JOIN USSuperheroes in white coats
It was Friday afternoon. Aman Parmar had returned home from school and was looking forward to playing with his friends at the nearby park. This would be his last outing before his final exams next month. His mother had made a study plan for him from the next day, right down to his eating, sleeping and waking time.
“Achooo, achooo,” Aman sneezed, blowing his nose into a tissue.
“Looks like you are getting a cold,” his mom said.
“Rohit had a cold in class and I think he generously passed it to me when we were sitting together for lunch and during the library period,” Aman grumbled.
“Switch off the air conditioner in the room, Aman,” his mom advised. She looked at her son, his eyes were watering and the skin on his nose looked red and shiny. She placed her hand on his forehead. It was slightly warm.
“It must be a viral infection. I’ll take you to the doctor in the evening,” she said.
“No mom, please don’t take me to the doctor’s clinic,” Aman trembled. Nine-year-old Aman was scared of doctors, as he had heard from his classmates that doctors gave their patients injections and bitter pills.
“Please don’t be difficult,” mom said. “Dr Sanjeev will prescribe some medicines and you will feel better by Monday. I don’t want you to miss school. With your exams approaching, we must be extra careful. Now lie down for some time.”
At 5:30 pm, Aman bundled up in warm clothes and accompanied his mother to the neighbourhood doctor. The doctor’s reception was crowded with patients. Luckily his mom had booked an appointment. Within a few minutes they were ushered into the doctor’s office.
Aman’s eyes widened. He had expected a serious-looking older man, but instead he found himself staring into the eyes of a much younger man, in a white coat.
“What happened to you young man?” Dr Sanjeev asked.
Aman was surprised, the doctor’s voice was sweet, just like his favourite teacher, Rajesh sir. The doctor was looking at him with a smiling face. “I’ve got a cold,” Aman stammered.
“Stick out your tongue?” the doctor said.
Aman did as he was told. The doctor examined his throat with a torch. “Throat is clear.” Wearing his stethoscope, the doctor checked Aman’s lungs, both front and back. “Luckily no chest congestion.” A thermometer was inserted into his mouth. “The temperature is normal,” Dr Sanjeev said.
Aman sat stiffly on the stool.
“I don’t eat small children,” the doctor joked. “Why are you so scared?” he asked.
“My friend said that you will give me a big injection,” Aman looked ready to cry.
“Do you like superheroes Aman?” the doctor asked, trying to distract Aman.
Aman nodded.
“Who is your favourite superhero?”
“Spiderman,” Aman replied.
“Mine too,” Dr Sanjeev smiled.
“Aman, please don’t think of doctors as evil. They are superheroes who fight monsters called diseases that attack patients and make them fall sick,” his mother explained.
“What a perfect way of putting it Mrs Parmar,” the doctor looked pleased. “You can go with your mother’s description and think of doctors in white coats, fighting tough monsters. Just like superheroes use their secret powers to fight monsters, we use injections and pills which actually protect and make our patients strong, so that their bodies can fight the monsters trying to attack them.”
“I like the idea of doctors as superheroes,” Aman smiled.
“Even if I give you an injection,” Dr Sanjeev said, “it is to make you strong.”
Aman’s eyes widened with fear.
“Don’t worry, no injection, just a small tablet for five days,” the doctor smiled, writing a prescription for Aman.
“Your handwriting is so neat,” Aman remarked. “Thanks to my school teacher who made us practice our writing until we all got ten out of ten,” said the doctor.
“My teachers also scold us when our handwriting becomes bad,” Aman laughed. He wasn’t scared of Dr Sanjeev anymore.
“Drink some nice hot soup for a few days,” Dr Sanjeev smiled. “And see me after five days.”
“Thank you, my superhero,” Aman shook the doctor’s hand.
As they left the clinic, he turned to his mother, “Dr Sanjeev was so sweet.”
“I told you that doctors only worry about their patients’ health. They just want to get rid of the monsters of various diseases.”
Aman’s fear of doctors had completely gone. He had a changed view of doctors and their treatment. In fact, he started thinking of doctors as ‘health superheroes’.