Have this man got Detox shots…!!!

On my very first night call in Okhaldhunga hospital, attending nurse called me, ‘Bed no. 27 is having unusual behaviors’.  That guy had taken the canula out and bleeding from canula site, I just pinched the bleeding site and asked the nurse to have got dry cotton and the load diazepam shot. He received 50 mg IM shot in subsequent steps and fell asleep and open the vein with canula. On the same night after 2 hours of event, another guy started to show same behavior. I asked him to stretch his hands and abduct the fingers…it was… fine tremor. I said to nurse, ‘Have this man got detox till he sleeps.’

They wake up in the middle of night and start showing unusual behavior to other patients and hospital staffs. They come to nursing station with fluid holding in hands. Some take out the canula and need special FBI kind treatment. This is a cold mountainous place; possibly most of the people are habituated to alcohol to get rid of cold insult. Not the specific ones, most of the tribes do.

The unique finding after 24 to 48 hours admission especially in male patients here in Okhaldhunga Community hospital is withdrawal symptoms. One guy was admitted for wasp bite, very early morning next day he was fighting with his 8 year old son who had been caring him during all night. Another guy admitted for tibial fracture next day started  crying and begging for discharge. One old fella who admitted for ligament injury admitted he wanted to get detox against alcohol consumption. It just comes to my mind to give universal shots of detox for all male patients admitted but I cannot do this without evidence.

The old lady and the kid, part II: I am just moved again

The kid with his grandma

I saw the same kid with smiley face early in the morning while in morning round. It was on the way of hospital’s corridor we faced each other. I was about to cross past him, I asked him.

‘Hey buddy what’s up?’

‘Well she is ok.’

‘Arrright, what’s about you, then?’

‘Me ok since she is ok.’

‘Will you go school tomorrow?’

‘Yeah, I am missing it.’

His grandma looked fine and happy and wanted to go home. She was discharged with subsequent therapy for her Peptic ulcer disease. She had pancreatic cancer though but we could not address it.

I was going for tea in the middle of break, ‘sir sir…’ I heard from back side.

‘Thank you…!’ the kid was right there with his beautiful smile

‘You are most welcome, buddy.’ I just knelt down and poked his chick. ‘I hope we will not see to each other in the hospital.’

‘Yeah you are right but we can meet outside the premises of this hospital.’

‘Definitely dear…!’

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Ahh, he touched my heart…I am just moved again…!!!

The old lady and the kid

Today early in the morning I saw an old lady with small kid presented to ER in Okhaldhunga Community hospital. She had got burning epigastric pain.  While asking about members in family, she is living with that little kid; her husband is no more with her. The elder son, the kid’s father passed away many years back and the daughter in-law, the kid’s mother is far away in Kathmandu who comes once in a blue moon. Younger sons do not look after her. She had been having pain for 3 days and similar episodes in the past though.

While going through previous report, she found to have pancreatic cancer. While asking about socioeconomic status, there is virtually no one earning and supporting them. She has grandson, the kid who helps her make food and feed her.  They have some fields to grow foods. This time she came with Peptic ulcer disease (gastritis).

While asking kid, he had his eyes full of tears, burying his face with his hands, ‘I study in class 2. I go to school regularly but this time; I am not able to manage to go school because my grandmother succumbed to sick.’

 ‘Wont you go school now?’

‘How can I leave grandmother in this situation, sir?’

It just touched my heart. A nine year kid thinks that way and always there to serve his grandmother in every possible aspect. I was moved with his manner.