Speaking doctors

Hajra left today. I’ll definitely miss her. We had some very good times together. We used to laugh like crazy, walk around the residences at night and yack away about the AKUH days! She 'd wake up late everyday and kept creating new records with every passing day. You could consider her less expressive than me but it was always palpable that she cared. We had some wonderful meals together (and some not so wonderful ones as well!). So now what am I doing with myself. I’ll probably enjoy my loneliness. Solitary confinement. As a starter I locked myself out again. The room door just locks shut and the room keys are often left inside. The residences officers (the two ladies there ) know that very well, as they have opened doors for us time and again. This time around, my keys left inside and I without my headscarf. It has happened a number of times before but Hajra was always there. 'Now what do I do', I thought to myself. I can’t go without my headscarf outside. I have just...

A phrase which is so familiar. A phrase I heard a few minutes back. But life goes on in Karachi. People are killed around like ants. Its ironic. Sad, disgusting. Traumatic, yes. Just yesterday I was talking to my brother that I would like to talk about these terrible halaat, but then I don't have a solution. I don't like to talk about things that I don't have a solution to. As you scroll through the various channels, everyone is talking. There are people crying. Someone's brother, father, son, husband has been killed. This is media kee azadi. Thanks to the media, we now know about (almost) every single person who has died. You feel sorry that they have, but couldn't do much. Its funny that all those who can, do seem unable to do anything either. So what right, another poor man died. The power remains with us..........

There he lays. Fourty five year old gentleman, who looks as if he is sixty five. One of his eye is damaged. The other one moves unpurposefully. Half his face is wasted. He can hardly move his body. There is an occasional flicker of his muscles here and there. He has a PEG tube in his abdomen (PEG tube is a tube put via skin into the stomach to ensure feeding). This time around he has been admitted with complaints of difficulty breathing and cough. His examination and chest xray says that he has pneumonia. The family says that he was affected by a bomb blast two years back, a bomb blast in Lyari. Gang war. People against people, not an animal against an animal.  He has been like this ever since. His sons were younger then. These two years have been difficult, very difficult for the family. There are no chances of any meaningfull recovery. Yes the pneumonia may be treated, but he will remain in the same state............ It angers me. Bothers me. How can you hurt a fello...

Tired, rather drained out.We all feel that way. Maybe its the age.As I write these lines while still in CCU, out of the blue, Khalid (year one resident) all of a sudden, says, " Are you crying or do you have a runny nose!". He asks this with such empathy. I turn at him and seem bewildered. How does he know, that my heart is crying. Just then someone sniffs. Oh so Khalid heard those sniffs and correlated them with my very serious face. Both of us burst into laughter. That's what laughter is! After a period of two years, there is a wedding in my family, and the department does not have any replacement! Wow! Now that's news. So the scene is set. Family going to wedding. Me staying in hospital. The taking pictures with the bride and the bridegroom, while I can take all the pictures I want , with the ventilators, lines, canulas.Great fun. So lets take  a look at Matli. A place in interior Sindh where I was born. Small town. Two bazaars. One Government School for boys ...

It’s gastroentrology clinic. A young male enters.Tall, slim, ambitious! A boy like any other boy. “Otherwise I won’t get my new job!” Saima starts her history. He has hepatitis B. He is least bothered about what this may lead to. “Doctor, I have just one month, I don’t know how, but I want this hepatitis thing treated within that period, otherwise I won’t get my new job!” Saima is clearly shocked. Clinic finishes. Saima tells me this story and asks me to post it. She is shocked that this young boy is not worried about the health implications of his disease, but only worried about his new job. Well, Saima, this is a poor country, where getting a job is what life means. And, well ignorance IS a bliss! Thank God he does not worry about his hepatitis. Maybe this kid could get an early virologic response, with treatment. Remember, every cloud has a silver lining!

Come long weekend and the world changes! I start noticing things  which are missed in the usual mayhem of routine.Drone attacks continue on our countrymen, as we party on the arrival of our Chinese friends!And they say that if one body part hurts , the whole body aches…………. The only China significant in my life is Chinese salt, soya sauce, manchurian! Its easy to guess how foodie this doc is! There are the nice ones , and there are the not so nice ones………. With the new year aroung the corner, the few of us , that is the new to be year threes jitter at the thought of running a team.A team which will consist of two interns, one year one resident and the attending (the boss). Now , the bosses come in all shapes and sizes……..there are the nice ones , and there are the not so nice ones………. ones which give you room and others which give space spread on hectares …… Our juniors tell us that we are a very decent lot (the to be third years), we don’t seem to have any differences among...

  Fine!Come Monday…… Done with the auditorium,we head for the cafe.Its Dr JAK’s week from now on.We smile away cheerfully. We have to write follow-ups as Zaina had a bad call.Post a glass full of calcium (milk) I head for C2.I complete one of the follow-ups.I come outside satisfied and see the not so satisfied faces of the rest of the team. Dr Nawal is coming instead of Dr Jak! “Zarka, Go to private wing and help Ayesha out with follow ups.”,Dr Nosheen orders.I obey.Done with follow ups, and then Dr Nawal arrives.The round starts from special care and then its my follow up.To put it in animation this is what is done to me….