a patient’s survival and quality of life following a heart attack.

Reaching a hospital, which has an in-house cardiac cath lab, within this Golden Hour period, provides emergency physicians and cardiologists ample time to perform ECGs, appropriate diagnostic tests and scans on the patient to ascertain the occurrence of heart attack and the extent of damage, and take necessary steps to reinstate proper blood flow to the heart immediately.

A person who reaches the hospital and gets treated within this period can expect near-complete recovery.

Hence, “Golden Hour” becomes “the game-changing event” in saving the life of the patient.

Note: Global Hospital, Mumbai provides multidisciplinary, extensive emergency medical services to all patients, with the highest level of care, and is capable of offering definitive treatment for any type of cardiac emergencies. We have a 24 hour functioning Cath lab, Operation theatres, blood bank, NABL accredited laboratory and Radiology department.

With our comprehensive emergency medical services, we are able to care for the most life threatening emergencies at a moment’s notice.

Count your Blessings - My COVID Story

 

It was exactly a year back on 19th May when I was rushed to the hospital with complaints of breathlessness due to COVID, and oxygen saturation of 84% at home.

 
I had just landed in Mumbai on 12th May after 1.5 -2 months in Delhi, when my brother who came to receive me at the airport told me that my voice was a bit hoarse. There was no fever, no cough, but surprisingly I developed a 102’F fever the next day. Though I knew at the back of my mind that after treating more than 10,000 patients (over the past 14 months in my last organisation), I too would have contracted the virus. Akhir bakra kab tak khair manayega !!

On the 14th of May, my test came back positive and I started myself on the same treatment regime that I had started all my patients on, and who had done extremely well to recover on home isolation. 

When my oxygen saturation started dropping, I knew that it was getting serious! I was in the second week of the illness, probably in cytokine storm and suffering from severe pneumonia – a stage which I knew not many people were recovering from. Unlike the 1st wave where most of the casualties were the elderly, in the 2nd wave of COVID, it was common to see people in their 30s and 40s dying. The trend seen all over the country then was that patients who mandated admission to the ICUs, especially on high flow oxygen or ventilator, were not coming out of the ICU alive.

While I was being taken to the hospital, there were only negative thoughts racing in my mind - if I would even survive, if I would ever get to see my family again, or if they would get to ever see me again (dead bodies were packed in body bags then, and families were not allowed to even have a last glimpse of their patient), would I even come back home, or be directly taken to the crematorium from the hospital, etc.

I felt like crying but still held onto my tears. My brother was my biggest strength then. My initial workup showed a Chest CT severity score of 16/25 (staged as severe bilateral pneumonia, with dense consolidation), WBC counts of 25,000 plus and Lactate of 7, to mention a few reports – all pointing to a poor prognosis. I was then moved to the ICU. Those 5.5 days spent in the ICU were something I would really not want to remember ever again.

There were 23 other COVID patients in the unit, and it was easy for me to make out if there was a CPR happening on one of the beds, if someone had deteriorated enough to need invasive ventilation, I could even hear the doctors discuss the case next to me, etc.

It was the time when I realised that the ability to even be able to take a breath, eat your own meal, drink water, able to pass urine or stools on your own can be such a blessing.

As days progressed, my oxygen saturation held up and I was recovering, I knew it was probably all the prayers and blessings of my family, friends and those the patients I had successfully treated over the years, because which I made it out alive. While I was being wheeled out to the ward from the ICU, my bedside nurse told me, “Sir, you’re the first patient who has been SHIFTED OUT of the ICU in many weeks and months!”

I finally spoke to my parents once I was in the ward. Fearing for the worst, they hadn’t slept for days while I was in the ICU, hardly eating anything, too dumbstruck to even talk to anyone and continuously praying. All I did on video calls from the ICU was show my hand that I’m alright, and would smile from behind the oxygen mask, asking them to take care of themselves at home.

After spending another 2.5 days in the wards, and a total of 8 days in the hospital, I was finally set to be discharged home on 26th May. The nurses, doctors and all those involved in my treatment, because of whom I’m still alive (and writing this story of mine), are all in my prayers every single day.

“Mohit, bahut hua Delhi… ab Mumbai mein hi job karo. Humein nai pata ki aage COVID kaisa hoga, hum bhi bachenge ki nai”, was my emotional mother’s ultimatum.

I had applied for a job in my current organisation a day after landing in Mumbai, and my interview was scheduled for 22nd May, which was subsequently rescheduled for 29th May. I remember being breathless even during my interview, not able to talk in long sentences. Against the wishes of my parents (since I had not recovered completely), on 1st June, I flew back to Delhi to continue our fight against COVID.

With the clear intent to come back home to Mumbai, on 3rd June, I decided to put down my papers there. On 16th June I received my offer letter from here at Global Hospital, and the rest has been my best professional and personal decision to be back in Mumbai, and be associated with this organisation that I’m so proud to be a part of.

Though it was the toughest time of my life then, COVID completely changed my perception and priorities in life. I’ve realised that we all keep running behind money, professional success, fame, etc – but that truly IS NOT THE ANSWER.

Private hospital launches package for scam accused convicts.

Mumbai – In a major marketing feat which could soon become the industry trend setter for other healthcare players, the Quack Multispeciality Hospital (QMH) today announced the launch of their highly anticipated ‘Jailed Scamster & Fraudster Package’.

It is a well-established fact that the health of most jailed accused (of high value frauds) and corrupt politicians suddenly deteriorates during interrogation while in custody. Citing existing medical comorbidities & loopholes in the Indian judicial system, they are then admitted to private hospitals with five-star facilities for months and years, with ‘illnesses of unknown origin or treatment’.

In an exclusive interview with the Quackdoses, the hospital’s CEO, Dr. Ghoos Dey said, “We are proud to announce that we’re the first hospital in the world to officially come up with this visionary and unique idea. Addressing the huge demand of such hospital packages amid the rising corruption, our aim is to be ‘the preferred choice for healing and good health, for jailed accused’, like Wadhwans of DHFL scam, Anil Deshmukh, Nawab Malik, and all politicians who will become victims of ED and CBI in future. Our package includes a minimum of 6 months stay for un-indicated medical and surgical admissions, blood and other investigations which take weeks and months to be reported, surgical fitness which takes months, and other time consuming services, to mention a few gimmicks for keeping such patients out of jail. Our secret tests for fitness are difficult to perform and interpret, easily fakeable, and have been successfully used abroad by criminals and fakers before being adapted to the Indian market. We will be happy to provide them our expensive medical services, using the proceeds of their crime.”

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that QMH is also looking for direct corporate tie ups with jails in future, to make this business model a runaway success.

Learn CPR - Save a Life - Be a Hero

 

A young 44 year old female was brought to our Accident & Emergency 8 days back, in a drowsy state with no recordable blood pressure. She had been having pain in abdomen since 2 days prior to arrival, and was diagnosed to have a ureteric calculus causing hydroureter and hydronephrosis (a kidney stone stuck in the tube / ureter connecting the kidneys to the urinary bladder, causing swelling in the tube and in the kidney).

Looking at her poor neurological status, her family was counselled regarding the need for immediately putting her on a ventilator, to which they reluctantly agreed to after a gruelling 20 minutes.

By the time patient was brought to us, she had already been drowsy in the government hospital for more than 4.5 hours, and was in full blown sepsis with pulmonary edema (fluid collection in her lungs) and early ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome). Within few minutes of securing her airway (after intubating her - putting her on a ventilator) and starting all resuscitative measures (with intravenous fluids and drugs to support pumping of her heart), her heart slowed down and suddenly stopped beating.

Immediate lifesaving CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) was started, lifesaving drugs given, and we were able to revive her heart within few minutes.

There are always chances of brain getting permanently damaged if it doesn’t get blood supply for 3 - 5 minutes, in her case it was too early to predict if there was any.

Her husband and sister were distraught as they saw her getting wheeled out to the ICU with all the tubes in her body, IV lines, monitor, ventilator, drug infusion pumps, etc. Only thing they could do now was pray and hope.

Over the next few days, the husband would spend a lot of time in our Emergency waiting area, waiting to just talk to me regarding his wife – I knew that the clinical updates were given by our team of doctors upstairs in the ICU, but he wanted to share his grief too. I would also daily visit the ICU to check on her.

5 days after she was brought to us in that state, she was well on her path to recovery.

3 days back, she was off the ventilator, was given food orally the next day, and today she will most likely be moved to the wards.

This news itself gives such a sense of satisfaction and calm, feelings which can be felt only the heart, and I just thought that stories like this need to be told.

There can be no better reward for we doctors, nurses, and the entire team involved in patient care to see our patients doing well, and come out on top. It always is a great feeling to see the smile on the faces of patients & their relatives as they are being wheeled out from the ICU to the ward, and from the hospital to their homes.

What makes such patient recovery stories special for me is that for a country like India, the survival to discharge percentage for patients suffering an In-Hospital cardiac arrest (heart stopping) will ‘practically’ be less than 15 – 20 %, and I’m glad she will be one of them.

It really has been satisfying to train thousands of healthcare providers and lay persons over the last decade in CPR, as part of ‘Be a Life Saver’ campaign, an initiative I wish to continue in my healthcare journey with the sole objective being – TO SAVE LIVES.

A Hypocrite With No Conscience.

Dear Aamir,

I would not like to begin this by highlighting your professional achievements (like your media dogs do) – but will come straight to the point.

I was really surprised to see you featuring on the advertisements of PharmEasy, and it suddenly hit me that you have signed up as its brand ambassador !! How shameless can you really get?

Episode after episode, season after season, you ridiculed, defamed and constantly showed in bad light on your social reforming STUNT show ‘ Satyamev Jayate’, the hardworking healthcare workers, even claiming they received kickbacks from the same pharmaceutical companies and diagnostic centres that you now chose to endorse.

Where is the intellectual actor who advocated social responsibilities and moral obligations hiding now, when doctors are making a mockery of your double standards on social media? Don't you want to come clean or share any words of wisdom or encouragement with your half baked knowledge and selective outrage, like you did in your show?

Even during the pandemic, where had you disappeared, my friend? Enjoyed in your cosy farm house, going about with your daily life, waiting to get back to your vanity van, to be back on the big screen - while the medical fraternity around the world struggled to deal with the deadly virus. I was sad that we didn’t get to see you clapping or beating your utensils at your balcony to appreciate the healthcare workers (not that it really mattered to me).

The same healthcare workers you ridiculed on your show were the real heroes, serving the nation – Doctors, Nurses, housekeeping staff, etc along with the police and the essential service providers, who were out there – working – trying to save people’s lives – risking their own lives, working tirelessly, mostly without PPEs, without caring for their own families – the wounded healers.

Forget the appreciation that doctors and nurses deserved in times of crisis when they were the front line warriors in the pandemic, in the past too you have never ever spoken when the doctors were assaulted, nursing homes or hospitals vandalized, when Indian doctors have done breakthrough surgeries or research, when doctors have protested against the government for their rights, etc. Only your acting is an art, medical science is not?

Why? Because it will not generate TRPs, or it will not make you rich (I heard you used to charge 3 crores for 1 episode and 2 lakhs per 10 second ads of the series). Had you even thought about donating a small amount out of it when the country needed it the most? Akshay Kumar had donated Rs. 25 crore to the cause; at least Rs. 20-25 lakhs from you would not have brought down your monthly rashan budget.

Let me show you the mirror, the real "Satyamev Jayate", from the perspective of every Doctor, Nurse, and a healthcare worker who felt offended by your comments over the years – you are nothing but an insensitive coward, a low life, self centered guy who likes to be called Mr. Perfectionist (you have never asked media or your friends to not address you as that). In your eyes, your work and profession as an actor is unparalleled, heavenly, pure and honest hard work – the rest can go f*** themselves. You are nothing but Aamir the actor, nothing more than that. A hero with no conscience. Your hypocrisy stands exposed. Shame!!

Doctors across the country are having the last laugh now, and the joke is on you !!

I really hope this article reaches you soon and #GharBaitheBaithe'YOU'TakeItEasy

- From An honest, hard working, ethical, committed Emergency physician: for whom every single life matters, every single day.

Pulmonary Embolism: Beware of a possible clot risk when binge- watching television

A young 20 year old patient was rushed to the Accident & Emergency Department of Global Hospital, Parel, Mumbai last week with complaints of sudden onset chest pain, profuse sweating, hypotension (low BP), Hypoxia (low Oxygen concentration).

Doctors were quick to make a bed side clinical diagnosis of a massive Pulmonary Embolism, a life threatening Emergency where a patient could have suddenly gone into cardiac arrest and died.

With clockwork precision, he was gives the definitive treatment in the Emergency itself, within 38 minutes of arrival, and by the time the medication infusion was over in 2 hours, he had stabilized completely - Chest pain gone, BP picked up, Oxygen levels up and he was much more comfortable.

Cause of this life threatening Emergency - Binge watching television.

Yes, it’s true! Binge-watching television, more than 4 hours a day, not only causes brain rot — it can also lead to blood clot, raising the risk of life-threatening blood clots in the legs or lungs by almost 35%.

Watching back to back episodes of your favorite web series online or too much screen time during work from home may have become be a fab these days, but binge watching of TV, which involves prolonged sitting in cramped positions for long periods of time, has been linked with an increased risk of developing a venous thromboembolism (VTE). This is a condition where a blood clot forms in a vein. It includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism, which is when a clot travels to the lungs – which can be serious or even fatal.

DVT’s tend to form in the leg and are more likely to occur when you spend long time sitting down. When you’re sitting, the normal circulation of blood through the legs and feet is impaired
and slows down, so it is more likely to pool and start to clot. When you move your legs, the action of your calf muscles helps to squeeze the blood back up towards your heart. Some people do not know they have a DVT until the clot moves from their leg or arm and travels to their lungs.

Even individuals who regularly engage in physical activity should not ignore the potential harms of prolonged sedentary behavior such as TV viewing. Exercise can reduce the risk of death in relation to time spent sitting, but exercise doesn’t seem to reduce this risk as much in people who watch a lot of television. The increased risk could also be due to unhealthy eating habits often associated with watching TV (an unhealthy diet can also increase your risk of blood clots).

Hence it becomes extremely important that whether you’re watching TV or working at your computer, it’s a good idea to frequently get up and take breaks from sitting still. One should try to move around every time there’s an ad break, at least stand and stretch every 30 minutes, or be involved in other physical activities whilst watching to ensure you are staying active.

What are the symptoms of DVT?

A DVT usually forms in one leg or one arm. Not everyone with a DVT will have symptoms, but symptoms can include:

1. Sudden or slowly developed swelling of the leg or arm
2. warmness or pain in the swollen limb
3. Pain or tenderness in the leg on standing or walking.
4. Redness or discoloration of the skin
5. Veins near the skin’s surface are prominently seen

What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism?

1. Sudden shortness of breath or fast breathing
2. Sharp chest pain that often comes with coughing or movement
3. Pain in the back
4. Cough - with or without bloody sputum/phlegm
5. Sweating more than normal
6. Fast heartbeat
7. Feeling dizzy or fainting

O Re Sathi - The Friendship Song

O Re sathi,

Kahan kho gye woh din
Aao phir jeelen,
Woh pal jo beete tum bin
Koi Shikwa nahi, wahi dhadkanein, umeed
Koi Shikwa nahi, wahi dhadkanein, umeed

Bhule kya, gale lag k,
Jo Bachpan k pal the guzare
Aisi yaari thi, k socha tha,
Beech honge na koi fasle
Shikayat nahi, gila bhi nahi, tumse
Shikayat nahi, gila bhi nahi, tumse

Dosti ka, aisa rishta tha,
Tarane nadani bhare the,
Na bandhan tha, Na fikren thi,
Roothe ko manate the
Koi Shikwa nahi, wahi dhadkanein, umeed
Koi Shikwa nahi, wahi dhadkanein, umeed

Yaad hai kya, tumne maine,
Na bichadne k wade kiye the,
Sath honge, sukh dukh mein,
Juda na kabhi honge
Shikayat nahi, gila bhi nahi, tumse
Shikayat nahi, gila bhi nahi, tumse

O Re sathi,
Kahan kho gye woh din
Aao phir jeelen,
Woh pal jo beete tum bin
Koi Shikwa nahi, wahi dhadkanein, umeed
Koi Shikwa nahi, wahi dhadkanein, umeed

Road to Success - Always Under Construction

A young 20 year old male patient was brought to our emergency with complaints of sudden onset chest pain, profuse sweating, hypotension (low BP), Hypoxia (low Oxygen concentration). ECG was suggestive of Sinus Tachycardia (a fast heart rate).

Based on his clinical evaluation, a quick bed side clinical diagnosis of a massive Pulmonary Embolism was made. Though I have only seen only 4 such cases in the last more than a decade of my practice in Emergency, I was 99 % sure that I would not be wrong, and did not write any other provisional / differential diagnosis on his emergency notes.

Knowing that Pulmonary Embolism is a life threatening Emergency where a patient can suddenly go into cardiac arrest and die, we needed to make quick clinical decisions and interventions.

The family was counselled regarding the seriousness and fatality of the illness, if not treated in time. His father and mother both started crying inconsolably; the patient was counselled regarding the possible diagnosis and he too started crying looking at his parents, with that feeling of impending doom of whether he will survive or not.

A quick CT Pulmonary Angiography was done, which confirmed the diagnosis of a Pulmonary Embolism. With our Emergency team which worked with clockwork precision, we were able to give him the definitive treatment in the Emergency itself, within 38 minutes of arrival, and by the time the medication infusion was over in 2 hours, he had stabilised completely - Chest pain gone, BP picked up, Oxygen levels up and he was much more comfortable.

His father stood by the bedside throughout the life-saving medication infusion. At the end of it, with tears in his eyes, the patient said, “Thank you doctor…” which made me emotional.

Hearing this, the father told him, “Ha doctor dev manus aahe, kahitar honar nahi tumhala (This doctor is God present in the form of a human, nothing will happen to you)…” and I was left speechless.

A reason why I wanted to write & document about this case was because it was one of the most well managed cases of my career, and highly satisfying considering the lifesaving interventions done in a timely manner.

The Head of the radiology department and the cardiologist (under whom the patient was admitted) were all praise for the quick diagnosis and treatment in the emergency, moments which make you feel good to be a part of a Team where we celebrate each other’s success. Also, it reminded me that I still get the same adrenaline rush and kick by saving someone’s life in emergency, like I used to since 2006 when I was a 2nd year medical student and first exposed to the EMS at Sion Hospital.

Over the last few weeks, we’ve had some really interesting and exciting cases wheeled in to our Emergency Department, and as a Head / Team leader, I really feel proud of the phenomenal work that my team is able to accomplish, and we’re growing together.

Plastic Surgeons cheerful as state government makes mask optional.

Mumbai - The Maharashtra government’s decision to withdraw all restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic and making facemasks optional has brought happiness and cheer among the plastic surgeons in the city.

It is a well-known fact that plastic surgeons are like Photoshop and Auto-Tuner of the healthcare industry, to correct God’s mistakes. For the last two years, plastic surgeons were the worst hit among all the medical specialisations, battling drought like dry OPDs. Due to the mask, no facial features are seen, and there were hardly any patients seeking enhancement of their facial structures, bosoms and other ‘stare inducing’ features.

In an exclusive interview with the Quackdoses, Dr. Kutting Chahiye, a famous Mumbai based surgeon said, “Plastic surgeons were hit hard twice in recent years. 1st was when the government banned ‘plastic’ in the country and we had to then start calling ourselves reconstructive or cosmetic surgeon. 2nd was due to COVID when people stopped coming for planned nose, chin or lip jobs, skin surface and other beauty enhancing procedures. With such wide reader base of the Quackdoses, we would like to urge everyone that, for facial rejuvenation, crease-free and scar-free look in the ‘mask free world’, do visit the plastic surgery departments now.”

Unconfirmed sources have claimed that SoBo (South Bombay) ladies are still in shock thinking it is an April fool joke by the government, and are left wondering what to do with their designer masks and diamond studded mask chains now.

Dust of Time.

The days of joy, the nights of fun,
It looked so pretty watching everyone,
Every moment spent together was fine,
Soon they’ll disappear, in the dust of time
Soon they’ll disappear, in the dust of time

I was by your side when you were in fear,
You all hugged me when I shed my tears,
In my setbacks you’d look so divine,
Wish you’re spared, by the dust of time
Wish you’re spared, by the dust of time

Soon we move away, get far a mile,
Gone are old days and gone is our smile,
Distance will shorten of yours and mine,
If memories are clean, from the dust of time,
If memories are clean, from the dust of time

Then life welcomes us on the road to jerks,
Years pass by while we’re at work,
The clock still ticking and we move on,
Without our notice, the time is gone,
Lost in the dust of time, somewhere in the dust of time,

The day you’re left alone, your heart in pain,
You wish those days back again,
Don’t search too far through the hue,
Look behind your shoulder, I'll be there for you
Through the dust of time, through the dust of time.

I'll be there for you, through the dust of time

18/01/08

The Vicious Cycle of the Congress

Over the past many years, we have seen the shameful performance of the crippling and almost finished ‘Grand Old party’. The only thing constant has been the following pattern of events, which have become monotonous like the daily TV soaps:

1. Election announced many months in advance.
2. Pappu (Raoul) will be off for an international vacation, with zero interest in the upcoming elections.
3. Sister Bianca will then go to some poor women’s house in the election going state and come up with some senseless political slogan eg. Ladki hun, lad sakti hun.
4. Meanwhile, Pappu will come back and be a silent spectator to the aggressive rallies and preparations of the other political parties and leaders, only looking for opportunity for any blame game on Twitter.
5. Election comes, party is disastrously wiped out.
6. Senior leaders will show dissent, but will not say anything against the leadership publicly.
7. After every poll debacle, ‘Alakaman’ & working committee will announce a 'Chintan Manthan / shivir, a brainstorming session they call ‘post-mortem of results’ to introspect the reason for party’s defeat.
8. Familiar scenes of workers raising slogans to show support for Pappu to lead while the meeting is on.
9. Mummy, beta or beti will then offer to resign from their post, and entire focus will shift to who’s going to be the net party president.
10. The working committee, chaired by mummy, will then unanimously accept responsibility for the electoral loss, and not blame it on the moronic leadership.
11. The committee will then "unanimously reaffirms" its faith in Mummy’s leadership and requests her to lead from the front and address the organisational weaknesses (after all, the moolah of the 70 years of loot is with her and she’s the chief financier of the elections).
12. Mummy will then claim to take up corrective measures to "revamp and re-strengthen" the organisation and nothing will ever happen till next election comes.
13. No work is done on ground for the people and public welfare for next 5 years.

Vicious cycle repeats starting from point number 1, and will forever continue till we have a ‘Congress mukt Bharat’ or a ‘Gandhi Mukt Congress’ !!

Mile Sur Mera Tumhara....

On occasion of World Kidney Day today, sharing a small jingle that I had written for a NGO - Women for Nephrology, dedicated to creating social awareness on prevention of Kidney Diseases and organ Donation.

Mile sur mera tumhara,
Toh sur bane hamara

Awareness kidney disease ki, har disha se
Behke logon tak, pahuche

Diabetes, BP, Smoking control se,
CKD ruke, halke halke

Mile sur mera tumhara,
toh sur bane hamara

Sandesh angdaan ka, Marne k baad,
Hum se logon mein, faile

Transplant ka, roop lekar,
CKD se, theek ho, badte badte

Mile sun mera tumhara,
toh sur bane hamara

Majhya Tumchya Julta Tara
Madhur Suranchya Barasti Dhara (Marathi)

Tomaar Shoor Moder Shoor
Srishti Koroor Koi Ekshoor (Bangla)

Male Sur Jo Taro Maro,
Bane Aapno Sur Niralo (Gujrati)

Tera Sur Mile Mere Sur De Naal
Milke Bane Ek Nava Surtal (Punjabi)

Mile sun mera tumhara,
toh sur bane hamara...

Jingle to promote awareness for kidney transplant

This was written to promote organ donation, on occasion of the foundation day of Narmada Kidney Foundation (NKF), an NGO with which I've been associated with since 2005.

Jab creatinine out of control,
Transplant ka rasta khol,

Dhink ka chikda….
Dhink ka chikda….

Transplant ka rasta khol,
Goodbye dialysis ko bol

Dhink ka chikda….
Dhink ka chikda….

Jab creatinine out of control,
Transplant ka rasta khol,
Transplant ka rasta khol,
Goodbye dialysis ko bol

All is well….

Doctor hain jane transplant se kya hoga,
Dialysis rukegi, Patient k muh pe smile hoga
Relatives na mane itni jaldi fine hoga,

NKF tu aa, Guidance tu paa
Transplant kara k bol,

Bhaiya all is well,
Papa all is well,
Mummy all is well,
Your bacchu is well.

My 'memorable patient' story.

With Omicron driving India’s 3rd COVID wave, and cases continue to surge in the country, there seems to be no respite in sight for the healthcare workers.

Unlike the 2nd wave, though the the number of COVID patients requiring ICU admission at hospitals, or dying from it are less, but we surely cannot let our guard down.

Looking back at the past close to 2 years of COVID in the country, there were multiple heart wrenching moments I witnessed as a doctor on the frontline, which I would really love to forget.

Following is one such conversation with the son of a patient, which has been hard to erase from my mind.

It was the last week of April' 21, the 2nd wave was at its peak and there was a shortage of hospital beds and oxygen as India battled COVID.

Though my work in the Emergency involves catering to all types of medical or surgical cases coming to the department, over the last decade, I had never admitted any patients under my care as the primary treating physician.

It so happened that the chief consultant in a small 25 bedded hospital (near to my last place of work) had to go on a week-long leave for his brother’s wedding, and the owners approached me to cover for him temporarily.

For the 1st time in my life, I was responsible for treating and saving the life of 22 COVID patients admitted under me, 5 of whom were on high flow oxygen requirement.

A young 30 year old male brought his 62 year old mother to the hospital with complaints of breathlessness and she had been diagnosed as severe COVID pneumonia, with a CT severity score of 17/25.

I explained to him that it was better that they admit her in a bigger hospital since she needed admission to the ICU, and might clinically deteriorate over time.

“Doctor, main abhi shamshan ghat se aa raha hun apne father ka cremation karke. Meri mother aur sister dono hi COVID positive hai. Sab jagah dekh liya, kisi bhi hospital mein bed nai hai. Agar koi bhagwan sach mein hai, toh ab aap hi ho mere aur mere poore pariwar k liye. Please kuch bhi karo, meri mummy ko bacha lo, warna main anath ho jaunga (Read: Doctor, I'm just coming back from the crematorium after performing the last rights of my father. My mother and sister are both COVID positive. We have looked everywhere, but there are no beds in any of the hospitals. If there is really a God, right now, it is only you for me and my family. Please do anything but save my mother's life, or else I will become an orphan)”, he said with both hands folded in front of me, and tears flowing down his eyes.

Hearing this, his sister and mother also started crying, and I couldn’t control my emotions as well (my eyes got wet then, they’re wet now too as I write this).

Every day, during my patient rounds in the morning and evening, every time I would enter her room, she would just bow down with hands folded as say, “Thakur ji aa gye (Read: God has come)”.

Over the next 7 days, I did everything to care for those 22 patients to the best of my abilities. I truly consider it as a miracle / God’s blessings that all of them recovered well (except 1 patient whom we referred to a higher centre as soon as an ICU bed with a ventilator was available for him). That feeling to see the smile on the faces of patients on their path to recovery, to see their oxygen requirement come down gradually, see their happy and relieved relatives and to finally write ‘Patient can be planned for discharge today’ on their file, is something that I cannot completely express in words.

Seeing her getting discharged from the hospital was a really emotional moment for me (her daughter too recovered with oral medications on home isolation). The son did not say a word as I bid her goodbye - just folded hands, tears in his eyes and he bowed down. That said it all.

On her follow up visit to my clinic after a week, he said, "Kash hum pehle hi aapke paas aa jate, shayad aaj papa bhi zinda hote (Read: I wish we had come to you earlier, may be my father would have been alive today)", and I was at loss of words.  

It was God doing his miracles all this while, I was only a medium.

Over the last more than 10 years, I would have treated 1000s of patients, but she will remain one of my most memorable patients, just due of the sense of responsibility and the burden on my shoulders that the son had put – I had to save her at all costs. Those words from him when he got her on the day of admission reverberate in my ears even today.

Till date, I still receive a Whatsapp forward every morning from her, just showering her blessings and expressing her gratitude.