Doctors' Diary

Rural life and rural people have their own innocent charm. Years ago, while working in a mission hospital in Mussorie, there was a young couple who walked into OP one morning. She was into her 5th month and came with pains. This was her 3rd or 4th pregnancy; all earlier ones had terminated with onset of pains about this time. Examination showed an incompetent cervix. We put a McDonald's stitch, admitted her and put her on bed rest till the pains could subside.

After couple of weeks, the pains had come down and the couple wanted to return; they had to care for their fields. We were aghast; returning meant a bumpy ride on a rickety jeep for hours through steep roads. Even if she did reach home safely, she was going to continue hard manual labor in all likelihood. If she did get pains, there was no other hospital nearby to go to for help. We were the closest and of course, all this distance away. Yet they insisted and we had to let her go. We explained all the risks of early pains with a McDonald's stitch and pleaded for her to come back when she started on her 8th month at the latest.

There wasn't a day in that time when my mind wouldn't have strayed to her, imagining her walking her fields, carrying bundles on her head, all with a McDonald's stitch!

Finally one morning, both husband and wife re-appeared in the hospital's portals. She was starting on her 8th month, was getting along fine and had come in for re-admission! We were overjoyed and greatly relieved! After a few weeks of bed rest, the McDonald's stitch was out and she progressed into labor and delivered a beautiful boy baby normally!

As I walked back home late that evening after conducting her delivery, with the dark sky and chill winds for company, I heard the sound of footfall behind. I hurried, not knowing who was out on a cold and lonely night like this (unless they had to deliver or conduct a delivery!). The footfall also increased pace with me. When I was almost at my door, I heard a voice call, "Doctorji, doctorji!"
I stopped and turned around. It was the young woman's husband, holding out a box of sweets!
"Doctorji, thank you! We are so happy! Please accept this!"
"Oh! I am so happy for you too! But I think you should give the sweets in the office, they will give all the staff. We don't take from patients..."
The young man refused to give up. "Doctorji, I have already given the staff. They told me this is what you would say, that is why I came here to give you. Please take this... Its from our family to yours."
He refused to budge. I could not bring myself to be blatantly rude and still say no. Reluctantly, I took the box of sweets going against years of die-hard training in our good old alma matter!

By the time I left Mussoorie, a few more corn cobs and garlic cloves were added to my list! To this day I savor the memories and the wonderful people, my patients, who made them for me...