Saturday 21 July 2018

"HOME CALLING.. "

"HOME CALLING..."

"Sir, it's been 45 days.. I want to go back home!", Mr. Jayesh asked Dr. Rahul with tears rolling down his face.
"Oh. Very soon..", Dr. Rahul replied without making an eye contact.
ETEC- I/M,
a shorthand for Eye to Eye contact- initiated and maintained,
Dr. Rahul had written in the mental status examination of Mr. Jayesh, a couple of hours ago; a clear sign suggestive of improvement in patient's mental condition.
Mr. Jayesh used to work at a bookshop 3 years ago when was diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Like a random bullet being fired from the gun of terrorist in a crowded space, the bullet of Schizophrenia had hit him. There was no answer to why only me? Even the terrorist had no idea who he was shooting. Worse still, we are yet to confirm which terrorist organization fires the bullet of Schizophrenia.
This was the second time Mr. Jayesh had been admitted in Psychiatry ward after his Schizophrenia worsened on medication. He had again started hearing voices of unknown males wanting to harm him and kill him which had caused him much distress. He was diagnosed as a case of resistant Schizophrenia this time and was given 9 ECTs after which he was stabilized on Clozapine.
"When will I get to go home?", Mr. Jayesh asked again.
This was a question which often dreaded Dr. Rahul for there was no clear answer to the question when a psychiatric patient would be allowed to go back home.
The only way to respond to this question as Dr. Rahul had learnt was to ask another unrelated question.
"Are you still hearing the voices?", Dr. Rahul asked coldly.
"Well, I think the voice from inside is stronger this time.." Mr. Jayesh replied.
"Wait. Have the hallucinations changed? Shit.." Dr. Rahul asked finally establishing an eye to eye contact.
A wry smile played on the lips of Mr. Jayesh.
"Don't worry, doc. It's not hallucination. It's the voice from within. The voice which exists inside all of us but which gets muffled by the noise outside us..."
"And what does that voice say?", Dr. Rahul asked curiously.
"Well, it says different things at different times. But usually it's always right.. Right now it is asking me to go back home.."
Home. The place which Dr. Rahul had not been to for 1 and half months now after coming to Mumbai for his residency. It had been a tough decision to leave home for a better institute 400 km away. But he was sure this was a decision which would pay off well 3 years down the line. Suddenly, he was filled with a longing to go back home. And usually when a man develops a desire to go back home, he will go back regardless of the oceans he has to cross. Vir Savarkar had jumped into an unknown ocean, Aron Ralston cut his arm off in a canyon to free himself; all for that one desire- of wanting to go back home.
The next morning as Dr. Rahul got ready to attend the rounds, sensing his professor in a jolly mood gently asked him if he could be allowed 2 days leave to go back home. To his utter delight the professor had nodded his head in approval.
At that same time, the nurse came running to Dr.  Rahul.
"Dr. Rahul there is something I want to tell you. Mr Jayesh is not on cot since morning. I think he has absconded.."
Dr. Rahul smiled.
"Don't worry, I will complete the formalities soon.", saying so Dr. Rahul sat down to write a leter informing Mr. Jayesh's abscondence to Chief Medical Officer.
After some time he sat down again to write his leave letter and mailed it to his professor.
After 45 days, Mr. Jayesh and Dr. Rahul were leaving for home.
"What would you do after going back home?", Dr. Rahul had asked Mr. Jayesh a day earlier.
"For now I haven't thought about anything beyond going back home..", Mr. Jayesh had replied.
In the 200 thousand years of human existence on this planet, is it not surprising that we have failed to create anything more gratifying than the feeling of going back home...?

~ Devashish Palkar
#PsychiDiaries #PsychiaTRYST

"HOME CALLING.. "

"HOME CALLING..."

"Sir, it's been 45 days.. I want to go back home!", Mr. Jayesh asked Dr. Rahul with tears rolling down his face.
"Oh. Very soon..", Dr. Rahul replied without making an eye contact.
ETEC- I/M,
a shorthand for Eye to Eye contact- initiated and maintained,
Dr. Rahul had written in the mental status examination of Mr. Jayesh, a couple of hours ago; a clear sign suggestive of improvement in patient's mental condition.
Mr. Jayesh used to work at a bookshop 3 years ago when was diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Like a random bullet being fired from the gun of terrorist in a crowded space, the bullet of Schizophrenia had hit him. There was no answer to why only me? Even the terrorist had no idea who he was shooting. Worse still, we are yet to confirm which terrorist organization fires the bullet of Schizophrenia.
This was the second time Mr. Jayesh had been admitted in Psychiatry ward after his Schizophrenia worsened on medication. He had again started hearing voices of unknown males wanting to harm him and kill him which had caused him much distress. He was diagnosed as a case of resistant Schizophrenia this time and was given 9 ECTs after which he was stabilized on Clozapine.
"When will I get to go home?", Mr. Jayesh asked again.
This was a question which often dreaded Dr. Rahul for there was no clear answer to the question when a psychiatric patient would be allowed to go back home.
The only way to respond to this question as Dr. Rahul had learnt was to ask another unrelated question.
"Are you still hearing the voices?", Dr. Rahul asked coldly.
"Well, I think the voice from inside is stronger this time.." Mr. Jayesh replied.
"Wait. Have the hallucinations changed? Shit.." Dr. Rahul asked finally establishing an eye to eye contact.
A wry smile played on the lips of Mr. Jayesh.
"Don't worry, doc. It's not hallucination. It's the voice from within. The voice which exists inside all of us but which gets muffled by the noise outside us..."
"And what does that voice say?", Dr. Rahul asked curiously.
"Well, it says different things at different times. But usually it's always right.. Right now it is asking me to go back home.."
Home. The place which Dr. Rahul had not been to for 1 and half months now after coming to Mumbai for his residency. It had been a tough decision to leave home for a better institute 400 km away. But he was sure this was a decision which would pay off well 3 years down the line. Suddenly, he was filled with a longing to go back home. And usually when a man develops a desire to go back home, he will go back regardless of the oceans he has to cross. Vir Savarkar had jumped into an unknown ocean, Aron Ralston cut his arm off in a canyon to free himself; all for that one desire- of wanting to go back home.
The next morning as Dr. Rahul got ready to attend the rounds, sensing his professor in a jolly mood gently asked him if he could be allowed 2 days leave to go back home. To his utter delight the professor had nodded his head in approval.
At that same time, the nurse came running to Dr.  Rahul.
"Dr. Rahul there is something I want to tell you. Mr Jayesh is not on cot since morning. I think he has absconded.."
Dr. Rahul smiled.
"Don't worry, I will complete the formalities soon.", saying so Dr. Rahul sat down to write a leter informing Mr. Jayesh's abscondence to Chief Medical Officer.
After some time he sat down again to write his leave letter and mailed it to his professor.
After 45 days, Mr. Jayesh and Dr. Rahul were leaving for home.
"What would you do after going back home?", Dr. Rahul had asked Mr. Jayesh a day earlier.
"For now I haven't thought about anything beyond going back home..", Mr. Jayesh had replied.
In the 200 thousand years of human existence on this planet, is it not surprising that we have failed to create anything more gratifying than the feeling of going back home...?

~ Devashish Palkar
#PsychiDiaries #PsychiaTRYST

"HOME CALLING.. "

"HOME CALLING..."

"Sir, it's been 45 days.. I want to go back home!", Mr. Jayesh asked Dr. Rahul with tears rolling down his face.
"Oh. Very soon..", Dr. Rahul replied without making an eye contact.
ETEC- I/M,
a shorthand for Eye to Eye contact- initiated and maintained,
Dr. Rahul had written in the mental status examination of Mr. Jayesh, a couple of hours ago; a clear sign suggestive of improvement in patient's mental condition.
Mr. Jayesh used to work at a bookshop 3 years ago when was diagnosed with Schizophrenia.
Like a random bullet being fired from the gun of terrorist in a crowded space, the bullet of Schizophrenia had hit him. There was no answer to why only me? Even the terrorist had no idea who he was shooting. Worse still, we are yet to confirm which terrorist organization fires the bullet of Schizophrenia.
This was the second time Mr. Jayesh had been admitted in Psychiatry ward after his Schizophrenia worsened on medication. He had again started hearing voices of unknown males wanting to harm him and kill him which had caused him much distress. He was diagnosed as a case of resistant Schizophrenia this time and was given 9 ECTs after which he was stabilized on Clozapine.
"When will I get to go home?", Mr. Jayesh asked again.
This was a question which often dreaded Dr. Rahul for there was no clear answer to the question when a psychiatric patient would be allowed to go back home.
The only way to respond to this question as Dr. Rahul had learnt was to ask another unrelated question.
"Are you still hearing the voices?", Dr. Rahul asked coldly.
"Well, I think the voice from inside is stronger this time.." Mr. Jayesh replied.
"Wait. Have the hallucinations changed? Shit.." Dr. Rahul asked finally establishing an eye to eye contact.
A wry smile played on the lips of Mr. Jayesh.
"Don't worry, doc. It's not hallucination. It's the voice from within. The voice which exists inside all of us but which gets muffled by the noise outside us..."
"And what does that voice say?", Dr. Rahul asked curiously.
"Well, it says different things at different times. But usually it's always right.. Right now it is asking me to go back home.."
Home. The place which Dr. Rahul had not been to for 1 and half months now after coming to Mumbai for his residency. It had been a tough decision to leave home for a better institute 400 km away. But he was sure this was a decision which would pay off well 3 years down the line. Suddenly, he was filled with a longing to go back home. And usually when a man develops a desire to go back home, he will go back regardless of the oceans he has to cross. Vir Savarkar had jumped into an unknown ocean, Aron Ralston cut his arm off in a canyon to free himself; all for that one desire- of wanting to go back home.
The next morning as Dr. Rahul got ready to attend the rounds, sensing his professor in a jolly mood gently asked him if he could be allowed 2 days leave to go back home. To his utter delight the professor had nodded his head in approval.
At that same time, the nurse came running to Dr.  Rahul.
"Dr. Rahul there is something I want to tell you. Mr Jayesh is not on cot since morning. I think he has absconded.."
Dr. Rahul smiled.
"Don't worry, I will complete the formalities soon.", saying so Dr. Rahul sat down to write a leter informing Mr. Jayesh's abscondence to Chief Medical Officer.
After some time he sat down again to write his leave letter and mailed it to his professor.
After 45 days, Mr. Jayesh and Dr. Rahul were leaving for home.
"What would you do after going back home?", Dr. Rahul had asked Mr. Jayesh a day earlier.
"For now I haven't thought about anything beyond going back home..", Mr. Jayesh had replied.
In the 200 thousand years of human existence on this planet, is it not surprising that we have failed to create anything more gratifying than the feeling of going back home...?

~ Devashish Palkar
#PsychiDiaries #PsychiaTRYST

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