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
