My Most Humble Request

Unprecedented circumstances like COVID-19 have put immense pressure on people’s lives, especially healthcare service providers.

Unprecedented circumstances like the recent COVID-19 pandemic have put immense pressure on people’s lives, especially healthcare service providers who work in the hospital infrastructure and it was difficult to control the spread of deadly infections and ensure smooth functioning of healthcare delivery to the patients.

Covid’s second wave was one of the lethal waves in which most of the people died, my experience during the second wave made my will stronger to work for the covid infected patients. I saw people dying very badly, it was very difficult to work in that condition. I have seen many stories of patient’s life struggling with covid infection while working in the covid ward. The one which has touched my heart, I can’t forget in my life and whenever I go to memory lane, I always ask myself why do we become helpless sometimes.

It was the month of June when the second wave was at its peak. I was in the evening shift of covid duty, there was a 74 years old lady, the wife of a retired Honorary Flying Officer. She had severe respiratory distress and was on NIV, 3 days continuous on ventilator support. She could not be improved and her condition was deteriorating. I informed the medical specialist regarding her condition in the night at around 2130 hours and he said please tell her relatives to meet me tomorrow morning. I called up her relative. One old man picked up the call, his voice was too low, was struggling to understand my voice, I conveyed the message somehow that please meet the medical specialist tomorrow morning. He started crying and asked me the condition of his wife, I told him the condition and said don’t worry pray well to God for her speedy recovery.

After finishing my shift and reaching home, I got a call very late at night; this poor old man was trying continuously my number. Initially, I was agitated but something made me pick up his call, he said, “Sorry madam, forgive me for calling you late at night but please save the life of my wife, she is the only companion with whom I  had spent my whole life. She looked after me and my kids very well and selflessly. I am so unfortunate that even I could not meet her in the covid ward during her bad times. His words and my tears started flowing from my eyes. I assured him that our hospital is taking care of all patients very well, please take care of yourself. He said madam I trust you all,  still, this is my humble request, whatever you do, please do it your best. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life without her, all left us, and my kids settled in abroad but we stayed alone here in India being each other’s support. Now I am all alone, I can’t live without her so this is my humble request to you. The whole night those words were ringing in my mind. The next day he called up requesting to see his wife for the last time so that they can see each other.

First time in my life I realized that I am in the most difficult profession where sometimes things are not in your hands. The least I can do with his most humble request is to allow him to see his wife last time. I took permission from the treating physician and finally, he saw her, seeing her in this condition he started crying badly holding her hand for 5 minutes. I could not utter a single word at that time, to console him was one of the most difficult tasks for me, so I hold my breath and brought out my courage to tell him, please take care of yourself, go outside and sit for a while.

This Mataji battled her life courageously and succumb to death in the evening. For a few days, I could not forget the conversation between me and that old Babaji, I used to think a few days just call at once to console him but didn’t dare to call him. The humblest request I can’t forget at all.

I always pray to God; may God never apart any souls from each other anytime when they need each other’s support. I always pray to God to bless me with the power of healing in my hands. Life is all about nobody knows but I can be proud of myself that I could manage the difficult war of covid infection being a part of my hospital.

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Image Credits: Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

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About the Author

Neelam Chand

Nursing Officer Feminist Working for betterment of healthcare services women's right and Child education. read more...

3 Posts | 6,884 Views

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