Be wary of over efficient Doctors

Kotli Falls, Kashmir

The funny thing about being stuck in quarantine is that when you have nothing else to do, long forgotten memories from ages ago come flooding into your mind. Here is one such memory from about 7 years ago.

One fine day my youngest started experiencing sudden stomach ache of such intensity that she caused panic in the entire household. The kids and I had been visiting my sister in law and her family who at that time were stationed in a picturesque Kashmiri town near the Indian border. An immediate trip to the local CMH ensued where I presented my daughter’s medical eligibility card. But to the young doctors sitting in OPD, the fact that I had come as a guest of the Commandant Brigadier had more weightage than the fact that we were the family of a deceased officer. Hence, they were eager to outdo themselves regarding diagnosis and treatment.

Now I have all the respect for doctors. They are practitioners of a noble profession. But there is something about over efficient doctors that makes me wary of them, especially so, after this incident.

The diagnosis was that my daughter was experiencing appendix pain which needed to be operated upon immediately or dire consequences will follow. A bed was instructed to be prepared for her and I was to ready her for the operation that would take place that very day.

But before the operation, I had to bring some urine and stool samples for testing.

Kind of Shell shocked by the news, I collected two empty containers from the dispensary and took my little girl to the toilet area and asked her to provide what was needed.

Now my little one has a very stubborn nature and even at the age of ten she could put her foot down. She flatly refused to provide any such sample for any such purpose.

A doctor scaring me with terrible consequences of negligence concerning the timely removal of an appendix, a totally unexpected upcoming operation in the next couple of hours and a stubborn ten year old refusing to cooperate, was too much, even for me. I guess, I must have looked as haggard and mentally harassed as I felt at that point.

My Brigadier brother in law’s army batman, who had been accompanying me throughout and who till now had kept his mouth firmly shut finally spoke up.

“Baji , bachhi ko ghar le ja kar lal dawai pila dain . Shaam tak pait dard bilkul theek ho jae ga”

Sister, take the kid home and give her some red medicine (a generic medicine given for stomach aches in military hospitals). She will be fine by evening.

He had apparently thought this whole situation to be pointlessly blown out of proportion but had refrained from saying so up till now.

To be honest, I was not hundred percent convinced about the necessity of having an operation but had given in because I felt that a doctor would obviously know better.

At that point, the batman’s suggestion sounded like the second opinion I was dying to hear. Even if this opinion had come from a low educated batman, I decided to follow it.

I took my girl home and gave her some red medicine that I took from the dispensary on my way back.

She was fine by evening.

And has been fine and “stomach ache free” for the past seven years.

Looking back at the diagnosis of that idiot doctor and his hasty preparations for appendectomy, I can’t help but think,

Would I have gone through with that point less operation if that batman had not finally voiced his opinion?

So yes, speaking out your mind is important.
It can make such a big difference in someone’s life.