Doctor.. doctor..

Family doctor as he was known...fever, cold,cough, aches or pains, from anything to everything..all my childhood I saw only one face and one nurse to help him. Our family Doctor Ramakrishna Rao and his nurse Salome.  She was more like a friend to us, and what ever we could not tell the doctor we use to tell her. I remember worst medical situations..like my moms Asthma, my sisters typhoid days, my brothers typhoid or para typhoid some such thing which shook my parents off, as it went on for some months. Bad allergic conditions  to worst painful injuries! Female issues, male problems, measles rashes, or teenage stress pimples , play ground falls, or sport injuries....for everything only one solution..go to the  one and only family doctor. Drag to the doctors clinic yourself, or take some one with you, mostly walk to the place and if the sickness is severe, and the situation really bad may be call him home. We did not had a phone, so first, one of us go tell him about the needed house visit, and then he will say his probable time of arrival, we eagerly wait  and when we see his rick out side..( yes our family doctor did not had a car nor he was a MB BS, leave alone MD or FR-CS etc! So one of us go fetch his bag and then he checks on the patient who ever that is and normally give an injection ( penicillin) then leaves asking one of us to come to the clinic to collect the medicine. WE pay the rickshaw charges, and that's all I remember.  May be he use to take once a month from my dad, as we were no doubt giving him good business! I still remember the pink mixture Salome use to make, by mixing  this and that from the bottles on the shelves of the so called in house pharmacy.The the doctor use to give some no name pills wrapped in a paper chit and on that only he would scribble.. one in the morn,noon, night the dosage. For how many days? as long as we get better..! Thinking about the pink mixture, gulping the pills, or taking the injections..we all use to miraculously get better, bounce back and start off living again! Ha..he was not just our family doctor but a magician I can say. Why I am thinking and remembering him and those days, years  today..is a good question!!..In the past few years and in the recent few weeks, and  days... my association with the modern medicine and the medical specialists .. as they are known as now..Though the family physician ( no one calls  them family doctor any more) is still there for most families, now we go to a gynecologist  for female issues, an orthopedic for aches n joints,Dermatologists for skin irritations,  ophthalmologist for eyes! I remember how I/we ended up in the lobby's with worried faces at the ever so popular and super successful  pediatricians for our kids and their health! It goes with out saying of course a dentist for tooth aches and related issues. This itself was a lot for me...from then to these..! There is more to add..for my sons perfect smile I met his orthodontist and the appointments were for an year. Then slowly with out much realization the age caught up with one and all, and so I met more specialists accompanying my mother in law during her age related check ups or hospital admissions and emergencies, and   some times for my own self. Now it is not just orthopedic i had to visit during a recent fall but hands and wrist specialists, who are 2 different people, and back and shoulder experts who wont touch if it is not that what I came for!A knee surgery was what I needed and it was done by a doctor who does only Knee arthroscopes.  Radiologists,  gastroenterologist, anesthesiologists , ER that is emergency room specialists, Laser specialists both for skin and eyes, where some of the few I got to meet.In playing around with life I myself met physical therapists of different types, from Acupuncturists to acupressure experts. Magnetic therapists to manual therapy pain relievers! More detailed.. eye lid specialist, and psycho annalists,  If I mention any more of these I would need another day another blog..but this is how vast and diversified medical field, and as if there is an unspoken law and  understanding  the doctors too wont risk but send patients if they think he is not their candidate! Yes I have to use that word, as it is become totally like pick and choose. No more challenges to face no risk of getting sued by the patients! This all seem to work, and medical business is the most thriving business now, and every one seem to be contented in making money, getting better to selling medicines or building their good will. From medical tourism to hospital administration  globally it has become one, but individually it has branched like never before.Having said all this I have nothing against doctors but  I am in awe of them, and  very thankful to all the doctors I had to visit ,get treated at some point or the other.Sitting and waiting for my blood reports, which in recent times i got done so many times, for a satisfying nod from a specialist. Still not OK..! scopy's of all done but no satisfaction yet!!  I don't know how many more specialist I will be meeting in future, and I dread the  thought and don't even want to think about it! But I respect all of them and have immense faith in this medical profession. Hats off to all the doctors and the noble service/profession they are in to. I am just Gosh..one simple family doctor was all that needed then..and now...wow..if you miss your appointment, you not only wont  get it in the next few months, may not get the same doctor, or the same hospital if insurance plays a major role like in USA! I am dazed and amazed!! Where are you God..; sorry ...Doctor,..doctor...