Is this all about life.

We all sat still, trembling, shuddered. I reflected ….. Is this all about life, living and family.

With covid 19 shaking humanity in most weird ways we have seen so many distressing stories right in front of us. The very fact that a person is left to face pain and mental strain all alone with no healing contact of family and friends is by itself vexatious.

But all said and done we as medical caregivers have witnessed various types of family interactions. Some are obsessed attendants keeping track of every fluctuating parameters of their ones. Some others just keep a daily ferret out of the overall situation. But family is always the closest, dearest and pivotal crux of life.

Covid is an agonising situation. From diagnosis till the end the patient has to face the whole storm with the support of only medical and paramedical staff who themselves are under commitments beyond dexterities.Finally the excruciating situation of cremation being done by people on official duty is actually beyond comprehension even for us doctors.

This incident is about one morning when we were on covid duty. Suddenly there was a call from the red zone ICU. An elderly retired bureaucrat who was covid positive and on treatment had started sinking in all his parameters.During his hospital stay his sole attendant was his only son in Delhi. He would connect telephonically every few days and also arranged for the necessary finances. But we did realise that the patient was overall a lonely man, except for his son who was well placed in job, he appeared to have no one who was emotionally bonded with him.

On this ill-fated day when he was all set to travel out of this material world the medical care givers felt obliged to connect with his son. A telephonic call was made from inside the covid ICU to the son to inform him about his father’s terminal status.

What thunderstruck us is the languid cold hearted response of the well placed man from Delhi.The ICU nurse was hoping to make a video call or render a few words of consolations as is the usual trend.But a sudden offensive blast appeared to elude us all. The cavalier voice from the other side replied. Since it is a covid situation and government shall perform the last rites all I can do is send some flowers across.

We all stood rooted. I felt a weird sinking sensation. Someone muttered in disgust offensive words.

I asked myself, Is this all about life ?

Dr Madhumita Priyadarshini Das