I truly believe that having a positive attitude can lead to wonderful happenings in our lives. When we stay positive, good things often come our way. These good things can come from various people in our lives—like friends, family, coworkers, and even our doctors. Let me share a recent experience that left me feeling incredibly thankful towards doctors and why I think of them as real-life superheroes.

I had planned a trip to Leh, but things took an unexpected turn. On Sunday, I booked my tickets for the coming Thursday for Leh. But the next day, I had a terrible stomach ache. My family Physician, Dr. Yadvendra Gupta in SRK Hospital, Jaipur advised me to get blood tests done right away since I had a trip planned. The tests showed that I had an infection in my liver. He then advised me to get a sonography done. The report revealed that there were multiple stones in my gall bladder and fatty liver. Although I had known about the gallstones, but I hadn’t taken it seriously and didn't realise that I needed surgery at the earliest. However, by Tuesday, I started feeling itchy all over my body, which was a sign of a severe liver infection. More blood tests on Wednesday showed that the liver infection was serious, and Dr. Gupta recommended that I should cancel my travel plans.

I reached out to a specialist Dr. Saket Agarwal, a Gastroenterologist in Jeevan Rekha Hospital, Jaipur who suggested a test called MRCP to check if there were any stones spilled out of my gall bladder or any other possible problem for the stomach ache. MRCP reports revealed that everything was fine but I needed surgery urgently. But since the liver infection was quite strong we decided on surgery a week later. 

Both Dr. Saket and Dr. Yadvendra recommended Dr. Sundeep Jain Gastro-Intestinal, HPB & Bariatric Specialist at Fortis Hospital for surgery. After a week Dr. Saket arranged an appointment for me with Dr. Sundeep. I was admitted to Fortis Hospital, where I underwent another MRCP to check for any possible changes. I was then taken to the operation theatre for surgery. Just as I was about to receive anesthesia, Dr. Sundeep had a discussion with Dr. Akhil, the Anaesthetist, after reviewing the MRCP scans. The doctors sensed something wrong and I was made to change and was asked to sit in a wheelchair. And then something surprising happened.

I was taken to another hospital, SDMH, for some advanced tests. An attendant from Fortis accompanied me in an ambulance. At SDMH, two attendants guided us to the operation theatre. Due to the urgency, I was being ushered into the OT directly. The SDMH attendants led the way, asking others to make space. They even asked people in an elevator to step out and wait for a few minutes so that I could be taken up. The emergency situation made me feel like a celebrity, while my family was worried and praying for me.

The paperwork in SDMH was completed within seconds, and I found myself in the OT with six resident doctors and nursing staff, all ready for the test procedure. Dr. Anurag Govil, a highly respected Gastroenterologist, joined us. He spoke to me for a couple of minutes about the procedure, and then I was given anesthesia.

Actually, Dr. Sundeep Jain suspected that something was not quite right when he saw the MRCP scans. He consulted with other doctors at Fortis, and they all agreed that ERCP, a type of endoscopic ultrasound, was needed. ERCP wasn't available at Fortis, so they reached out to Dr. Govil, who kindly agreed to perform the ERCP immediately.

After the ERCP, I was taken back to Fortis Hospital in the same ambulance. Everything went smoothly, and I had my gallbladder removal surgery the next day.

Why am I sharing this experience? Nowadays, many people think that the medical fraternity is focused on making money and pushing for unnecessary surgeries. While there may be cases like that, but, my experience was different. The doctors who treated me were genuinely concerned about my well-being. They didn't hesitate to consult with specialists from various departments and even from other hospitals to make sure they were making the right decisions. In the midst of all the negative news, I believe it's important to highlight the positive side as well.
Throughout this journey, I learned that staying positive and trusting your doctor is crucial. They know what's best for you. While I remained hopeful during shifting hospitals, my family went through a tough time. They were really worried, especially considering how quickly things were happening. They understood that I was being treated as an emergency patient. However, the doctors took great care of them too, and consoled them and explained everything to them. 

Thanks to my positive attitude, my faith, and the dedication of my doctors, everything turned out well.

Post-surgery, I visited Dr. Saket and was surprised to learn that he had been in constant communication with the surgeons while I was being moved between hospitals. He had the reports from both the MRCP and ERCP tests within minutes of their completion!

That's the story of how things worked out for me, and I'm immensely grateful to all the medical professionals who played a role in my treatment. 

At DRx5, we consider doctors to be real-life superheroes. Do you have a superhero story to share? Feel free to share your story of gratitude with us at drx5jpr@gmail.com and be a part of "Beyond the Scrubs: Honouring Healthcare Heroes"