03/04/2023
Hello Friends, Today I am going to tell you one heartfelt story.
I am a practicing neurologist in Vadodara, India. In 2018, after finishing OPD and rounds, I went home at 10 p.m. After this hectic day, I was praying that now there would be no more calls in the night, and what I just wanted was some family time and good sleep. But at midnight, around 2 a.m., I got a call from the hospital. A medical officer told me that one young patient with weakness in the right-side limbs and difficulty speaking for about 30 minutes arrived in the emergency room.
Acute stroke is a medical emergency, so I had to rush to the hospital. Meanwhile, all the workup for stroke had been done. This guy had an ischemic stroke. Previously, there was no proper treatment available for acute stroke, but now, with advances in the medical field, we have various options like intravenous thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy, which can open the blood vessels and improve the outcome of stroke patients.
So, I discussed all the possible treatment options with them. Patient was from the middle class and the only working member of his family. They did not have money at that time, and they told me that they could arrange things in the morning. I could not wait until the morning. So, I discussed this with the hospital administration, and they were always helpful in nature for such patients. So we gave the injection to the patient. Luckily, the patient showed some improvement after the injection. The hospital stay was uneventful, and the patient was discharged in a stable condition in a wheelchair-bound state. In a subsequent follow-up, the patient showed a gradual recovery and was able to walk without support after 4 months. He resumed his duty after 5 months, and now he is coming for follow up.
This is a common story for any neurologist or stroke specialist. Stroke is not just a neurological disease; it can also have social and economic impacts on the family. This guy was the only earning member of his family and had two children with a bright future. If he did not recover at that time, his family would suffer a lot because the family income would diminish and his children’ future would become dark. So, a stroke leads to not only one person’s disability but also the disability of their family.
If I had not given him treatment that night , he might have had a permanent disability. So, whenever this patient comes for follow up , on seeing his smiling face, I feel lucky to have saved his life and that of his family, and this gives me enough courage to do good work further. Such an incident gives more happiness to a medical person. To spoil, one night behind any unknown person is not just about money, but the happiness we get from such good work can lead to job satisfaction.
Regards,
Dr.Kaushik Rana,
Consultant Neurophysician ,
