Being a parent is one of the hardest things....
Being a parent is one of the hardest things....
It was
Saturday, 1st October 2022 myself and my team member Niharika Singh went for hospital round as we do the other days.
We went to Mother and Child Block as there were some issues related to Housekeeping & Maintenance department. In the 4th floor, when we entered pediatric ward we saw a child of around seven years, lean and thin, looking pale.. sitting in the pediatric bed. He has put his head down, he had taken the support of the bed railing, .. . As we entered after seeing him I uttered Hey Hero! what happened. He didn't utter a word neither did he saw towards us. Niharika called "Babu! just see this side.".. but there was no response from his side. Again Niharika called " बाबू एक बार हंस दो ( Babu! laugh once...) Even I called "बाबू हंस दो" (Babu laugh), you are a good boy... brave boy....." Slowly he saw towards us and smiled, we laughed and went towards NICU (Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit) and continued the round.
As we went inside, I just enquired about the boy and asked the reason for which he was sitting alone with nobody around him. The on-duty nurse informed that he was a thalassemia patient, he often comes for blood transfusion. "Even today, he has come for blood transfusion but he is not allowing the nurses to take blood sample. His mother tried to convince him but even she could not, helplessly she is sitting outside the ward".
After listening to the nurses, we thought of trying from our end, I asked the nurses to accompany us. Myself and Niharika went near the bed of the child and tried to talk to him. I put my hand on his head and asked Babu what is your name, initially he hesitated but later smartly replied, Pinku Borah (Patient’s name has been changed to maintain the confidentiality). Niharika “बाबू को दर्द नहीं होता है (Babu does not feel pain)…, he is a good boy”. I added “ we will give chocolates to Babu as he is allowing nurses to take the blood sample". I enquired, "What chocolate do you prefer?" He promptly replied “Cadbury's". Niharika continued talking to him, encouraging him. In the meantime nurses took the blood sample. "Ok Niharika! we will give Cadburys to him". The boy fully co-operated with the nurses, not a drop of tears flow through his eyes, nor did he utter any word, may be he has taken it as part of his life. We thanked him and he reciprocated stating "Welcome".
As I turned back I saw a lady peeping through the glass of the door. On query, the nurses informed that she was the mother of the child. After the blood sample collection was over, she entered the room and thanked us. She was an elderly lady.
I enquired about the disease of the child. The story which she narrated touched my heart, even while writing this article my eyes have turned teary. She stated that she works in a doctor’s chamber and managing her family. She did not have child for thirteen years.. she could not afford treatment further. Hence she and her husband decided to adopt child. They adopted the boy when he was 13 days old. But when he was 2yrs old, Beta thalassemia was diagnosed.
Thalassemia is a blood disorder that is inherited. This means it is passed down
from one or both parents through their genes. When you have thalassemia, your
body makes less hemoglobin than normal. Beta thalassemia is caused by damaged
or missing genes. This is the most
severe form of disorder. People with this condition will need frequent blood
transfusions. They may not live a normal lifespan.
Her
eyes had turned teary, I could feel the pain of a mother. She added “ I want
him to study well. I know because of this disease, he won’t be able to do any hard work in future so I want
him to study hard so that when he grow old, he can get job in a office and can earn his livelihood doing
official works”. She also stated that she often visits Marwari Hospitals for blood transfusion and she gets help from the staff, doctors as well especially from Dr. Atul
Agarwal, Laboratory Director. She also informed that as her husband’s income is
also less, they are trying to avail the scheme undertaken by government for
thalassemia patients. The couple looked very weary.
I had
no word to pacify her. I consoled her saying, hope things will be alright in
future. I enquired the bed no. so that we could send the chocolate we had promised to the child.
With
heavy heart I completed the round. Sometimes behind smile of people we find
painful stories hidden. As we had promised we sent two Cadburys for the child.
He was very happy after getting it.
After
the office was over, myself and my husband went to a shop which was located near Commerce Bus Stoppage.
As he was buying some eatables, I was standing and watching the people
passing by. I saw few college students who had parked their two wheelers, sitting on it, gossiping and smoking. They will between the age group of 21-22 years. I saw one of the boy who was tall, fair complexioned, trying to balance himself, his face was tilted one side, somehow he was managing to put
the cigarette inside his mouth and managing to throw the smoke outside. Initially I thought he was drunk...but when I looked at him properly, I found him… to be a specially challenged boy. He
was continuously smoking. After sometime he left with one of his friends on a bike.... I kept looking at till the bike vanished in the traffic...
Baideu..
the lady who stays with us often cries remembering her child...we console her. She had once
narrated. She had a boy… after hard work and struggle she had managed to save money or her child. She had enrolled him in a school. When he was studying in
class 8 (eight) there was sports competition in the school, as other children he participated
in running race. After the race was over, he had chest pain and before reaching hospital he collapsed. Later she came to know that he had hole in his heart, which she and her husband were unaware of.
She often cries and states if she would have come to know about the disease
earlier she could have tried to get the treatment but god didn't give her the opportunity…..
All parents struggle hard, so that they can provide all comforts for their children. There are some children who are fortunate to have rich parents, but because of their bad company, bad habits destroy their own lives. They hardly feel the pain of their parents…..
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