08.06.06
Point 24.
It was 6th semester of college if I remember correctly.I was a nicer person back then, I think.
A very good friend of mine, had just heard of her mum’s accident and she had to rush home.While she gathered her courage to face what was to come, I got her tickets from Pokhara to Kanyakumari organised.I couldn’t fathom what she must have been going through, as she had just lost her father not so long ago.So when she left I gave her most of the money in my bank account, for her to spend in case she needed to in an emergency.
I barely had enough money to get past the next 2/3 weeks, but I knew I would survive.
Classes went on as usual and in medicine we were doing Cardiology.By our stroke of luck we had this young girl in the hospital who was an absolute text book case of rheumatic heart disease.Now it is generally very rare to get lets say all 5 points of diagnosis in a single patient.But she was one such case.She even had a chorea which is really never seen these days.So Dr VM went on to tell the class, during that lecture that we should make an attempt to speak to the family, take good history, and examine that girl, before she gets taken to Kathmandu to get her heart operation which should make her better, and make all the classical findings disappear in time.
She was a good learning case for us.Now I know this sounds very crass, but I can explain at some point.However this is not the point of my post.
So after that class I decided to skip lunch to meet that family.That would have been the only good time to get that girl when 20 other keen students wouldn’t be hovering around her.When I got to the right ward,Dr VM was with the patient’s family.He was telling them, that it was only a matter of time when the girl would be taken to Kathmandu for her operation.That her chances of full recovery were good.There was only one hitch, they needed to get an echocardiography done.That was the only investigation keeping her from being taken to Kathmandu.He went onto tell them that he was hopeful that the money required for that investigation would be generated in a matter of time.
My institution is a private hospital.Nepal being the country it is, most people cannot afford it.But people come in large numbers, the hospital being a good health care centre.Good facilities and hopes are in abundance in that place.Students and faculty run a patient fund, where we donate money and who ever needs whatever gets it from that fund.Most times it has run dry and people just wait.That is the bane of the boon called a good private health care facility
So this is what I was looking at, a DrV.M. who was hopeful, but unsure.A family who was just told they had to generate their month’s salary to get an investigation done. A 11 year old some thing, innocent, shy, scared suffering and very embarassed.The predicament was more than obvious to her.
Of course, then there was me.Good medical student, giving up lunch to learn medicine for the good of mankind.
Yeah right.
Math was easy.I would just have to take out the remaining money in my bank.I would still make the minimum requirement for a bank account.Rich, but I would survive.
I walked upto Dr V.M, asked him he would mind me paying up for that girl.He asked how many patients would I pay for.There were so many of them waiting, each one more deserving than the other.I must have said some thing wrong, because he stormed off with sheer frustration on his face.
I did pay for that girl, she did go to Kathmandu, she did get her operation.She even got better.I know because I got to meet the family later.That look on the parent’s face was so worth the negative balance in my bank account.
Refer to previous post for Point 24.
Afterthought: I wouldn’t really call it charity, but one of my many impulsive actions, I am actually proud of.More over, M adopted me till the end of the term.
Abaniko said,
August 6, 2006 at 6:46 am
Hey, that was so kind of you. I think you’d become a good doctor because aside from being smart, you’re compassionate. Carry on.
educatedunemployed said,
August 6, 2006 at 10:39 am
Abaniko:
SCORE..So I got you convinced..:P..
Thanks, btw.
Hiren said,
August 6, 2006 at 10:44 am
Hope the lord creates more like you.
jhantu said,
August 6, 2006 at 11:12 am
So your good-deed-doing is done for life now, excellent
Rohit Talwar said,
August 6, 2006 at 12:55 pm
EU! EU!!! Not many can do this. Infact I wonder if one really could.
Awesome…! This (like Ma says) is going to help you achieve a lot more than what you spent that time. As Abaniko said, this is one (add-on) to be a successful Doctor. You really are. Rock on!
WishfulThinker said,
August 6, 2006 at 4:23 pm
Does this mean that you’ll buy me beer at Mondies?
educatedunemployed said,
August 6, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Hiren:
Aha..tell that to my mum, I doubt she will agree.:P
Jhantu:
You reckon, I thought I had only just started.
Rohit:
Thanks..I sure hope so.I want to do so much, but there is so little time.
Wishfulthinker:
Yes yes, plis to come to Mumbai, and get Archster along and I shall buy you both beer at the Mondies.:D
Gangadhar said,
August 6, 2006 at 6:45 pm
Happy to ready dis post,EU..
al de best
Gangadhar said,
August 6, 2006 at 9:46 pm
oops…it’s read dis post..haha
greensatya said,
August 7, 2006 at 12:20 am
That was so touching! You really did a great act of compassion. I can only imagine what it would have meant for that family. Wish I could do be like you.
educatedunemployed said,
August 7, 2006 at 12:28 am
Gangadhar:
Im glad the post made you happy.And dont worry about the typo.The message did come through.:)
Greensatya:
Like I said, it was one of my impulsive reactions to what I saw there.Just the thought that a few outings less could mean so much to a family and an 11 year old made the difference I guess.Yes an opportunity presented itself and I did what now seems right.I am sure you would have probably done the same thing, had you been in my place.So why would you want to be like me?..:)
N said,
August 7, 2006 at 5:46 am
:’(
very touched, couldn’t leave without saying so.
good job, girl!
Apy said,
August 7, 2006 at 12:23 pm
/*I was a nicer person back then*/
Er.. u mean before u became an amazing person…
BTW… jus FYI…. the respect that I had for you has doubled….
biju said,
August 7, 2006 at 3:27 pm
that was so nice of u. God bless people like u.
educatedunemployed said,
August 7, 2006 at 3:27 pm
N:
Thanks,happy to see you pass by.
Apy:
You give me too much credit.:)
*Takes a bow*
educatedunemployed said,
August 7, 2006 at 3:28 pm
Biju:
Thanks.:)
sharda said,
August 7, 2006 at 11:13 pm
A very touching act.We Can just imagine the smile on the face on her family and the feeling of satisfaction you had.I wish there could be more people like you!
educatedunemployed said,
August 8, 2006 at 12:28 am
Sharda:
It was indeed worth it.I am sure there lots of people far far better than me.This place wouldn’t be so livable if it weren’t for them.
vishwa said,
August 8, 2006 at 10:04 am
Edu…Nice post. Heartwarming! And in that list down there, there are triggers for a hundred posts, isn’t it? Thanks for the list.
So, is Bombay a permanent abode for the blogger–looking at the changed profile up there on the right corner?
Obi Wan said,
August 8, 2006 at 10:33 am
Point (24) taken
We all allow our heart to bypass our head occassionally(some do so more than occassionally of course), thank Gawd for it!!!
dwaipayan said,
August 8, 2006 at 6:16 pm
i though i have made a comment..but where’s that??
educatedunemployed said,
August 9, 2006 at 1:49 am
Vishwa:
You are welcome.Right you are, there so many stories I could write about thanks to the list.
Home is where the heart lies.Watch out for the space to check on changing abodes.
Obiwan:
Thank Gawd..totally.
Dwaipayan:
Good question, where is it?
dwaipayan said,
August 10, 2006 at 8:40 am
either it’s a conspiracy of martians or FBi, or I have day dreamt, or that time my pc hung up before publishing the comment
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