Hi Hiveans... So I have been cooking up a story for you all. Guess you already think you have known the story by the title right? Maybe Yes... however, a read through might proof you wrong or right.
Good Bye Son
I had gone to county hospital to see a friend who had a car accident. I was still at the reception trying to enquire which ward to check up when I had a woman's voice coming my way. I had peeped through the passage to see what was wrong when I saw the woman in tears with one of the doctors. "I cannot take it any longer. He's living daily in tears and pain. He's not healing doctor, please help me". I had felt pity on her. That might be her only child and from her distance I guessed she is a window.
"What you are telling me to do is against medical practices here in Nigeria. In some countries abroad may be they would have considered that straight up, but not here. My license will be ceased and then I will have a death penalty hanging on me" the doctor had said. I started thinking, what kind of sickness could it be that the healing process will render the doctor jobless. I turned to look at the nurse (receptionist) who had been trying to get my attention and had given up. She had confirmed the ward my friend was but this present issue has taken my attention.
I smiled at her apologetically and she smiled back. "Don't worry, I see a lot of that". Wow! She wasn't angry, so I fired on. "what sickness is that woman's son suffering from?" I asked "I don’t know but he was brought here about two years ago. And what we were treating then was Acute Cancer but the boy's case presently is far more than Cancer". She has responded. "So what then is the woman telling the doctor to do?" I asked again. "Euthanasia, it will help the boy die quick" she replied. "Suicide" I said almost shouting out of fear. "No. Euthanasia is a practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve the patient of pain and suffering. A doctor is allowed by law to end a person’s life by painless means as long as the patient and the family agrees". I never knew such practice existed. " So why is the doctor saying no?" I asked again. "Because Nigerian Government haven't sign the practice into law" She responded. Then I got interested in the mother and doctor's passage discussion.
picture from "theidolbabbler.com"
"I am a barrister, Let the consequences be on me. You will end his pain now!". The finality of her tone gave me the true picture of the boys pains as well as the mother's.
I had rushed down to see my friend. He noticed I was absent minded. "Moses, stop this. Don't get yourself worked up for me. I will be fine. Just thank God it was the car that was damaged in the accident". He was right, I was worried but not for him but the boy and his mother. I took permission from my friend with promise to return back in few minutes. I rushed back to my "gist mate"; the receptionist. She told me the doctor and the boy’s mother had gone to the boy's ward. She had given me signal to take a look. I jumped at the opportunity and from the glass door I could see mother and son, a parting hug amidst tears. At another corner of the room, I could see the doctor infusing some liquid substance into the syringe.
Then the boys voice came up again; as fragile as he now looked. I could count the number of bones on him. " Good bye mother" he had said and the mother with a fresh outpour of tears replied "Goodbye Son" with that the doctor went into action. I couldn't stand to watch, I forgot my promise to David my friend. I drove home.
THE END
Note: The Story you just read is a fiction.
Pictures are screenshots from the internet (google Search Engine)
Euthanasia (from Greek: εὐθανασία 'good death': εὖ, eu 'well, good' + θάνατος, thanatos 'death') is the practice of intentionally ending life to relieve pain and suffering
