Short Story Social Issue – WE ARE PROFESSIONALS
Photo credit: mconnors from morguefile.com
As usual I was busy in my doctor’s chamber. Several times I had asked my secretary not to take more than 30 appointments in the evening but most of the time he took more than that. Possibly he knew I would not say anything rather he expected some extra money as a tip.
One day while I was busy in my chamber I got a call from my cousin. I wanted to receive the call but the hubbub outside my chamber was not allowing me to take out a minute for speaking to my relative. My understanding was very clear. Every 5 minutes would fetch me 300 rupees and for maintaining relation I could not afford to lose the same. When I realized three missed calls of my cousin one after another then by default I felt pressure to call him back. I dialed him back and said “ Hello……..”
“ Hello Aakash.……..I am very tensed………few minutes after delivery …….my baby has developed grunting sound…………” my cousin’s voice shivered.
At first instance I thought this could be taken care of by his attending doctor. She was herself very experienced. But as human nature people always seek help from their near ones. I wanted to say upfront that your attending doctor was experienced enough to handle the situation but I could not say. Probably there was some courtesy still left in me.
“ Don’t worry….I will speak to Dr. Dam…….and would update you……….”
“ Aakash……..she is not in the nursing home……..just passing the advice on phone ….she is not even picking up my phone ……..you do something……..I don’t know …………what to do………..” His voice was quivering.
I could understand the reason of his tension and somewhat it ignited the same in me. I immediately called back to Dr. Dam and asked the current status. After knowing the details I heaved a sigh of relief and informed my cousin that nothing to worry. While I was talking to my cousin my secretary came twice in front of me to show his poker face to indirectly realize me that still there were some patients waiting for me. I pressed my bell and asked him to send the patients one by one.
After finishing my chamber I thought to call my cousin to know the current update but it was 8:30 pm and I needed to pick up my son from his tuition. I ignored the thought of calling him and drove the car to the place. While driving I never receive any call. Before going to bed I had a habit of checking the call details in my mobile. There were three missed calls from my cousin and 4 missed calls from my father. It was then 11:45 pm and I was thinking whether to call them or not.
Being a doctor we come across with this kind of situation on a regular basis but the common person get nervous if they have to face. I had confidence that Dr. Dam was a sincere, responsible, experienced and over all very professional lady. She treats her patient as a client and her treatment as a marketing tool. So I did not bother to call back my cousin again. In my father’s case he still does not know how to operate mobile. It irritated me when I called back my father after seeing his endless number of missed calls and got to know that he was calling to know our well being. This time also I assumed the same and did not call him back. I did not realize when I drifted off into sleep.
On the next day while I was busy in the hospital my cell vibrated. It was kept in silence. I took out and looked. There were few SMS hit my inbox. I opened the inbox. One SMS stated.
“ Bhai……Yesterday I had been trying you badly but could not get you………baby was shifted to NICU. I know you are busy but need your help………Please call……I am waiting………Uncle was also calling for the same reason.”
My cousin’s asking help from me like this had diminished my dignity. We both grew together in joint family. I competed in Joint entrance and became doctor and he had to take up the career in private organization which did not require passing any competitive examination. But there was no ego between us. Within a second the entire childhood memories started floating in front of my eyes. I really felt bad. I immediately called him back.
“ Hello Ridhi Bhai…….what happened……….” I said hesitatingly.
“ Bhai……you please come down to the Divine nursing home…….I am in trouble…….not getting any direction what to do…….” He said in helpless tone.
Suddenly the love for my brother upsurged in my blood. I left everything and asked my driver to take me to DIVINE NURSING HOME. My brother was not at the lounge. I took the help of the receptionist. They treat the doctors differently and in hurry I did not realize the sphygmomanometer was still lying around my neck which was signifying my medical profession. I took the lift and reached at 3rd Floor which was NITU. I saw my brother was peeping his baby through glass window. I called him from back “ Ridhi Bhai…….”
He turned back and looked at me with revived hope in his eyes in spite of all his troubles. He rushed towards me and said “ Aakash………I am not getting anything Bhai….what these people are doing………you please speak to them.”
Without saying anything I entered into the unit to see his baby. I examined all the reports. The report was really concerning. Baby was affected with sepsis and acute respiratory disorder. It was difficult to explain everything to him. The moment I came out my brother reached at me and asked “ Bhai …….everything is alright nah……..no need to worry …….”
I remained silent. I was not getting up to what level I should inform him. The situation was not under control. I was also worried but could not afford to get tense in front of any body. God has bestowed few things which are not under control. My facial expression was not matching with my consoling words. It was me who had advised my cousin to contact Dr. Sunita Dam for his wife’s maternity advice. Just to divert his attention I asked “ Where is Bhabi…….”
“ She is at Laketown Nursing Home……..very disturbed………whole night……she kept on weeping……..”
“ I can understand………but you people have to be strong……..sometimes problems occur and we need to face it………” I said but not with full conviction
“ Ridhi Bhai tell me one thing……..in corporate you people get reimbursement for maternity………then why you have chosen local Nursing Home for delivery………these kind of nursing home do not have NICU set up……..you should not have taken such risk…….”
My cousin was looking at me with puzzled look.
“ I mean to say …….delivery in the local nursing home is risky……..” I said.
“ How would I know Aakash………..I told to Dr. Dam categorically that she could go for good private hospitals and I could afford…….but every time she ensured me that there was no problem in operating in this nursing Home……..She also shared that her delivery had happened in this nursing home and over all it is quite safe………….” Ridhi explained.
I knew it was not true. She got operated in Apollo Gleanagles. I understood while dealing with my brother she did not consider me also though he had given my reference. Suddenly my temptation upsurged to know the entire story. I asked my brother to show all her medical reports and advise. I examined all her prescriptions and found that she treated my brother’s case like her normal client. So many unnecessary tests were asked to do……..they were called for medical advice frequently which was not required. I just bogged down after seeing her crude professionalism towards my brother. I was cursing myself why I send him to Dr. Dam. She emerged out like a bloody butcher. She did not show any courtesy. There was no mercy at all in siphoning the money.
I suggested my brother to collect the tentative bill from the counter so that we could take decision based on it. “ Till now 63000 rupees…….” My cousin said.
“ How much Laketown Nursing Home has given the estimation…..”
“ Approx 40000 rupees…..”
I understood Dr. Dam had an idea of maternity limits so she made the bills near to his specified limits. After hearing this I became crazy. I got up and told my brother that I had some important work to do and would come back soon after finishing the job. I asked my driver to take me to Dr. Dam’s private chamber.
On the entire way I was thinking she should not have done like that. I was adamant to make her realize that she did not do right. She had spoilt the relation and defamed our fraternity. I reached at her chamber and asked her staff boy to inform her about my coming. After waiting for sometime her secretary signaled me to go in her chamber. I went inside her room and asked spontaneously “ Do you know what happened to that baby……..”
She put off her spectacle and looked at me “ Yes….I know……right now he is in NICU………”
There was no expression of any sorry or repentance on her face. It was quite astonishing for me. She was calm and composed.
“ How can you do like that Dr. Dam…….We know each other for last ten years…….you haven’t thought about me for a second………after operation you left nursing home within couple of minutes………you were not there Dr. Dam when the baby developed grunting sound………..” My eyes were red. Tears were ready to flow down but some way I controlled back. My voice was shuddering.
“ What happened to you………. Aakash……why are you becoming so emotional……..Tell me one thing…….have you not faced this kind of situation in your career……Have you not made money by giving superfluous advise to your patients…….Have you not asked your patients to go for unnecessary test in the name of routine checkup………… Have you not run for money keeping aside our ethical learning……..…Be matured enough…….Whatever care I was supposed to take against that operation I had taken it…….You know very well everything is not in our hands ……..there was no negligence from my side……….that much I can assure you………….And it was not possible for me to stay back for a long time…….I had another operation………..and by the you are forgetting one thing ……….WE ARE PROFESSIONALS ………..” She reminded me.
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