For me, this year has gone tough with regards to health circumstances in my family. I had several visits to medical clinics and hospitals. At times for my own treatment while at other times for my sons or mother-in-law.
Fighting illness in the family is itself an exhausting experience, and if there happens to be an encounter with a poor healthcare system, the experience turns to be a nightmare- the haunting memories of which keep dreading for a long time.
We passed through such an experience when the illness of my mother-in-law took a serious shape.
She has been a diabetic patient for more than two decades. Over the past few years, she has developed kidney-related medical conditions, which have significantly weakened her and led to the emergence of comorbidities. Consequently, she became bedridden to the extent of wearing diapers.
While we were dealing with her renal disorders and amnesia, another problem arose. She had difficulty pooping. The constipation became worse. The anal area was unable to be closed due to persistent presence of hard faeces. The condition put her in great pain.
While we were making attempts to treat her constipation, some spots of blood started appearing on her diaper along with the spots of poop. Initially, we didn’t give that much attention to it thinking that it might have caused owing to pressure exerted for excretion.
Nonetheless, the situation became extremely serious within a couple of days. It was around 10:30 pm when I opened her diaper to change it. The diaper and the trouser was not only filled with enormous quantity of blood, but a rectum-shaped big lump was hanging out of the anal area.
I couldn’t make sense of what it was. I immediately asked my sister-in-law to come and see. Looking at the lump she said it appears to be the rectum has come out. With fear of hurting the organ, I didn’t change the diaper but enclosed it the same way.
We had no option but to rush to a hospital immediately. However, the question was which hospital would attend her at that time. We decided to take her to the nearest private hospital which had an emergency unit in it.
We called an ambulance and waited for its arrival. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes gone. The ambulance didn’t arrive. Here, the mother-in-law was groaning in pain and continuously pleading to take her to the hospital at once.
At last, my brother-in-law got out and brought an ambulance. The one we had called in the beginning had not arrived until then. 😠Anyways, we took her to the hospital.
The doctor in the Emergency asked about her illness and declared that no treatment could be given to her there as it was a surgery case and no surgeon was available there at that time. She recommended us a government hospital where surgeons are available at the night time.
After taking her out of the emergency room, we waiting for the ambulance. The one we had called in the beginning had not still reached. They were contacted thrice and every time they would say, the ambulance was about to reach. After waiting for more than 20 minutes, my brother-in-law called the ambulance center again. Their response made him angry. He even called them names and tried to embarrass them for what they were doing with the responsibility they were given.
In the mean time, he made a call to another ambulance service, Aman Ambulance. They told us that they would reach there in a few minutes.
While we were waiting for Aman Ambulance to arrive, the first one arrived. My brother-in-law asked the driver why he didn’t come on time. The driver told that he was told to reach only five minutes ago and he had rushed. It meant that the head office had not forwarded the request to the driver despite being called over and over again. On the other hand, they kept on telling us that the request is forwarded and the vehicle was on its way. It is quite sad that the responsibility of saving lives have landed into the hands of those who feel no worth to it.
Anyways, after the arrival of Aman Ambulance, we headed towards the hospital. It took about 20 minutes to reach there.
In the emergency, no senior doctor was available at that time of the night. However, they admitted her and began first aid. Meanwhile, they had called a surgeon. It took some time for him to arrive.
The condition of the hospital was quite pitiful. The sanitizer dispenser were there but without sanitizer in them. No bench for attendants to sit beside the patient. The stretchers were made of steel plate without any foam or cushion covering on it; just imagine a patient to be thrown on such a hard surface without any pillow under the head. Anyways.....
When the surgeon came, he opened the diaper and said that it was a serious condition needing immediate diagnosis of the reason causing fresh bleeding. He doubted that an internal injury in intestine or rectum was causing it. However, he mentioned that the tools and technology required for the diagnosis was not available in that hospital and we should take her to another hospital. He recommended an injection and a drip after the administration of which we moved to another government hospital. It was at a long distance.
The time was around 3 am when we reached that hospital. The condition was more miserable than the previous hospital.
It had a big emergency room with a huge number of patients. Only two toilets were available for the whole lot of patients and attendants. The stench was enough to make a healthy person sick. Hardly a couple of bins were there to throw the trash, diapers or vomiting. The irony was that there was no nearby shop from where the necessities like diapers or toilet papers could be bought.
There was only one cubical curtain available for all the patients, and that was not the whole but the half part so that a bed couldn’t be covered completely. We had a tough time changing the diaper using that curtain. It was not enough to maintain the privacy.
Then there was another drama. Some junior doctors came and asked about the problem. They told us that a senior would come to examine after 6 0'clock in the morning. No examination was done, no treatment was given.
After the sun rise, senior doctors started coming. A surgeon came, took details and told that it was the case of the medicine doctor. Then the medicine doctor came, took details and told that it was the case of a surgeon. Would you believe, it happened thrice (means 6 times), the surgeon came and referred us to medicine and vice versa.
One of the doctors, told me to clean the diaper unless she couldn’t examine. I said that the rectum was out and I was afraid to hurt it. I told her that I couldn’t do the task alone. I asked for the help of the nurse. She replied as if she was mocking at me that it was Emergency and no nurses were available at that spot.
She was not ready to examine without changing the diaper. At last, I called my sister-in-law to reach the hospital so that she might assist me. Her home was far away. It took her some time to come.
When she came, we opened the diaper. The lump that was hanging from the anal area had landed on the diaper. I wondered what it was. We waited for the doctor to come and observe it but she was busy with others. Finally, I threw the diaper away.
When the doctor came, I told her that the lump was out. I wondered what it could be. It was not faeces I was sure. The doctor scorned me and told the rectum couldn’t be broken out of the body. I wanted an explanation for the lump while she had scornful comments. She didn’t give any attention to it. (Later I found out via doctor friend that lumps of blood had a significance in the diagnosis of the ailment).
When the doctor of medicine examined her, she said that she couldn’t diagnose anything as she was not bleeding at that time. Huuuuuh! A doctor was not ready to examine her in a blood filled diaper and now another doctor was unable to diagnose anything because she was not bleeding. (The bleeding had stopped due to the injection given in the previous hospital).
The doctor told us to bring her back to the hospital four days later when the OPD for gastroenterology would be available. She recommended some medicine. I asked her if we should give her Tranzamine (A drug to prevent internal bleeding). She replied oh yeah you may give. Then she added it to the recommendation. Amazing! Was she a doctor or I?
We spent hours there without any diagnosis or treatment. Something that we got there was confusion, headache and tiredness.
I am a person with basic knowledge of biology. I am aware of the names and uses of several drugs. I know how to read and write. A person like me was unable to make sense of the things. I wonder how the illiterate and poor masses of the country who have no money to access private health sector would deal with this miserable health system.
Amidst all these wretched circumstances of health care system in the country, there was something that deserved appreciation. It was Aman Ambulance Service
The service is provided by a non-profit organisation. Their ambulance is air conditioned with all the facilities needed for first aid including oxygen cylinders, sugar, blood pressure and oxygen testing tools. (I don’t know the names of several other tools). The stretchers are comfortable with belts so that the patient may be fastened.
The staff is well trained. They are aware of the first aid treatment the patient may be in a need of. Moreover, it is not like they just drop at the door of the hospital, instead they assist until the patient reaches the desired spot. They do not leave until the patient is sure to be accepted the particular hospital
The presence of such people who are working for the humanity amidst the corrupt and irresponsible government is a hope for the nation.
May God give us the leaders who understand the burden of the oath they take when sitting on the public seats.
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This is my participation for Hive Learner’s featured contest.
