Monday, March 12, 2018

This is what life is all about.

It has become a materialistic world. Relationships have lost their value. Each one to his/her self where self preservation and narrow interests guide every action. Guess we've reached this state thanks to the break up of the joint family system and the metamorphosis to a highly materialistic world. What people don't realise is that the younger generations are watching and when their turn comes, they wouldn't have any compunction to dump their elders to their fate, without caring, because precious wealth will be 'wasted' and they'd take it as natural because they'd seen their parents do it! 

What I write is with malice towards none. Perhaps, I'm being too sentimental and insensitive to the facts on ground!

I'd spoken about Saturday's happenings when Radhan chettan was admitted into the ICU of the Amala Hospital. His condition was precarious with his Creatinine level being much higher than what it should have been. Earlier, when I'd reached his house with the ambulance, there were two reactions:-

     (a) His mom, "Son, you've overdone it".
     (b) The daughter, "Chetta, there's no point in shifting him to the hospital. We're down in funds and
           therefore, wait till Monday. We're trying to get in touch with an organisation, here, where the
           expenses for treatment will be minimal".

I realised that fingers were being pointed at me for unnecessarily(?) shifting him to the hospital and forcing them to incur an expenditure that was 'avoidable'. I'd to remind everybody about our conversation, earlier in the evening, when they wanted me to get a doctor who could make a house call to have a look at Radhan chettan. Probably, they're under the impression that after the check up, the doctor would prescribe a few medicines to tide over the situation. I'd clearly told the three ladies present there that if the doctor advised removal of the patient to a hospital for care, they had to be ready for the eventuality.

Jimmy, the doctor, had precisely given me that advice. Without second thoughts - there was no point in insisting on the house call - on my suggestion, the  doctor had fixed up an ambulance for the purpose and the rest of the story has already been narrated in my post of Saturday. Last evening, I'd got a call from the daughter that it was decided by them to shift Radhan chettan to a palliative care at Thrissur and could I help in getting a discharge certificate notwithstanding the patient's condition?

Early, this morning, Sathi Chechi had seen Radhan chettan at the ICU whose condition had stabilised thanks to a dip in his Creatinine level. She spoke to the doctor about their plans who, without any hesitation, handed over to her the certificate (Was that an indication that there was nothing more to do from the medical point of view, I wonder?). By afternoon, his second son had fetched up from Kottayam and together, they'd shifted him to the palliative care.



Tailpiece.

Perhaps, the harsh realities of today's life preclude clinging on to attachments, sentiments and relationships. But to me, shorn of all the niceties, in this case, everyone will now wait for his inevitable end as his condition worsens without being provided the sessions of dialysis that he badly needs! Well this attitude towards life baffles me, confuses me. Am I being old fashioned and behind the times?

I've got into trouble earlier, with some of my relations, over a similar issue. Have not learnt from mistakes as Lekha aptly puts it.

  

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