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Like all doting mothers, my mother had prayed earnestly
for her child to be born to be one in a thousand people. God
could do nothing but grant the sweet lady her wish and I was
born as one in ten thousand people - I was born with Acute
Intermittent Porphyria(AIP).
Let me not get into the intricacies of AIP. I was 11 years
old, when my parents noticed my 'speciality' one day, while I
pretended to be Alexander the Great and with a kitchen knife in
my hand set out to conquer the park swing ruled by Attila the
Hun (who infact was my classmate). I was told later on, that
Attila would have lost an ear had my teacher not stopped me in
time.
Perhaps it is because I am stricken with this disease that I
had a burning desire to become a doctor to heal people. From my
childhood itself I'd read about great doctors and one particular
gentleman- Dr. Harvey Cushing-the father of Modern Neurosurgery.
He had impressed me through and through.
By God's grace I got through the Medical Entrance Examination
and on October 23, 2000, I - Krishna - walked through the
portals of Calicut Medical College. I sat in the Biochemistry
Lecture Hall awestruck at the beauty of the institution where I
was to shape my career. A few minutes later a girl came and sat
beside me. She was one of my batchmates.
After an hour of waiting (during which most of my batchmates
had assembled in the lecture hall) a gentleman came in and
announced that all the students were required to assemble in the
Auditorium.
Flash
I felt as if something had struck me. I looked beside me and
saw a nurse sitting there. "Nurse, follow me to the
Auditorium". "What? What did you call me?" my
batchmate asked. "I said, follow me Nurse," "No I
won’t, you pompous fool." she said and folded her arms.
"How dare you disobey a direct order from me, Dr. Harvey
Cushing?" I said and pulled her by her hand to the
auditorium.
Upon reaching there I was indignant at the fact that they
hadn't reserved a seat for me on the dais. I had to be content
with a seat in the first row and I pulled my nurse beside me. My
batchmate had by now realized that I wasn't in my full senses
and she began to play along. "Dr. Harvey, who?, .... sit
here for some time, I'm sure they'll call you to address the
gathering later on". "Yes, I guess you are right
nurse, I'll quiet down for the time being."
The principal of Calicut Medical College addressed the
audience and he talked eloquently about the nobility of the
medical profession. How could he even think that his speech
could compare with the discourse that I, Dr. Harvey, uhh..
Cushing, was about to give. His speech was followed by more from
several HOD’s after which the principal invited members of the
audience to come up and speak.
I got up from my seat but my nurse held me back. "Dr. I
don't think this is the right time to talk".
"Nonsense, Nurse, I can make a speech whenever I choose to.
Now, let me go." I got onto the stage.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce myself. I am Dr.
Harvey Cashing, a Neurosurgeon at the Massachusetts Hospital of
Neurosurgery, USA". The audience fell dead silent. " I
shall not delve into how noble our profession is, for the
Principal has spoken at length about it. Instead I would like to
talk about how innovation and ingenuity can advance our
profession. Ours is a field that is constantly
advancing..."
Suddenly my mobile rang. "Hello, What ? I'm required
urgently, in the Operation Theatre? I'll be right there. Sorry
folks, duty calls. Nurse, follow me". I ran off in the
direction of the OT and half the audience followed me there. My
nurse kept pulling me back but I was not to be stopped.
On reaching the OT I created a fuss about not letting me in.
The ignorant fools hadn't recognised me. The principal came up
and tried to console me. Suddenly I felt the jab of a syringe in
my deltoid and I fell down unconscious.
I woke up as Krishna on a bed in one of the students’ wards
in the CMC hospital and I told the house surgeon attending me
about my illness. The principal too was right beside me and he
told me that he understood my predicament. He was ready to
forgive me on the condition that I would take my medications on
time.
My nurse-my batchmate was also there and she smiled sweetly
indicating that she too had forgiven me.
Medications help relieve most of the symptoms of AIP but I
live in constant fear of having an attack of psychiatric
disorder. I mean, its so unpredictable - it can happen just
anytime, anywhere, while I'm doing anything.
Well, anyway I hope you liked this story I wrote.
Hey wait a minute, what am I saying?
Of course you liked it- it's a masterpiece. After all it was
born of the fertile mind of Ernest Hemmingway-that's me of
course.
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