If film producers or writers want to write some scripts or stories, they should visit either a hospital or a crematorium ground. It is a place where every second will make you reflect on the value of life through many real life dramas. I am neither a writer nor a film producer, so I may not be able to present my reflections of my short stay in JDWNRH in exact manner I wanted to do so…but sure it will be worth writing.
I was in the neonatal ward where my child was admitted for jaundice. Being our first child, both my wife and I were nervous to know that our son caught jaundice. But still I acted with courage and consoled my wife. However, thanks to the nurses who have explained clearly about the diseases, she was convinced that it was not very serious or life threatening disease. By the end of the fifth day, my son successfully recovered through photo-therapy and was discharged with guidance on breast feeding. Thanks once more to all the staff involved from nurses to sweepers who keep running the ward. A great job!
I am happy that my son has recovered, but still could not recover from mental disturbance I am going through when I reflect my five days in neonatal ward. In the same ward, like us there were many parents whose children were admitted for various cases ranging from premature birth to cases of child with multiple diseases. There were five children being admitted in ICU with various cases. Within that five days, I found two of them could not be saved despite all the efforts made by the team of health staff. And I pray their souls to rest in peace.
Sangay (baby name changed) who was also admitted in the ICU was doing well, I heard from one of my bed mates whose son was also admitted in the ICU. Thank God, I said. I prayed to God to bless him with all the magical powers to survive. He has lots of things to learn and share to this world.
As Bhutanese and especially as Buddhist one may not believe, but it was true that his mother, who has given birth to him went to Australia after three days of his delivery along with her husband, to pursue his masters degree. At the moment he was looked after by her maternal aunt who also seems to be in her early 20′s. Every 2-3 hours I found his aunt going to ICU ward to feed him ‘Lactogen’ when the nurses on duty call her. I wish it would have been better if Sangay could have got time to remain in his mother’s womb for 9 months., but he had the luxury to stay in his mother’s warm womb only for 8 months.
I wondered what compelled his mother to leave her baby, but I learned she went there to make money. I don’t know why, but for the first time in my life, cold tears fell from my eyes. Money for what? I ask and even at some point of time, I tried to be optimist by thinking that they wanted to secure Sangay’s future. Future? What type of future they are securing for him? In due process many questions flood my mind without much concrete answers. I have stopped thinking now, but that makes me guilty. But I ask myself questions after questions:
1. It is said that God cannot be reached every where therefore mother is there. Is she a God?
2. Sangay’s father seems highly educated man. Is he really?
3. This is a story in the land where GNH was born. What will be the definition of GNH for Sangay’s father and mother?
4. What will be the future of Sangay, if ever he reflects on his life?
5. Can they call him their son?
6. Can we blame Sangay?
And this is not the end. But I believe it would be Sangay’s father and mother who would be only able to answer these questions. But I feel that two of them as human beings will have no fundamental rights to answer these questions. So, I ask readers to find some answers to my questions.
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