Death as learning

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Yesterday was a mortality audit. Sitting through discussions on why the patient died. A pregnant patient who was kept in a government hospital for hours with seizures and then at last minute referred to higher centres for care. Being brought unconscious, baby In the womb about to die, mother too in the last stages, with extensive pneumonia and sepsis, the team had to decide between life of the baby or mother. Taking risk a healthy baby was delivered and the mother pulled through fine too. But over next 24 hours mother succumbed to the extensive pneumonia and sepsis that had set her on a downward course, due to delays in reaching the hospital. 


A not so uncommon event in rural India or the invisible Bharat, though these are not part of the visible India or Bharat. Many questions were asked and reflected on. What could have been done, was there anything more that we could have done, despite the delay in reaching the institution etc. 


As I was listening to these conversations, a few thoughts crossed my mind.

The ostriches in our nation and lives -  Those systemic failures and challenges which we want to push under the carpet  or like the ostrich refuse to see. To promote peaks and hide the valleys. I wonder which areas in my own life an I like an ostrich?


The mother gave up her life to give life to her child, though it could have been prevented if the mother was taken care off early enough! How many mothers like these give up their lives, because they are not as valuable as men! I wonder if I am concerned or carry such discordant values?

It took a death to teach us more about how to save a life. I remembered my teachers wise saying when I was a student. “You learn more from one death and failure than 100s of successes and or births”! But then did she have to die for us to learn? 


But then the truth is - we learn more from failures and death than our successes! I wonder what deaths I should embrace in my own life to learn and grow? 


A song that I remember singing years ago - that God will use us to bring healing - May that be our prayer and song…


https://youtu.be/hO1QpvaOS3Y?feature=shared 


May we be a people,  a people of integrity
Being who we say we are, and doing what we say

May we be a people, a people of humility
Reconciled to God and man, in Jesus’ Name

Bait 2
May we be a people, a people mending broken lives
Giving hope to broken world by the grace of God


May we be a people, a people serving God and man
Bringing love and dignity, in Jesus’ Name

Bait 3
May we be a people, a people of sincerity
Unafraid and unashamed speaking truth in love

May we be a people, a people of fidelity
Trusting God for miracle in Jesus’ Name

Reff
Bring Your healing to the nation,
through our lives and through our hands

Bring Your healing to the nation, Dear Lord
Change our lives and change our land


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