Education!

 

On What is Haram?

 

Ye baat sahi hai

 

Highroad

It was my second-year residency, and I was getting very home-sick. I requested two weeks off to celebrate Eid with my parents and friends. I had many Muslim colleagues who wanted to go back home also. I applied early and was granted vacation. I was single, but many other residents were newly married and wanted their firstborns to be seen by grandparents in their home countries, but they were late in obtaining vacation. One day chief resident called me in his office and requested to know if I could retract my request. On that day, he said something which stays with me till today: "Taking the high road in controversial situations will always go a long way for your inner peace and consciousness. Give a shot once, and addiction of inner peace will surround you forever."

Since that day, this one word has saved many sleepless nights for me in any argumentive life situation.

*

Ethics

 I found the following statement very enlightening - guided me to traverse through a recent situation in life.

Jhoot

(Last 2 weeks were not easy as I had to console many people when a loved one died after a protracted illness)

"Sir! Kiya marte huwe insaan se jhoot bolna jaayiz hai - sirf is liye ke us ki maut sukoon se waqiye ho jaaye"

"Jhoot bolna koi achhi baat to nahi magar maut ka aakhri lamha is qadar giraN hota hai ke agar kahin aram (comfort) ki koi gunjaish nikal aaye to kher hai. Allah baRa raheem hai".

Pardah

Ho sakta hai is baat main mubalga ho - magar "underlying message" bohat khubsurat hai

Kehte hain qayamat ke din insaan ko us ki ma ke naam se pukara jaaye gai - Aesa is liye ke - agar kahin koi lagzish hui bhi hai - to us ka pardah reh jaaye.

Agar Allah ko aurat ka pardah qayamat ke din bhi gawarah hai - to hum kaun hote hain - is duniya main kisi aurat ki izzat se pardah uthane wale

Agree?

On End of life care

Agar aap ko yaad ho to main ne is blog pe Shamsha aur Salim (here) ka zikar kiya tha. Kuch dinoN pehle mujeh ittlah mili ke un ki walida Karachi ke aik hospital main bohat bimar hai!

Main ne unhe phone kiya to Shamsha se baat hui. Baat bohat choti si hai magar bohat aham hai -aur shayed hum sab ko sikhati hai ke apne 'loved ones' ke aakhri ayyam main hame kiya sochna chahiye.

Jub Shamsha ne phone pe mujhe saari tafseel batai to main na khaha: "Dekho tumhari walida ke bachne ki umeed to bohat kum hai. Ye batao tum kiya chahti ho?....I mean do you want to be very aggressive till doctors do CPR, cardiac shock and code till technically pronounce dead or let her go peacefully if there is no reasonable hope. Un ki further treatment - is baat pe depend kerti hai ke - tum kiya chahti ho?"

Shamsha ne jawab diya : "Hum to bas unke liye aasani chahte hain!"

"Than remove ventilator and let her be pain free with morphine". I replied.

Bieng a physician, my impression is that - many times family members treat themselves and put their 'loved ones' through painful medical interventions which unnecessary just prolong their agony!

Magar ye sochne ki salaihiyat pane ke liye ke "Hum to bas unke liye aasani chahte hain!" - khud andar se bohat mazboot hona parta hai.

Trust me - its not easy!!

Aik Jhoot

Zindagi main aksar insaan ko mushkil faisle kerne parte hain - Aur kubhi kubhi jaante boojhte jhoot bhi bolna parta hai. Mere aese hi aik faisle se - aese hi aik jhoot se - main ne apna aik behtreen dost kho diya - faisla aap khud kijye! 

"I met Masud on the very first day of Medical School. Since then, we have spent the next nine years together every day. We did lectures, exams, practicals, and all fun (masti) together. After finishing my MBBS, I came to the USA. I obtained a residency spot, but it was still seven months before I started. I decided to go back to Karachi for those months. Masud left for the USA before I arrived in Karachi.

While I was still in Karachi, enjoying each moment of my life's most precious last "off work" time, one day, I received a frantic call from Masud's father to come and see him. When I visited him, there was a massive "palpable mass" in his abdomen. I knew from that moment - he had some cancer. It turned out to be a renal cell carcinoma with distant metastasis (stage IV).

His parents requested me - not to disclose this to Masud on my return to the USA, as he may abandon his quest for residency. I obliged. Masud asked me on my return about his parents, and I flatly lied - ke sab log theek hain.

His father died a few months later. Masud is now a practicing oncologist in the USA but has not talked to me in years. Sometimes I miss him too much.....He always is the first person to wish me Happy Birthday. I haven't celebrated my birthday in the last 15 years".

Kubhi kubhi kamina bohat yaad aata hai...saali ye sauhbat-e-barham!

*

2 step conversation

"When I travel, I steal soap, shampoo, gel etc from hotels ".

"What? Are you crazy? Why you do that?"

"I always throw the hotel amenities into my bag. They were suppose to be for me right? When I get home, I put them aside to donate to a local homeless outreach program."


(any comments?)