A day in the life of my Dad's work!

So I was sitting lazying on the couch of my parent's cosy living room that winter morning when my Dad got all ready to leave for work. He took a final sip of his vegetable juice which my mom judiciously prepares for him every morning before she leaves for the hospital where she works as a gynecologist. 

So it is December - my favorite month of the year when I  get to spend my holidays with my family and pretty much treated royally. As my father hurriedly stepped outside to get into his car in the drive way I thought how would a day in the life of a Pediatrician be like and so I decided to shadow my father to the hospital and experience his day. 

Obviously he did not have the time to wait until I dragged my body out of the comfort of the couch and got ready. I joined him an hour later when he was already taking his rounds at the hospital. I immediately much started following him with other interns and nurses assisting him and taking meticulous notes as he completed his round. 

Now there is something about the hospitals. The place is full of sick people, where people are sad but there is an air of hope amongst all of this. At the entrance of the hospital I saw a Ganesha -Hindu god's idol standing all mighty and strong with well lit lamps and flowers decorated. Some patients sat across the idol with their hands folded as they prayed for the well being of their loved ones. The sweet lady at the reception wished us as we entered into the Children's department.  

Understanding the Baby language

 Understanding the 'baby language'. As we entered in the NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, we washed and changed into scrubs. I saw a few babies supported in an incubator. The NICU is basically a special care nursery with equipments designed for infants and medical staff specially trained in newborn care. This is 

where I saw him speak and understand the 'baby language'.

 Interacting with 3 day old babies - understanding their 

cries, eye movements, breathing patterns were 

helping him understand their current state of health. Now children that age do not rant a story about any symptoms or problem they are facing other than crying and blasting their lungs out. I observed how my father would gently pick up small babies checking their heart rates, tapping on their tiny little feet and trying to gather all the information from their perplexed mothers. After which he would suggest a treatment suitable for the child. 

Doctor -Patient Relationship

Now since my dad is a child's specialist all his patients are tiny little humans with their parents on the side. One important step is to understand baby's problems but also communicate that to the parents 

I noticed this as soon as my dad would enter into a patient's room and would start diagnosing the baby. He would then very patiently explain the cause and details of what had happened to the parents. I could see hope in the parent's worried eyes as they agreed to the treatment. I noticed how my father would convince the parents and patiently answer all their questions and address any concerns. 

After his patient's rounds he went into his office and started meeting a number of people who needed his help in making decisions either about hospital administration or patient care. I proudly sat in his office sipping coffee, as I saw him making decisions and I realized how passion drives one's work. 

Hats off to a life which is dedicated to creating a healthier tomorrow for many young lives!