MEDICAL COLLEGE HOSPITAL RELISHES DISHING OUT SUFFERING AND DEATH

5^TH of April 2008 was the worst day in our lives. Pappa, our father, passed away on that day at 4.00 PM in the ICU of Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital in Kerala.  Death was due to complications arising from a surgery he had undergone at the hospital. The surgery was necessitated because he was suffering from a   broken hip due to a fall in the evening of 31^st March 2008 at Kottayam.

Though Kottayam had enough facilities, we took him over to the Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital, a good distance off, as he had already been a patient of the Cardiology Department there. We had enquired with a student, a relative, at that Medical College. We were told that they had a very good and efficient Orthopaedic Surgeon.

Pappa was admitted to the Hospital on 1^st April 2008. The Surgeon advised Surgery at once. He was operated on 3^rd April 2008. Soon after the surgery he was transferred to the ICU.    The Sisters in charge at the ICU advised us to go to the room at the ward and wait there as the hospital did not like the bystanders crowding in front of the ICU. They said they would contact us in the event of any emergency.  Though almost all the hospitals permit one or two persons to visit the patient in the ICU for five minutes each at a fixed time during the day, we found to our consternation that this hospital had barred the entry of bystanders to the ICU. The relatives and the dear ones of the patient had to be satisfied with a peep into the ICU through a little window they would open for a few minutes   at 4.00 PM every day. As there were many patients in the ICU we had to jostle for space for seeing Pappa before they closed the window.

Finding the urine output scanty, a Lady Doctor had visited Pappa at night on 2^nd April 2008. She advised us to wait outside the room as she was going to insert a Catheter.  We felt she was quite inexperienced as she had taken a very long time to do it. The procedure had resulted in considerable loss of blood.

The lady doctor visited us at our room at 8.00 AM on 4^th April 2008. She said Pappa was alright and that they would be transferring him to the room. It was a big relief. We started tidying up the room in anticipation of the arrival of Pappa.

There was a knock on the door at 11.00 AM. It was the Surgeon. He was accompanied by the lady doctor and a host of medical staff. He started shouting at us.  He said we were totally irresponsible. “You have dumped your father at the ICU. You are not taking care of him. I have done my job well. But there are a number of machines and monitors at the ICU. I am no expert to read or decipher them. You must go and fetch the head of the department of Cardiology to examine your father. His condition is very bad.” The great surgeon knew that Pappa had been a patient of the eminent cardiologist for almost six years. He went off. We were in a trauma. We loved Pappa very much. We could not even think of anything untoward happening to him. 

As the Surgeon did not give us an opportunity to discuss the reason for his unkindly outburst we went to his OP. He reiterated what he had told us earlier. He said it was incumbent upon the bystanders of the patient to arrange the visit of the specialists when the patient was ailing.

We located the Cardiology department. The doctors there told us that the head of the department was away and would be back after three days only. We narrated the incident we went through half an hour earlier. They said it was incumbent upon the Surgeon to refer patients to them whenever a crisis developed. They required a note from the Surgeon for their intervention. However they relented due to our persuasion and had agreed to send a doctor from their department to the ICU on the second floor.

5^th April 2008 began with bad news one after the other. Initially one doctor at the ICU told us that Pappa was alright. The second doctor said he was in a critical condition. They had requisitioned the nephrologists as the kidneys were failing.   The nephrologists told us that the patient was critical. We were asked to sign some papers absolving them of any responsibility for the procedures they were going to adopt at 2.00 PM. We were handed over a bill for Rs.3000.00 at 3.30 PM. It had to be remitted at the office at once. While my brother had gone to the office to remit the amount one doctor called me in. It was the ante-room. He said, “The condition of your father is serious. He is very serious. He is very very serious”

I rang up my son and apprised him of what the doctor had said. My son replied, “My friend at the ICU has advised me that Appicha- grand father- has passed away.” Soon after I had put the phone down, the doctor called me in again. He said, “I am sorry. Your father has passed away.” We were in tears.

I asked him whether we could go in and see our father. He was willing to permit us go in and have a look. We found to our horror the entire staff at the ICU ganging up and shouting that they would never permit us anywhere near our father who had passed away that moment. It was the unkindest cut. We could see Pappa lying on his right on the bed at the farthest corner of the ICU. Yet we could not be with him.

We took Pappa home that evening. There were a large number of mourners. As the next day, 6^th April 2008 dawned people from all walks of life from far and near stepped in to pay their last respects. No wonder, he was well liked by all the people he had come into contact with. The state highway in front of our house was clogged with vehicles.

Pappa was laid to rest at the Irampally Cemetry of the St.Thomas CSI Church, Kunthirical, Thalavady after ceremonies at home, the Church and the Cemetry.

A few weeks after his sad demise a friend who knew Pappa rang up to offer condolences. He could not attend the funeral. I told him I was sad I had taken him to the Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital for treatment. I was sad I could not offer him the best medical care. I felt he might not have passed away like he did if it had been a different hospital. The friend who belonged to the area concurred and added that the hospital had a very dubious record. He did not elaborate further.

Pappa was a good father. He was the embodiment of love. He was affectionate.  He was generous in  giving. He never wanted anything for himself. Even when he lay ill for the last time at the hospital, he never cared for himself. He was concerned that we were going without food.  He was an ardent believer. His faith knew no bounds. I heard him recite Psalms 23 and 121 as the day began and before he went to sleep at night. He said he had been doing it for a very long time. He affirmed he was not afraid to die.

We love you Pappa. We miss you Pappa.