"All Weather-Fair Weather"

 We  all have some friends who are 'all weather advisors’  but only ‘fair weather friends’; they are experts on all subjects under the Sun, Mr Knowalls, whose research is primarily based on Whats app forwards only.  Let me explain the concept of ‘all weather’ vs ‘fair weather’ before we move ahead. ‘All weather’ relates to people who are with you through thick and thin and ‘fair weather’ are the first ones to jump ship at the  sight of any trouble. We Indians have to have an advice ready the moment any  issue  props up in any discussion especially so when it comes to health. It is almost the same thing as they say about opinions and a certain part of the anatomy, everyone has one but not everyone displays it in public. These guys profess their expertise in a manner befitting a learned doctor when it comes to medical issues. The dilemma being faced by the patient when it comes to going for a surgery almost is Shakespeare like, "To go under the scalpel or not to.." 

Hospitals are not happy places normally, with patients and their family members moving around under stress, doctors too busy, overloaded with swarming patients, support staff hassled with the demands from the patients and their family members on one side and the doctor's diktats on the other. The only exception being when there is a birth involved, at least the friends and relations are overjoyed even the mother after the ordeal is all smiles. In fact,  kids too are normally threatened with injections.  It is thus quite natural for anyone to firstly avoid visiting these places and if forced, to get away at the earliest. 

But our friends, and self appointed advisors cum guides take it on themselves to explain the merits of surgery and the benefits which accrue, then there is the other gang who will warn against any such action, as their close relation/friend's relations had  suffered terribly as surgery is the one way road to disaster. At the same time these self styled experts suggest alternate methods of recovery starting from Reiki, SuJog, Acupressure, Acupuncture, Yunani, Homeopathy, Naturopathy, Ayurvedic and so on, with hundred percent results. Show me a person and he will offer another different method of treatment. The patience of the patient is tested time and again. Out of sheer politeness, the patient and his family have to suffer their elaborate explanations and promise them to try it out. 

As it is the patient is suffering, his family members are at pains to reassure him that all would be well, after all he/she is in the best hands. For everyone who supports the affirmative action for the much neglected body part, having suffered severe atrophy, example the knee joint, a common disjoint these days; there would be equal and opposite numbers against this action. Result utter confusion, muddled head and poor patient is left suffering with no respite. The irony is that these advisors normally have not had any personal experience themselves but rely on heresy only.

An ailment by itself can still be endured and addressed but how do we handle the hordes of visitors who make a bee line so as not be left out, the FOMO (fear of missing out) syndrome. Even hospital premises are not spared, anyone and everyone comes calling with utter disregard to the other patients. Visits to the hospital are akin to a railway platform, where there are more number of people to see off than the passengers themselves. Even enhancing the cost of Platform tickets has not deterred them, similarly here too, despite the restrictions imposed by the authorities we take pride in the fact that we managed to hoodwink the powers that be. Then some of them choose to become comfortable there itself refusing to take a hint and stay on much longer than desired. Patients need privacy, they need to rest and they also have to undergo medical procedures, all these are put on hold since the visitors have come calling.

Having spent quite some time in the Military Hospitals at different times in one's service life, I feel the strict enforcement of visit timings and duration helps maintain the sanctity of the hospital and the sanity of the staff as also of the patients. Yes the friends there are mostly 'all weather' kinds who would give their right arm if needed to weather any storm without even prodding.