TW: Death and Violence
"After MBBS, I took up surgery, which is a primarily male dominated field. Women are not allowed by their families to opt for surgery because of it's long hours, which in turn, affects the time devoted towards being a homemaker. My relatives, too, didn't support my decision, but my parents were a like a rock and were happy with whatever made me happy.
In 2020, besides surgery, I was allotted Covid duty. Last year, it was still manageable, but this year is a complete disaster. In a single day, there were so many incoming patients that ICU won't be available. People used to wait in a queue for an ICU bed.
One day, we had around 6 deaths in our hospital; all of them, ripe in age. The task of disclosing the news to their families was bestowed on me. That night was very hard for me. I called my Mom and started crying. Seeing people struggle for a single breath was heart breaking and I felt defeated.
Besides this traumatic experience, all the doctors, nurses and staff of our hospital faced something else as well. A certain patient passed away after being in ICU for 10 days. One of his relatives rushed into the hospital pushed and attacked the watchmen. After some time, we were able to control him and we sent him off.
However, at 1 in the night, this guy showed up with a bunch of people. They came into the hospital from every direction possible and broke the glasses, plants and pots. It was a complete chaos.
What was even more surprising was that the news channels telecasted that we were ignorant about the patient and hence, he passed away; nothing, not a word, about the vandalism.
Being a doctor, who has to take a fight every day since 2020, I'd like to plead before people that we are not the enemies. Violence against us will only lead us to defeat. We need to stand together. Moreover, the third wave is around the corner. Don't settle, mask up and sanitize!" - Lipsa Swain.
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