26/04/2023
The day before Eid holidays, a 37-year-old man came to me with sudden loss of vision in his left eye. He had retinal detachment with a giant retinal tear and vitreous hemorrhage. With only two hours left on duty, I explained his condition to him, and we agreed that he needed urgent surgery.
The surgery was a success, and I discharged the patient with post-op instructions to go back to his hometown. Today, on his follow-up visit after holidays, I was thrilled to see that his retina was attached, and his best-corrected visual acuity had improved from counting fingers to 6/15.
However, what broke my heart was the reason why he could not comply with post op medications and instructions. His 15-day-old daughter had passed away during the Eid holidays. I was speechless and didn't know what to say.
When I successfully performed the surgery and saw the patient's retina attached on his follow-up visit, I felt a sense of accomplishment. However, when I learned about the loss of his daughter, my heart sank with immense sadness. But what amazed me was his resilience. He had gone through a tough surgery, lost his daughter, and still managed to follow up with me.
My heart goes out to him and his family, and I pray that they find the strength to overcome this difficult time. May his daughter rest in peace, and may Allah grant him and his family patience and strength.
