'Telling their 22-year-old son died, lying to patients': Delhi doctor talks about 'horrors' of 2nd COVID wave; urges to 'wear masks'

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, April 18

The ongoing pandemic has been extremely challenging for all of us, especially the medical workers. A heartbreaking post shared by a young doctor has left social media in tears.  

Dr Saandhra Sebastian, an anaesthesiologist from New Delhi, recently took to Instagram, to talked about the horrors and woes working during the pandemic.  

She revealed how difficult the past two weeks have been amid the second COVID wave. 

The young doctor highlighted that even though they are witnessing pain every minute—instead of breaking down—they are forced to carry on their duties. 

"To the very few who'll take the pains to read this, I want to give you a glimpse of the past two weeks of my life... I've been telling people that their 22 year old son has died, lying to patients, telling them theek ho jaoge, when I know to my bones vo theek nhi honge..., hearing breathless women crying allah allah in anguish all night, watching people break down in front of me... the last words of one of our patients before my friend intubated her was that she has an 11 and 4 year old at home, not to let her die (she died), telling children that they may not get their mother's body, mother's standing before us with folded hands asking us to save their childrens' lives, looking at packed bodies and telling myself to stop thinking and go on with my work… Working as hard as I can wishing other healthcare workers would do the same for my parents if they were to be hospitalized with covid… Coming back from my duty and crying about all of that I am forced to do/forced to watch… Crying about how I could have been a little more patient and a lot more loving to people who are suffocating to their deaths.. (6 hours in PPE all the while anxious about being exposed, anxious about dying just like our patients does not exactly leave you the sweetest person). To think that the pain I feel as a spectator is not even a quarter of the pain that our patients/their relatives feel.

My overthinking has reached heights where I ask myself if I should tell my folks that I do not wish to be intubated if I were to die of covid. 

Trust me your lockdowns are not difficult…You haven't seen the horrors we see… I wish I could show you videos of the pain I see, just to scare everyone enough for you to stay inside…

Saying that it's difficult is the understatement of the century... I do not want to see this pain... None of us do. Do not put us through this.

Do us a favor, I am not asking you to stay home, I understand that not everyone has the luxury to do that... Just wear your masks when you are out…," read her post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Saandhra (@_saandhra_)

The post comes when the nation is reporting over 2 lakh coronavirus cases. 

Her post went viral on all social media platforms. She insists on being careful, follow protocols, and easing the pressure on healthcare workers. 

Several doctors said the post resonated with them, while some thanked doctors for their service also asking them to take care.

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