My family has a four-generation old tradition of medical practice. My father was a strict senior official in government and inculcated discipline and high moral values among his seven children. As a result all joined professional courses to become doctors and engineers. I being the youngest, experienced the rich aura prevailing in our home and no nonsense attitude from my elders. I was trained to emulate traditions and self reliance, which guided me to this noble profession.
My inspiration was my parents who told stories of good deeds done by other doctors in family, specially my grandfather. My grandfather was a renowned doctor and personal physician to ruler of a princely state in India. An idealist and humanist he worked relentlessly for his patients- young and old, rich and poor- and even set up a medical college at Gwalior, India. Once, while going out for early morning walks, he saw a villager camped with his family in a bullock cart just outside his bungalow. On enquiring, he found that they had come from another town for treatment. Since they arrived late in night, the guard would not let him in. My grandfather was so furious that the guard did not inform him and felt guilty of sleeping, while somebody was sick at his doorstep. The guard was fired immediately. The incident made a great impact on my mind. I wished I could also become a doctor and contribute something to the service of mankind.
All doctors strive hard to deliver the best medical care to their patients. For them there is no greater satisfaction than to see their patients recover completely.
Several years ago, a young lady of sixteen came to me with fever, sore throat and swollen neck glands. She had a funny rash on her face too, for which she was being treated elsewhere for past six months. I ordered some blood tests and one of them had to be sent to UK as that test was not done here those days. The next day she was back with fever having shot up. While examining she broke into convulsions and lost consciousness. She was hospitalized and remained in coma, not responding to treatment. Everyone was losing hope, as no definite diagnosis was reached. On the third day we got the blood reports from UK – she tested strongly positive for systemic lupus erythematosis(S.L.E). However, we started her on high dose of steroids and within twenty four hours she opened her eyes. It was one of the greatest moments of relief in my life. Three years of continuous treatment had her good as new. She is married now and lives a normal, healthy life. I still thank God for saving a precious life….Such incidents remind us of God’s healing power and our part in bringing it to people.
