Personality & Psychology / Social

Real Life Story: Harsh Truth

By caringsurgeon | Published 17 May 2022 | 1 Comment

It was around 5:30 pm, May 15, 2018, I was sleeping since 11 am, after getting tired from night duty. My cell phone was ringing, I was drowsy and lazy to take the call, but I picked up just before its last ring. I opened half of my right eye to see the caller. He was my senior “hmm hello boss” I replied in a very sluggish and lazy tone. In his background, clear clamours were audible “I just survived, man” he said. He was tachypneic, afraid and surprised “that bridge, which was under-construction at cantonment, collapsed just in behind of me and all vehicles and humans got crumpled under the collapsed bridge”. Unbelievable! What I was listening. I sat back like I never slept. 

“I think I should call you, you should get up, we will start getting these victims in a few minutes, and also inform others for help, Bye, take care”, and he hung up the call. Simultaneously listening to him, I was getting messages on WhatsApp, the pictures (Click)  of accidents. The images (Click) can melt out any beating human heart. I was trying to imagine the scene; this incident could happen to anyone of us, at any stage of life. “You are going in a car in your city, in expected crowed; suddenly a massive cemented slab crushes the car, that ends everything. No matter what you did, what you were doing, or what you are going to do in your life. No matter, which is dependent on you, who is waiting for you. No matter whether you are a doctor, a scientist, an engineer, a lawyer, a judge, a social worker or a common man. No matter! For now, you got crumpled between bridge and ground, and this was a completely preventable tragedy—an utter Negligence. 

With these racing thoughts, I was calling my team members to reach the trauma centre as soon as possible, I dressed up and walked towards the trauma centre. It was 2 minutes away from my hostel. 

I reached to trauma centre almost 7 minutes after getting a call. Team members were coming one by one. We were ready; a mass casualty alarm was activated. Blood bank, ICU, Operation theatres, Radiology technician and other backup staff were informed. Within 15 minutes, everything was ready; teams were divided to catch the maximum patient at a time without any delay in management. Everyone was on the toe and waiting for patients. After 25 minutes we received a victim brought by police, which was packed in black polythene, it was astounding for all of us- a human body in a polybag. The day I realised the police are doing a more difficult job than us- Retrieved a human body in pieces. 

I asked him “Why did you bring him here”. While opening the black bag, he asked: “can you make it recognisable”. There was no face, a crushed body with a few small pieces was packed. We send him directly to the mortuary.

Pin-drop silence for a while, human life is entirely unpredictable. Still, people live with ego, pride, hurt and cause trouble to others, irrespective of their education and position. 

Maybe, modes of death were crueller in this world, that we used to read in history, how emperors used to kill the people. For me, this was the most barbaric death of this modern era. After being human, evolved too much in technology, education, medical science, physics, space and all. We should keep in mind that, for a newborn baby, everything would be nascent. We may provide them with better technology but cannot offer the experience, inborn feeling & emotions, and power of thinking as they are born with all skills. 

Though I have seen many deaths, where I could make a diagnosis and cause of death, and sometimes they make me emotional. This event was something which made me mute—same time, I had to hide my emotions because I was at my workplace. Within a few minutes, we started getting many patients, now all dead bodies (around 25) were directly going to the mortuary without hampering the treatment of other victims. We received, ten victims in ten minutes the whole emergency becomes full. We continuously getting more and more patients, except one, the rest of the patients were non-critical, and we are sure they will not die because of this accident. Deaths were like all or none types. We used to have our NDRF trainee with us. They were getting training to learn medical management and handling situation in cases of disasters. One trainee entered, came close to me and asked “Boss may I help you”.

While looking at his face “yes please” I replied. His face was looking sad, eyes little red and puffy, which was indicating recent emotional events. I asked, “what happened”? He replied “two NDRF soldiers ( My friends) died in the accident. They were going home via bus; they were standing at the rear end, posterior 2/3rd of the bus got crushed by the bridge, few survived in the bus and mostly died. I knew them very well; it was hard to believe how somebody could die suddenly. All perplexed emotions were at zenith. Meanwhile, I received a 50 years old lady, with a significant laceration over her forehead, after looking at the wound I planned it for wound repair. She was oriented, and on proper examination, no other injuries were recorded. A lady (friend) was with her, she told me, she lost her husband(55) and his only boy(25) in the accident. His son was driving the car, and her husband was inside front seat, the bridge fell on the anterior half of the car, so both (husband and son) were crushed in front of her and she just survived. It was out of imagination; I recalled the voice of my senior, who just crawled only a few seconds away from collapsing bridge, and he survived. After listening to her, my eyes became wet. My emotions are always empathetic, but my practical actions make them less expressive. On that day, it was tough for me to put myself into that situation. Being a mother and wife how difficult it could be, I was trying to imagine. I realised – men can’t think like women. Women can’t think like men, a young can’t feel like an elder, and a politician can’t feel common man. 

I knew- it will be declared an accident and lives will be replaced with the money of 5 lakhs. The same happened after 3-4 hours of the tragedy. Insight is a very subjective feeling – I cannot make you realise it.  

I gave her painkillers; we were ready for her wound closure. A news reporter entered an emergency room, and came near to the same lady; he had information that she lost her husband and son in the accident. I was cleaning her wound, even without permission, he put his mike in front of her mouth and asked-“you saw two death in front of you – how you are feeling today”. She cried out loudly without answering the question. 

I requested him to stay outside. He replied: “I am from media, don’t stop me”. I Said – “She is not in the condition to answer your question, and I also need to finish my work” then he left. Being a doctor – I am supposed to stay humble. I still remember the face of that reporter, he was a young guy(28), I don’t know, where the sympathy was lost between profession and carrier. It was awful and emotionless, how an educated person can ask such questions.

How a human is different from an animal because they have the cognitive power to understand the real world and perform accordingly. A conscience to judge good or bad, take decisions based on evidence and experience( Pro-active), and respect others’ emotions. Understand the holistic situation. Human has the power to read emotion and expression -without putting words. The human brain has an area, known as the “neocortex” though it is also present in other mammals, most evolved in humans. It is responsible for intelligence, learning skills and coordination of memories and ideas. Now if we have everything, where it is lost. 

I cannot say- the brain is in regression. However, I should say humans are utilising their ability in the wrong direction—intelligence without emotion, Emotions without intelligence. 

Another aspect of the story. The idea of constructing a bridge over a busy road. It is more political but related to human psychological development as I mentioned. Politicians replaced an invaluable human life with 3-5 lac rupees – a preventable accident – took many lives, and still taking lives.

“Teachers are not only, who teaches; Diet is not only, what you eat.”

“Think fast- React slow.”        

Stay empathetic, and feel others.  

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@drawaneesh

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