PICK UP THE PHONE

I Just got up from a discussion with a colleague and he shared with me a touching story. His elder brother had just died and the burial arrangement was in top gear. Out of curiosity, I asked him how his brother had died and the story began. Let me call the name of the deceased Victor.

Victor was a medical doctor who specialized in Anesthetics and had an underlying Asthma condition. On this unfortunate day, Dr Victor returned from a party organized by the teaching hospital where he worked, and where he had had a few drinks and ate to his fill. On getting home, he freshened up and slept.

Very late in the night, he had an attack; he quickly reached out for his inhaler but that didn't help and at this time he was losing strength so fast. To stay alive, he tried Injecting himself (with an anti-asthmatic injection) but he lacked the steadiness of hands to affect that also. His only lifeline was to call his fellow doctor friends and he did. But, unfortunately, no one picked up even after dialling five numbers of those who lived closest to him. He dialled the sixth person who was his medical director, who eventually picked up. According to him his last words were " help me am dying". but by the time he arrived at the scene, it was too late.

It was an avoidable death. When he could no longer help himself, he needed to lean on human support, which came rather too late. I wonder how they would live with themselves when they find out that he actually dialled their numbers in his last moments!

Lesson: Don't assume you know why the call is coming in and postpone it because it may be a matter of life and death.