Coming Out Of A Low Phase of Life

“Doctor, how is my baby?” I asked anxiously as soon as the doctor came out of the morning round from the neo-natal department of the hospital. He used to update the anxious parents about their respective babies after his round every morning and evening. He called me to his cabin inside to give me more details on the baby’s health.

He looked into my face and smiled. “There is good news for you. We are planning to discharge him after two days. He is improving, and almost ready to go home! We’ll observe him for two more days.”

My eyes were turning watery in happiness. After the delivery that day was the thirty eighth day of his life. He was shifted from the maternity hospital to a specialised children’s hospital for treatment immediately after his birth, as he was born prematurely in the 26th week of pregnancy. Barely weighing 1.45 kg at birth, he was suffering from multiple ailments due to the same.

“But you have to take care of him as its being done here.” My happiness turned into anxiousness in a moment. Watching that on my face doctor again assured. “No, nothing to worry, you have to take care of the hygiene, timing of medication and make sure that only 2-3 persons will handle the baby. Every week, you can come here for check-up for a few weeks. Don’t worry, he is a real fighter and will improve with time.”

I nodded in relief.

Finally, the day arrived, and we brought my son home with a lot of joy. We made our home, the baby room ready like hospital, We completed the billing formalities of the hospital before the discharge. We met and expressed our gratitude to all the staff we had come across our staying of forty days in that hospital. We had some apprehension too- as young parents we had doubts in our capabilities that can we take care of his fragile health and the kind of care and prompt attention he was getting at the hospital. At the time of discharge, his weight was 1.35 kg. Though less than the birth weight, it was still better than what he weighed about a week ago. During the course of treatment, he had a stomach infection and could not tolerate any feeding for 10 days and survived only on IV fluids. But soon we conquered our fear. We took very good care of him at home and regularly visited the doctor at the hospital once or twice every week. He confirmed that he was improving satisfactorily and gaining weight too. There was nothing much to worry. We could visit to the hospital monthly once.

That day while thanking doctor he said something that had a deep impact on me. He said, “Doctors can’t save any one’s life, real savior is the Almighty up there. He is a fighter and survived such a situation. To tell you the truth, we all had almost given up the hope, when he developed the stomach infection. The first thirty days after discharge was crucial and he has done very well. You should feel blessed, it’s a miracle. Doctors only treat, God heals.” Tears were flowing from eyes like never before. The tears of joy, gratefulness all emotions mixed together. That day I came to know the spiritual side of such a highly qualified and experienced doctor.

At home, I followed what the nurses were doing in the hospital. Before retiring to the mothers’ room I had observed and few things I asked them to explain me. They did with interest and enthusiasm. As that time, I did not understand the local language, the English-speaking nurses will take initiative to explain me everything in detail. I also got a chance at that time to learn the local language.

After 40 days of hospitalisation we brought him home and provided utmost care like a hospital. We followed his doctors’ advice to the T. And he was improving. After a few months, once he had diarrhea with visible fat in the stool.

Doctor advised pathological stool test. The report showed no abnormalities including “NIL FAT”, even though the motion had substantial fat content. Obviously, doctor prescribed no medicine. But we were much worried. As the diarrhea continued, the tiny soul lost weight. The doctor who treated him was not getting any clue to treat the infant. Horrified by that, we did the test again. The result was taking time. Finding no way my hubby bought an ayurvedic medicine, on the advice of a chemist. After 2-3 doses, he was cured of that condition giving us a sigh of relief. The result of the second test proved what we knew all along- there was substantial fat content in the stool.

By God’s grace, he was cured of all the prematurity related issues.

Apart from doctor’s advice, one should use their common sense. Reliable and timely diagnosis is very important.