Walezi wapendwa,
Kipande hiki sio laini. Kwa sababu huduma za afya sio laini kamwe.
Mapema mwaka huu, mama yangu alilazwa hospitalini kwa kupasuka kwa ghafla kwa aneurysm katika ubongo wake. Unaweza kusoma kuhusu kipengele cha uzoefu huo hapa . Wiki iliyopita, alikuja nyumbani.
Siku mbili tu baada ya kufika nyumbani, nilimkuta ametoka kitandani na kuketi chini. Alikuwa amelowa maji. Na bomba la kulisha ambalo lilipaswa kukaa tumboni mwake wakati akijifunza tena jinsi ya kumeza kwa usalama? Ilikuwa karibu na mto wake.
Baba yangu alikuwa ameondoka kwenda bafuni kwa dakika mbili kabla ya haya kutokea. Kwa bahati nzuri, alikuwa sawa - na kama daktari wa magonjwa ya tumbo, nilijua la kufanya kuhusu bomba la kulisha (pata mbadala ndani ya tumbo lake haraka kabla ya shimo kufungwa)!
Si rahisi kutunza mahitaji ya kila siku ya mtu ambaye hawezi kuyafanya yeye mwenyewe. Hivi ndivyo tumekuwa tukigundua moja kwa moja.
Kwa hivyo ninaandika hii kutoa shukrani. Kwa wahudumu wote hospitalini waliomuangalia Mama. Katika nyakati zetu za ujinga zaidi, sisi madaktari wakati mwingine tunaweza kukuita "wafanyakazi wasaidizi." Sitatumia neno hilo tena. WEWE SI msaidizi.
Lilikuwa ni tendo takatifu kwako kumkaribisha Mama kwa kila asubuhi mpya. Na kunyonya bunduki yote ambayo ilikuwa imejilimbikiza kinywani mwake mara moja.
Lilikuwa ni tendo takatifu kwako kumsaidia kutoka kitandani anapohitaji kwenda chooni. Na kumsafisha alipokuwa amejichafua.
Lilikuwa ni tendo takatifu kwako kumlisha kila siku kupitia mrija huo laini nilizokuwa nikikupa, zilizotengenezwa kwa mboga zilizopandwa kwa mikono yake mwenyewe kabla ya kuugua. Na kumzuia asichomoe bomba.
Lilikuwa tendo takatifu kwako kumsaidia kusogeza mikono na miguu na mwili wake kila siku ili kujenga upya nguvu zake. Na kumviringisha kitandani ili kuzuia vidonda vya shinikizo.
Ilikuwa ni tendo takatifu kumwimbia ili apone kupitia nguvu ya muziki. Na kufanya milio yake ya milio ili aweze kumeza tena.
Ulipoanza kumwita Shangazi kama tunavyofanya katika tamaduni za Kihindi, uliposuka nywele zake zilizobaki, ulipomwita Amma kwa sababu alikukumbusha mama yako mwenyewe, ulipomnyanyua kitandani ili aweze kubeba uzito wako juu yako, wakati uliheshimu matakwa yetu ya faragha, ulipokataa kunifukuza chumbani kwa sababu nilikataa kuvaa gauni la kudhibiti maambukizi ili tuweze kukaa kwenye baridi bila maambukizi. chumbani, ulipomruhusu kaka yangu kupenyeza wavulana wake wawili katika chumba cha wagonjwa mahututi kwa sababu hakuwa na uhakika kama wangemwona Nanamma wao akiwa hai tena… Hayo yalikuwa matendo matakatifu.
Na ulipomtia ndani usiku na kumtakia heri - kama vile alikuwapo na kusikiliza kikamilifu, hata katika hali yake ya kukosa fahamu…hilo lilikuwa takatifu.
Madaktari kadhaa wamefanya vipimo kadhaa vya damu, X-rays, na matibabu kama sehemu ya matibabu ya mama yangu. Umekuwa sehemu ya matibabu yake kama wao.
Tunapokabiliana na changamoto ya kumfanyia mama nyumbani kile ulichomfanyia hospitalini, nakutakia jambo moja. Natamani kwamba wakati fulani unapoingiza data nyingi zisizo na maana katika rekodi ya matibabu ya kielektroniki ya mgonjwa wako - data ambayo hutumikia kimsingi miundo yetu ya matibabu ya kisheria na ya dawa, sio mgonjwa - unaweza kupata kisanduku ibukizi kwenye skrini yako. Dirisha ibukizi ambalo haliongezi tu kwa kelele zote za kimatibabu zinazotoa huduma kwa wagonjwa. Hapana, dirisha ibukizi ambalo linasema asante, kutoka kwa mtu kama mimi hadi mtu kama wewe. Kwa ajili ya matendo matakatifu unayofanya siku baada ya siku. Matendo ya kawaida ambayo ni ya ajabu.
Kwa shukrani nyingi,
Dkt. Venu Julapalli
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As an RN for 40 years in acute care settings, it is a breath of fresh air to read these words from an MD who has experienced what nursing is all about in such a personal way. I am a holistic nurse with a private practice now in Bend, OR. (www.bridgesoftheheart.com) My passion is to bridge Energy Medicine with Mainstream Medicine. I spoke to the first year nursing students at our local college the other day and would have loved to share this powerful testimony with them. I may just send to the instructor and have her read it. Thank you Dr. Julapalli for pouring your heart and soul out to the world. Nursing is misunderstood by so many, especially the MD's who work so closely with them. This reminds me of the movie "The Doctor" with William Hurt, where a self-centered MD develops a life-threatening disease and gets to see life from the patients view...a must see for all who work in medicine.
[Hide Full Comment]agree with the saying
Dear Venu, This letter of gratitude that you wrote for the people who took care of your mom, reminds of the one that I didn't write... to all the people who took care of me when I had my son. In my heart I thanked them but I wish I had let them know how grateful I was for everything they did for me and my baby. I remember a nurse crying with me when my doctor told me that I should stop pushing & have a C-section, it was the right thing to do but I was so shattered. They must have thought I took it all for granted but I didn't. I wish I had told them so....
Lovely that you finally recognize the holy contributions of the most of the healthcare team. What kept you from engaging the chaplain, whose team role it is to journey with you as you search for the purpose and meaning you sought/seek?
Thank you for recognizing the Sacredness in what caregivers share and do. <3 Beautifully stated. May ALL recognize there are no "ancillary personnel" Every person who provides care matters so very much and contributes deeply to well being. <3
Sacred indeed -- humanity is always sacred though we may be repulsed by outward appearances. In our own family of health practitioners and aging elders, we know this Truth in mind, heart and soul. }:- ❤️