Oh, yeah...no it's er...ok. [aka, when did we become blase about saving lives?]

So last night the Almighty saved a life via me.

This woman came with poisoning, almost comatose. So I inserted a Ryle's tube, pumped her stomach, flushed the gastric contents. Then started and iv, flushed her system, gave her injections to make her pee, gave her the antidote and sat by her bedside all night.

When she arrived I rushed into action and didn't cough even once in the 2-3 hours it took to stabilize her [Yes, i have the ornery flu.]

All in a day's work.

By morning she was awake and asking for tea.
When the family thanked me, for "saving" her life, I was er...nonplussed, to say the least. I didn't know what to say, because it didn't seem like a big deal to me by then, when I heard what she had taken, with my actions I knew she would be ok, eventually...physically anyway. [please save your opinions on what you think of people who attempt intentional self harm for my upcoming post later on. Not here.]

[I suppose they , the family, didn't know, or didn't believe us till she actually sat up and started talking. ]

Anyway...my reponse to their thank you lies in the title of this post...
"Er...no no, yes, its ok...er, hmm...I didn't really do anything you know, it's er...you know" and looking skywards, indicating Him, whereupon they nodded, in what I hoped was understanding.

Bizarre aint' I?

Doctors don't get asked for autographs.

....It's true. We don't.

We stay up nights.

We ease your pain.

We don't sleep well, or in peace, ever.

We worry even after you leave.

We wonder if you'll feel better.

We wonder if you'll call and let us know you're better.

We OD on caffeine to stay alert. We sometimes need a pill to sleep in peace.

We refuse wedding invitations to be there for our patients.

We put our lives on hold, to learn more, to educate ourselves more.

We sacrifice our family lives, often.

We don't go out and party because we can't get drunk because we won't be able to treat you efficiently. Yes, we're geeky.

We sit by your bedside and wait till the pain subsides.

We never even hint that we want to go back to bed. We can't go, not while you're hurting.

We care.

We hurt when causing you pain too. Did you know that? The local anaesthesia is as much for us as it is for you.

We never let our anxiety show.

We never let out insecurity show.

We listen to you.

Without looking at our watches repeatedly.

We even put up with your sometimes Know-It-All attitude despite your ignorance or incomplete information.

We try to educate you, dispel your fears.

Even as we deal with our own fears.

We watch people younger to us getting married, having babies, being happy...and we still put our lives on hold till we can complete the chunk of our education.

We watch them and sometimes wish we were them.

We get out of touch with friends...often we live in our own world of medicines.

We wish you wouldn't doubt us.

We hate dealing with your distrust.

When we stand by your side to support you while you watch your stillborn baby, we fight to hold back our tears. We cry for your loss and pray for your souls after you leave.

We rub your tummies, we wipe your tears, we even clean your piss and vomit.

But its SRK or AB or PC whose autographs you want.

Dedicated to all conscientious Doctors around the world. And Janitors, nurses, sweepers and all medical personnel.