A 28-year-old anesthetist working in the OR of a government hospital in Mumbai shares the ups and downs of her days as a doctor amidst the Covid19 pandemic. This is the eighth installment of a daily diary she shares with The Swaddle.
Doctor Diary, Day 7: “In the Middle of the Sampling, I Had a Blackout.”
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Morning: Getting a routine check-up I was woken up at 6:30 a.m. by the private lab people who came to collect my blood samples. I went back to bed, woke up at 10 a.m., and made some dosas for breakfast. I cleaned the attic, did some jhaadu pocha.
Last night, I did the curly girl method, which I follow quite religiously. It’s amazing — you use all sulfate and silicone free stuff, no combing your hair, and using all kinds of scrunching techniques and basically preserving your curl pattern. It’s embracing what most Indian standards regard as ugly.
Today, I also wore earrings. It made me feel good.
Afternoon: Teaching dad how to zoom call I made some suran sabzi for lunch. Chatted with my roommates a bit. Then I taught dad how to zoom call. It was slightly painful, but we had fun, with mom in tow. Then I worked out for half an hour.
I got my lab results later. They show I’m anemic and have low Vitamin D. I might need a follow-up. I miss the fixed schedules of the older workplace, but I’m in a happy place right now. I am a workaholic, but I have to take care of my own health too. So when I can, I am happy to do that.
One sweet thing that happened today was my junior, who comes with me for calls and also lives in my building, offered to lend me her scooty for calls next week, since she will be on her week off. That was random and unexpectedly sweet.
I don’t expect it to be my turn tonight, so I’ll sleep well. I made some garlic butter toast for dinner, now I’m eating mango for dessert.
Night: Knitting I’ll probably knit for a bit and call it a night. I’m not sure what I’m making yet, just practicing some simple stitches. My mother-in-law-to-be does a lot of it. She even crocheted a sweater for me and is now making a blanket. When I was at their house earlier in April, and I got bored, I decided to learn. I am not very good but I’m trying, mostly so I can make something for her in return for all the love and affection I get from her and her family. But my standards are still very low.
I try making a lot of things and then give up midway. All the balls of wool are still intact. The idea is to make earwarmers and caps. Maybe by the end of the year.
I’m clumsy. To be honest, anesthesia was initially scary for me. It involves a few delicate procedures. And I’m asthmatic on inhalers, so I always had tremors. But eventually, I learned how to deal with it. Same with crochet — every art can eventually be mastered with some practice, I think.
As told to Rajvi Desai.
Doctor Diary, Day 9: “We Postponed the Wedding Because I Was Called for Duty”
