LIFE IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD NOT IN THE HANDS OF DOCTORS

 LIFE IS IN THE HANDS OF GOD 
AND 

NOT IN THE HANDS OF DOCTORS 

In the medical field, especially in critical care medicine  there have been many a patient who, when first examined one feels certain they are not going to survive but subsequently  they live and walk out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) .On the other hand unfortunately there have been patients whom the physicians thought would do well and  they did not. So, when physicians are asked a question that causes them to speculate about the future,  they have to give a cautious, measured answer which has to be honest with  themselves  and the patient 

 The doctors to the best of their ability simply do not know for certain , hence blanket statements have no place inside ICU  walls. I have seen extreme premature babies and very sick ICU  children surviving all odds and leading normal or near normal life after coming out from the ICU .Doctors have this tricky job of relaying statistical data  and their own experience to relatives and  parents  of very sick patients on life support care , for 
that is really all they have to go by .This needs to be very honestly conveyed to the relatives .Being honest in a sensitive way to help family members make excruciating decisions about whether to let dying patients linger, or allow doctors to turn off life-prolonging equipment so that  they are not drained financially and even the organs   can be donated if they wish to.

We must all accept that  there is something beyond the 
efforts of Doctors  when we see miracles happening and near death patients being revived  and leading normal life's .That is the power of prayer and the Divine intervention  where God could reverse a hopeless outcome into a blissful life . Thus  the key phrase – from a spiritual perspective –: “We doctors are not God.” We must all always remind ourselves of this .

Years back  during my house job in Pediatrics at AIIMS Delhi an illiterate well built villager  admitted his severely malnourished critically ill 3 year old son .I was on duty along with a senior doctor, The child rapidly deteriorated despite our efforts .Rather than trusting the doctors ,the father started screaming at the doctors on duty that he would kill them if something unfortunate happened to his child. The child went into cardio respiratory arrest and I started cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)  but we could not revive him .Some how the father witnessed the CPR. He threatened to kill me saying "I will not spare  you ,you have killed my child by compressing his chest" Despite  being on duty for over 24 hours I continued  working  knowing fully well that we had done all that we possibly could have done and that this outburst was an outcome of his unawareness and distrust along with  the reflection of his mental state , on loosing his son .We were however disturbed at the gross negligence of the 
parents for letting the child  reach such a severe state of malnutrition and bringing him in so late to the hospital and  then blaming the doctors for his death .

Although these threats and comments disturb and scare 
doctors they still try to do their duty responsibly in spite of working long hours in such an unsafe environment Doctors expect the patients to have  faith and trust in them .That is their biggest reward.Most doctors have knowledge and practice and try their best to restore the health of patients.  But they are not God. Contrary to what people think sometimes, they are usually not responsible for the death of their loved ones their patients .

Sometimes tragic mishaps do happen in the field of medicine which have been said to be the cause of death  of some patients .But I assure you that most doctors would not do anything deliberately to harm a patient. 
Their aim is to help humanity under all circumstances .

Don’t we all believe that death is a natural event and it is pre-destined? Then, why are doctors blamed if the patient dies even after they do everything to save that patient? Believe me, the death of a patient hurts us no end , while their survival and revival brings us joy, strength and hope. Life is in the hands of  God ,doctors are ordinary humans helping humanity to the best of their ability .

 SIR WILLIAM OSLER  FATHER OF MODERN MEDICINE SAID....

This is the paradox of medicine 

DOCS ARE HUMAN 

Medicine is an art ,

based on science 

as with any art 

and as with any science 

there can be an error 

with the best of endeavor 

Docs use  medicine 

as a treatment to begin 

as well as surgical skill 

expecting  to cure the ill 

they are only humans 

trying to mend humans 

God give Docs the wisdom 

in your benevolent kingdom 

to keep themselves abreast 

and always give their best 

for life's are so precious 

all efforts need to be gracious 

Working with best intentions 

using the latest inventions 

"God "they can never be 

All humans must agree 

for death is predetermined 

by Gods will ........."there in " 

Amen 

Pushpa Chaturvedi