Complications

 Complications

        - Atul Gawande

A Letter to all Medicos - Complications and what not !

The title is very formal sounding, but this post isn’t gonna be that way as the subtitle gave away. Coz, it’s a struggle for me to be formal. But more importantly because sometimes when I read formal, I get zoned out or bored or just feel normal human stuff.

So, this is like a literary conversation.

(*is that a thing? Can you say literary conversation? In this context? I dont know. Just stay with me. This gets better…hopefully?*)

Basically, I’m talking to you in here.

So,

Let’s talk about books!

(*exclamation mark to sound excited*)

When I read “Books” on the Students@BMC story, I got really excited.

Then a second later, I got very confused.

(*these mood swings, I tell you!*)

But,

It’s really tough to choose, right?

Should I talk about fiction? Non-fiction? A classic? Medical?

Not-at-all medical?

But as I sat to write, I remembered George RR Martin saying:

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.

(*in all honesty, I didn’t remember who said it or what exactly they said, so copy-pasted from the internet…but a good quote nevertheless *)

So, here’s what we’ll do. Let’s live a different life; not contrastingly different, just slightly different.

The Book -

(*finally getting to the point*)

Complications by Atul Gawande

There were so many reasons why I didn’t want to read this book.

You read that right!

‘Didn’t’ want to read this book.

*why? you might ask…*

Simple answer:

The 9-5 was enough.

(*well, 9-8 really because when do you really get home on time from college?*)

We come into the medical college world, all enthusiastic and ready to give our all and our life and time and days to medicine.

(*Ok. Most of us. Ok. Some of us.Ok. I don’t know the statistics.*)

For me, however, it had been my dream, ever since I can remember.

Then I came in here, surrounded by medical terminologies, hundreds of potential stressors and just medical stuff in general.

(*lack of good vocabulary showing as I type ‘stuff’*)

My thoughts were simple -

I didn’t want to go home and read about the same “medical stuff” as if the 9-5 wasn’t enough.

So, I get it if you feel the same way. But, push through that thought because I’m telling you, this book is definitely worth reading!

Atul Gawande is a surgery resident in the United States and talks about the little things, the little human things that we encounter everyday.

Some things that we notice and acknowledge, some things that we may notice, but not acknowledge and the others that we may not even notice that he acknowledged.

The ‘kissass’ i.e. stories range from seldom-vocalised struggles and truths in our field to beautiful touching moments to…just so many things that’ll make you think, ponder, wonder.

(*futile efforts to cover up lack of vocabulary with ‘paryayvaachi’ i.e. synonyms…but also, you got the ‘Bhavna’ , right?*)

It’s about you. It’s about me. It’s about Rameshbhai with Alcoholic liver disease. It’s about Ashaben who underwent bariatric surgery.

It’s about Ramila in the ICU with a central line on total parenteral nutrition.

It’s about all of us.

It’ll make you smile. Cry.

(*maybe not cry, unless you are really sensitive.Either way, you do you!*)

It’ll make you feel.

Give you a real life, human view to medicine.

You see, it’s the human element that makes us us and that makes all the difference in our lives, in the lives of others and in the world as a whole.

There are ‘aha’ moments, moments that will make you think.

(*wait, I already said that. Ok. Might have to start reading the dictionary from tomorrow *)

Moments that you’ll relate to, moments that you’ll not relate to.

Just everything.

It’s a pleasure to read this book.

Just beautiful.

Absolutely worth reading.

I don't know if it’s just me, but whenever you have a lot of resistance to something and you finally do it, it’s a lot better…(*not doing a great job of articulating…need a thesaurus or an English grammar book, idk. but I hope that makes sense*)

This book was all that.

In conclusion, an absolute pleasure.

So, just yeah.

Go check it out.

Read it.

Order it.

Find a way.

Get your hands on it.

You get it!

(*should stop typing before I type something stupid-er and embarrass myself with even simpler words…is stupid-er even a word? Probably not. That’s why I’m gonna stop typing.*)

So that’s my time guys.

But also,

Read the book!

Ok.

Leaving.

With love.

Until next time,

Stay Happy! Stay Beautiful!

               - by  Preya Rana

                       Final year MBBS.