Well, monotonous morning, mundane work, I need more sleep!
As I woke up, these were my lazy thoughts. But , I saw the time and I was already late, so I hurried, rushed to the washroom and somehow managed to reach the ward.
With the morning thoughts still in my head as I rushed to get on time, I was struck again by the dreaded (blood collection) “list”
The same patients again!? I was like WHY, god why?
But, as I enter the world of patients, I always forget myself, my worries and my thoughts. I am just a “blood sucker” in their lives, I thought to myself.
Haha, so like a monster with my weapons of mass destruction (the syringe and needle) , I reached to the 3rd patient on my list.
She was already dreading me as I collected samples from patients before her.
As I reached her, she said in a grumpy and angry voice, “You again? Why? How many times are you going to collect my blood? Is this the only thing you do? Will I need to take all the samples to the lab myself? When am I going to get a discharge?”
All questions were like a bullets from machine gun fired at me.
So as usual, I went into “Neo mode” from The Matrix movie and I dodged all her questions… Haha just kidding.
I smiled back and said, “Auntyji, I am sorry” and told her that this will be the last time, after this I won’t do it again.
Again, I smiled back, and I don’t know what came into my mind but I just said, “Happy birthday!”
I know I always try to cheer people around me and this was my spontaneous response to her agony. Suddenly, something happened which I never anticipated.It WAS her birthday!
Are you serious!? Just to confirm I checked her admission file. Hola! It was her birthday!
So I told her, “Auntyji, Aaj kuch ho na ho par aap ka b’day jaroor manaunga! ( I will celebrate your birthday today!)
Ater my finishing my OPD and other work,me and my co-intern called for a cake. By the time we actually reached the ward after finishing all our remaining work, the cake was already there. My housemen and 3rd year resident had already paid for it .
We asked everyone from my unit to gather for the cake cutting. Her family also brought a cake as well!
Everyone, every patient and every doctor , sister, mama ,maushi, everyone was there to celebrate her birthday.
I could see her face full of happiness and joy. A big smile, which i can’t forget. I could see every patient smiling even as they were tensed about their surgeries. For those 15-20 minutes they forgot everything.
I was happy, (and I did not know that I was crying too)
Someone asked me, “She is always grumpy, shouting and angry ! Why did u celebrate her birthday?”
Well, I could not answer because what i felt couldn’t be explained or expressed.
I felt immense joy.
That day, she was so happy.
As soon everything was over, the whole ward was like a pin drop silence zone again but inside me, her smile and joy on her face was dancing and singing.
Next day, I met her again, but this time she looked at me with a smile. I think this was the answer why I celebrated her birthday. To see that smile.
I will remember her and I hope she will too. Remember a bond between a doctor and patient. Between two humans.
-Dr. Ashutosh Sharma
Intern as Seth GS Medical College, Mumbai.
a.k.a Dr. Smile Spreader
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This article has been written by Dr. Ashutosh Sharma a.k.a Dr. Smile spreader. He is currently bringing smiles to people’s lives working as an intern at Seth GS Medical College.
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