A Doctor who is so Motherly

In the scientifically and medically advanced world, the most debated topic is where humanity has gone. In the professional sphere, everyone seems to be so busy in carrying out their professional duty that little scope is left to be a humanitarian. Therefore, there are separate forums for doing charity and social works.

Dr. S. Jayalakshmi MD, Dip. NB, Chief Consultant Gynaecology & Laparoscopic Surgeon in Matha Hospital, Thellakom, Kottayam has been well balancing her professional duties and humanness while attending and meeting her patients.

Though her OP begins at 8am, she is present in the hospital much earlier. She is there in the hospital at 5.30am to start her rounds for IP (in patient). Being a gynaecologist is more than a profession for her, she breaks her professional barriers and walks along with her patients all through out their pregnancy period.

Once I had to experience the motherly fury from her out of her deep concern for her patient, when I went to the hospital along with my life partner, who was advised to have bed rest due to a complicated pregnancy, to get the leave application forms signed by the doctor.

The moment we met her she was so anxious and worried and asked us readily what happened, if it is some complication like bleeding or something. When we told her that we had come to get the leave application forms signed, in her motherly concern towards her patient, she scolded me,  "Why did you bring her to the hospital just for getting the leave application forms signed, you her husband alone should have come for it, don't you know that hospital is a place where she can contract diseases." I was flabbergasted with nothing to tell her but to tender my apology and gave her a promise that it wouldn't be repeated.

When my life partner's sugar level shot up in 5th month of her pregnancy, due to the failure of strictly following the diet chart given by the doctor in the initial stage of pregnancy, and got admitted in hospital, doctor was very worried with concern and uttered,  "It is already a complicated pregnancy and you have added one more to the list, diabetes."

Such was her concern for her patients.

She calls all her patients fondly 'mole' a term of endearment. As my life partner's medical case was something special, it had been so close to the doctor's heart. No wonder, a good number gynaecology cases come to Dr. S. Jayalakshmi, despite the fact that there is a gynaecology speciality hospital and another famous hospital within 300 meter radius.

Pregnancy is a journey that the pregnant woman and her gynaecologist walk together and Dr. Jayalakshmi has been there always with both medical and moral support in the creative mission to bring life to the world, and to take part in God's mission of creation.

We have been blessed with twins (girl and boy) on 19/09/2019 at 9 AM. After a couple of days my life partner was discharged from the hospital on 23/10/2019 but, still she had to continue in the hospital, as the newborn babies were in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). On 25th evening, my life partner had a faint due to stress, C-section fatigue and sleeplessness as she had to breastfeed the newborn babies every 2-3 hours. The doctors immediately rushed to her room, she was examined and she was alright after a couple of minutes. 

The next morning, Dr. S. Jayalakshmi walked into her room, while she was doing her rounds, to know the health condition of my life partner, though she was no longer her patient (already she was discharged by the doctor). The next day, while i was sitting in the corridor, i overheard Dr. Jayalakshmi asking the duty nurse "How is Ann Mary now?"  during her rounds.

I was indeed moved by her kind gestures and going beyond her professional duties and for being more motherly than a doctor. 

The blog is dedicated to Dr. S. Jayalakshmi for her unconditional love and care for her patients and especially for my life partner.

Image Courtesy: http://www.mathahospital.org/departments.php?contents=72