A PAGE FROM A DOCTOR’S DIARY

Dedicated to all the #mothers
©️Dr. Aparna Govil Bhasker
In a city like Mumbai, most people live in nuclear families, and many a times, children have no option but to tag along with their parents even during medical consultations. Some people feel a tad awkward about getting children with them and leave them with caretakers. However, if responsible caretakers are not available, I wouldn’t refrain from saying that children can also be a barrier to seeking timely healthcare, especially when it comes to women’s health.
A few days back, we treated a lady for a breast abscess, and she had to come in for frequent dressings. Every day, she would bring her three years old daughter along with her. The daughter would just not leave the mother and cling to her all the time. She would refuse to sit outside in the waiting area and insisted on being inside the dressing room with her mother. On being denied, she would start crying inconsolably, and absolutely nothing would comfort her. Being a mother myself, I presumed that as the child was so small, she may have some degree of separation anxiety and wanted to be with the mother all the time. Hence, much to the chagrin of the staff at the hospital, I requested them to allow her to be with her mother during the dressing. This went on for almost 10 days….. It was the same story every day. Mother and daughter would come together, and while I did the dressing, the little girl would sit quietly on a chair inside the dressing room. On the last day, I asked the mother if the little girl was so clingy at home too. She just smiled and said that though she lived in a joint family, no one accompanied her for the hospital visits. The husband had to be at work, and the others were busy with their own lives.
Her three years old daughter came with her every day because no one else came. She didn’t want her mother to come alone to the hospital. That was her way of supporting her mother. By being on her side…. All through…..
It set me thinking about how mistaken I was in my thought process. This little human was not a barrier for her mother’s treatment. She was, in fact, the enabler. Any surgery, however small, is a big deal for a patient. One needs physical, mental, and emotional support, and all these go a long way in the healing process. At the tender age of three, she understood this well and, in her own sweet way, supported her mother by being there for her.
May is the month of the “mother”. I am a mother myself, and honestly, many times, it can get a little overwhelming to manage a kid, family, home, and work together. As a mother, I think of myself as the doer who is not allowed to be vulnerable. I believe that it is my job to take care of the needs of my child, my family, and my patients. I feel that all of them look up to me, and meeting these expectations is an unquestionable and integral part of life.
However, this episode set me thinking about all the times when my child tries to support me through difficult times in his own innocent ways. If I complain of a headache, he brings slices of cucumber and puts them on my eyes. If I look tired, he brings me a glass of water. If I look stressed, he asks me if everything is okay at the hospital.
Children try to comfort us in their own sweet way, and it is up to us to allow them to help us and accept their help. Mother’s Day is not meant to make us sit on an unreachable pedestal. Some degree of vulnerability can make mothers a little more human. Be vulnerable, and next time when your child offers you help, do accept it. It will definitely make your journey a lot easier and bring a smile to your face.
Thx u for writing this
It was amazing thought process and what you hv mentioned very important topic ❤????????????????
So true,our children are big support group for us.I m blessed with both of my son and doughter who care for me even at their and mine grown up ages.very well written and expressed artical .More important is even as a profetional you r fostering motherly nature which will definately make patient more comfortable .loads of best wishes for your bright future.
Very true. Very well as written. Children adjust to any arrangements that we make much more easily than we think. It gives lot of solace when they offer a helping hand. I too believe accepting it keeping aside our self esteem. That comforts them too. Family, society in turn the world runs on give and take.
This is absolutely true. Children are innocent bundles of joy. They make sure they can do whatever is possible with them. They love unconditionally and share without hesitation.
Lovely post ma’am!! children learn caring and loving from mothers.Happy mothers day!!
Спасибо большое за информацию xn—-7sbnvcylw.xn--p1ai
Мне очень понравилась компания Теххолод в Ростове-на-Дону и их обслуживание при покупке кондиционера. Заказывал тут настенные сплит системы цена. Я был приятно удивлен качеством сервиса, начиная от того, как оператор принял мой звонок и ответил на все мои вопросы, до того, как инженер-монтажник установил кондиционер в моей квартире.
Перед посещением магазина, я изучил сайт компании и сделал заказ онлайн. Менеджер связался со мной в течение нескольких часов и подтвердил мои данные, а также договорились о времени доставки и установки.
Инженер-монтажник прибыл вовремя и произвел установку кондиционера профессионально, быстро и аккуратно. Он также провел демонстрацию работы и объяснил, как правильно использовать кондиционер.
Как результат, я чувствую себя комфортно в своей квартире благодаря новому кондиционеру от компании Теххолод. Рекомендую всем эту компанию для покупки кондиционеров и другой бытовой техники в Ростове-на-Дону.
Absolutely true. U made valid point that we must accept their help, be vulnerable