Suffering in my hands....

“Suffered in the hands of many physicians” – is what we read in the good book. For the lady with bleeding, who approached Jesus, she would have spent all her money and resources going from one physician to another, but not finding cure in their hands.

Today health care in India is about “suffering in the hands of many physicians”.  There was this lady who came with an Ultra sound report to me yesterday. She has had an US which showed a dilated GB, and diagnosed as Cholecystitis and was referred by a well-meaning physician for urgent surgery. She already had been planning for IV fluids, admission surgery etc and had spent money on preparations. Some thing which was not indicated or required at all. Suffered because of ignorance of lack of knowledge – may be?

I started talking to her and she said – she is on treatment for giddiness from Patna. This is common here. Treatment for Diabetes from Patna, TB from Government and Asthma from our hospital. I asked another patient recently – TB we manage, DM someone in Patna manage, something else someone else manages, but who takes care of you….He had no answers. Any way this lady, on further questioning, shared that she had a head injury two years back and had developed some giddiness 6 months back. Went to Patna and had been put on long term medications. I looked at the medications. Two anti-depressants and one tranquilizer. I asked her, do you know what you are on and why you are on this, she had no answers. She was told – you have to be on these for long term, no reason given. Now the job was – how to get her out of these medications! Suffered for what?

Another recently married lady was brought by her husband. She shared, I am on multiple anti-depressants and sleeping pills for many years. I asked why – she said – I have no problem, but a doctor told I have to be on these long term. But I want to get out of the same. The husband also was quite clear, that he will support her to get out of the same. And now they visit our clinic regularly to taper off these medications.

Recently a “constrictive pericarditis” patient came to us after going around for 18 months to various centers and never reaching a diagnosis. By the time we diagnosed and made a plan, it was too late, she passed away – before we could refer her for a curative surgery. Suffered long for?

A well off patient came from one of the most premier private institutes in Delhi, to be admitted for management. We went through the charts – and found him to have end stage liver disease, with a life expectancy of about a year to two or so. We asked, were you not told of these issues, the son said no, we were told, you will be okay. They were living with the hope that everything will be okay….We have another patient now, about 80 plus age, from not too well of a family, with end stage cancer who keeps going to the premier cancer center in India for this incurable cancer and on the latest mono clonal antibodies, spending 5 to 8 lacks hoping that things will turn around….hoping against hope….

Stories of suffering in the hands of physicians are many.

When this lady with bleeding approached Jesus, she would have come there as a last resort, thinking in her mind, is it another suffering I have to go through? Somehow the Masters touch and manner, not only cured her but healed her.

Am I part of the fraternity which perpetuates suffering or the few who still facilitate healing? How many would have suffered in my hands? Or are still suffering….How many have I cured, but not healed....? Questions to grapple with....