Hello Friends,
Being into this noble profession from nearly 26 years I have seen many ups and downs, I have enjoyed many perks in this profession – like being pampered by my family patients like a family member, being a part of their every personal problem as well as social gatherings, being respected and honoured in many of the social drives and on the darker phase I have also seen attacks on hospitals and doctors, but then yesterday (22/03/2020 – Janta Curfew Day) what I saw was something like never before!
The way citizens of India responded to the activity of applauding for all the working people was “ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME” experience for all of us! We as General Practioners are a small part of this contribution of fighting against CORONA but then still all those patients in my contact list who has always been supportive had so much gratitude to express – making me feel lucky and all worth of burning the midnight oil for all of you, answering the late night calls and opening the doors at 2:00 am as well!
I had all flashbacks reading your whatsapps (and none of them were forwarded!!) – the way a few of you have grown up in front of me, from the first cries to the first walks – I witnessed it all like a family member, the way you came running with your child when he fell from the bicycle, the way I have counselled younger generation to work for betterment, the times you shared your success stories with me and also came to me on an unexpected failure, the way a couples shared the typical “He doesn’t help me with household chores and She doesn’t cook food like my mother did” fights and the list has no end!
All your messages along with the videos and images of you clapping, ringing bells captioned in a way which read like – “Sir we clapped for you”, Doctor we are thankful to have you as a family”, You have been a part of our family since I was born and still with us when my baby is born”.
Trust me it feels overwhelmed, it feels more motivated to work for all of you. There are times when we do feel down, we feel helpless seeing the number of deaths but then acts like these make us feel that we are dealing with a greater responsibility and YES! We have to do it! Corona has to go back – we all are one and we will fight it back!
An Appeal to all my doctor friends – its very natural to feel unsecured in your regular OPDs to take care from this disastrous virus as not all of us have the safety primary kits with those surgical gowns and huge masks (and the thought that we too have a family back waiting for us) – but then try through your small efforts to help all those who need us, the society has given us abundantly – it is our time to stand for our people. I wont say open up your small dispensaries (because on a genuine note, small clinics do not have those huge facilities and more importantly the patients walking in are random and we are unaware of the travel history and other facts) but then be available for your extended families on calls where you can atleast guide them through these bad times. People have panicked and we can show the right way through! Your small efforts will surely contribute towards nation building!
Lastly, I am always there for all those who have always made me feel home, who have given my degree and my learnings a true meaning, who have shared all their good and bad times with me! We are all one and we will pull each other from this phase too!!
I also salute to all those fighters fighting their way through this epidemic be it the 5% people working in government offices to handle the load of the entire state, the nurses and ward boys who have been constantly working with us, the media people, the drivers, the police and entire Government – specially for the quick actions taken by our CM Shri Uddhav Thackeray, Health Minister Shri Rajesh Tope and our beloved PM Shri Narendra Modi.
We are working – you stay at home!!
Lots of love and thankfulness to all of you!!
From a “Responsible citizen to Another Responsible Citizen!!”
Aishwarya Jaju 