HANDS OF GOD (A true story) Brig PS Gothra (Retd)

 

HANDS OF GOD

"Saab there is a Regimental Medical Officer waiting for you ever since you had gone to Operation theatre. I told him it may take more than two hours but he decided to wait,” informed the Nursing Assistant as soon as Major Bhupinder Singh, the Maxillofacial Surgeon sat down in his office.

"You should have told him to come tomorrow as that is the nominated officer’s OPD day," said Bhupinder

"I told him so but he said that he doesn’t have any ailment and he wants to meet you otherwise."

"Okay call him in, it is already late for lunch and we have called someone for a meal."

A minute later an officer in combat dress walked in and saluted to say, "Jai Hind Sir, I am Captain Babu I had come here to meet my unit soldier Sepoy SP Singh. Two months ago, he got an enemy bullet on his face and you operated on him. When I evacuated him, I didn’t think he could survive and if he did, he would have to keep his face covered for the rest of his life. But today after seeing him I thought I must meet you and convey my appreciation for the wonderful reconstruction of his face. You have a hand of God."

Major Bhupinder got up from his chair to hug the young Captain and said, "You know Babu when I finished the surgery on Sepoy SP Singh, I had decided to hug the doctor who stabilised his condition.  A few days after the surgery SP Singh’s mother came to meet me. She affectionately kissed my forehead and said that whenever she prays to God, she will always pray for my well being. It gave a great feeling but I told her that if SP Singh has survived it is because of two people. And I am not among those two."

"Why sir? Only you could have carried out this kind of difficult surgery."

"Come sit down, I want to confess something. That day when I got the information that a gunshot victim is coming, I got excited. I must have operated hundreds of people but this was the first gunshot case. Our professor in post-graduation used to say that the good thing about the gunshot case is that the wound is sterilised because of the high temperature of the bullet. Also, the bullet spins in a particular way so it gives a pattern in the wound. As I examined the wound, I found that the bullet had entered from the lower part of the jaw, tumbled in the buccal cavity and exited from the upper part of the jaw. Fortunately, it didn’t move upwards towards the brain or the eyes. But the bullet had shredded the flesh in small little pieces. I examined the X Ray and the scan and found that the bones were shattered into very small little pieces. I literally got scared. I didn’t know where to start. Then I remembered my father's diktat that no soldier should die on my operation table. It was a tense moment. I couldn’t plan as to where to start joining the bones and suturing the flesh.  I could also feel a mild headache. I was not able to muster enough courage to start the surgery. So, I thought let me try to buy some time for myself. I asked the Nursing assistant to prepare for another scan."

“Sir, the delay could have been fatal,” said Babu.

“Yes, you are right. As the Nursing Assistant came forward, I got a tap on my shoulder. It was the Anesthesia specialist, Colonel Shawney. He was a senior doctor with lot of experience. He told me that he could see my hands a bit shaky while examining the patient. He said that he could guess my mental state seeing the condition of the wound. But there is no time to be wasted. I didn’t answer him but gave a very lost look. Trying to hide my predicament I said that I have to have my medicine to stop a headache.”

“Did you wait for the medicine?”

“No, he said that I will have to start the operation right away, there is no time for the scan and I will have to take the medicine while operating. And then he said that as far as he is concerned the patient is already dead. All we have to do is to make him alive. Also, if anything goes wrong than he will take on the blame and I should just start operating with no burden on my head. It suddenly gave me courage to look at the situation very positively. I started operating.”

“It must have taken you long time to complete the surgery?”

“Yes, it was a tedious job, I had to first tie up the bones and then start suturing the flesh piece by piece. It took me nine hours. Colonel Shawney made sure that I had rest for five minute every two hours. I could barely stand on my legs at the end of the surgery.”

“Sir, thank you very much for conducting such a challenging surgery on my soldier. I will also go and convey my thanks to Colonel Shawney.”

“I have called him for lunch, you also join us. I will introduce you to him.”

As they boarded Major Bhupinder’s car Captain Babu said, “Sir, You didn’t tell me about the other person involved in saving the life of SP Singh?”

“Damn it. You are the one. In a wound like that, SP Singh’s wind pipe would have got clogged with blood clots in no time and he would have died in minutes. Your timely decision of inserting a pipe through his throat to his lungs gave him the ability to breathe.”

“That sir would have been done by anyone.”

“Yes, but you operated on him on the line of control without proper operation theatre and minimal instruments. There lies the difference.”

As the car crossed surgical ward they could see Sepoy SP Singh sitting in the sun with his wife and daughter.

Captain Babu said, "Sir our profession bestows a lot of responsibility."

"Of course, it also gives tremendous sense of achievement," replied Bhupinder.