Of Hope and Resilience

 Posted on April 17, 2021 by Ruchi

One thing that I have learnt being a doctor is to never lose hope and to bounce back every time you are pulled down, whatever be the reason. Not every time a doctor has the answers one is hoping for. Some diseases have no cure. Sometimes, it’s too late by the time a patient is brought. Yet, if you only lose hope how will you give hope to the patient’s or relatives who look up to you? Sometimes just a kind word or a helpful gesture is what makes a difference. This principle of not losing hope and looking at the glass half full has helped me grow personally as well.

As the news of covid started reaching international media in mid of January 2020, no one had thought that this would completely change the world and our personal lives too. By mid-March, it was no longer a stranger in a foreign land. Covid was a reality, and the pandemic had sieged the planet earth. There was no time to feel depressed or sorry. As healthcare professional, we could not take a step back. While other professionals found themselves and their children suddenly confined to the boundaries of their homes, the sudden closure of schools and all daycares etc. posed a different kind of challenge for healthcare workers. I found myself worried about my only child who’s still in middle school trying to navigate classes, his lunch breaks and his post-school hours all alone as me and my husband were caught in the whirlwind of the pandemic. Many nuclear families like us, staying in different cities and different countries were faced with this dilemma of what to focus on. The parent in me wanted to be home with my child, the professional in me wanted to help as much as i could and contribute usefully to the rising workload and the ongoing pandemic. My husband came home with his own set of worries. The ICU was full of covid patients and he would be worried about passing the infection to me and the kiddo. The ICU beds had already been increased, still, they were unable to cope up with the increased number of infected patients who were rapidly filling in the wards and the emergency services. The number of ventilators was falling short and at times it would be heartening that you could not give your best to the patient. The duty would not finish with the duty hours and the doctors pulled in from other specialities and other staff looked for his counsel and leadership. If we thought, this would end in just a few months, the second wave brought in much more patients, and more gaps in resources.

However, by this time, we were wiser. If there’s someone who believes in miracles, it’s we the doctors. At times, we have seen patients with grim prognosis pull out and at others, even with best effort and everything in favor, we have seen people losing the race of life. There’s no point worrying about what is not in your control. Give every situation your best and leave the rest to God. 

Photo by Aaron Burden on Pexels.com

I am participating in #A2Z2021 hosted by Blogchatter. Blogchatter community binds all the Indian bloggers and has put blogging at a forefront. You can visit them at https://theblogchatter.com