A doctor's Twitter thread describing a dying Covid patient's son singing to her on a video call has gone viral on social media and has moved many to tears.
Dipshikha Ghosh wrote in the posts that she had video-called the relatives of her patient Sanghamitra Chatterjee --"who is not going to make it" - when her son Soham Chatterjee asked her to spare a few more minutes. He then sang to his mother. He sang a popular Hindi movie song that, she says, will never be the same to her again. "Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle Ka Nata Koi...," goes the song, which is from a film about a mother and son who were separated for years and found each other.
Today, towards the end of my shift, I video called the relatives of a patient who is not going to make it. We usually do that in my hospital if it's something they want. This patient's son asked for a few minutes of my time. He then sang a song for his dying mother.
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) May 12, 2021
Dr Ghosh said as she watched Soham Chatterjee singing to his mother, nurses too came and stood in silence. He broke down but somehow finished the song, and there were few dry eyes in that ward. After asking the doctor about his mother's vitals, he hung up. "This song is changed for us, for me at least. This song will always be theirs," the doctor wrote.
Me and the nurses stood there. We shakes our heads, our eyes moist. The nurses went back one by one to their allocated patients and attended to them or the alarms of vents/dialysis units. This song is changed for us, for me at least. This song will always be theirs.
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) May 12, 2021
With permission, the people mentioned here are Mrs Sanghamitra Chatterjee and her son Mr Soham Chatterjee. My deepest condolences. You, your voice, your quiet dignity, are her legacy. @sohamchatt
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) May 13, 2021
The story has received an overwhelming response on social media, with most users saying they cried reading the story of a son's final goodbye to his mother.
Just choked. No words. ????
— Rahul (@RahulRatan14) May 12, 2021
Cant imagine the pain. Don't want to imagine the pain.
— Arsenal ❤️ (@sanwat) May 12, 2021
God bless you all Doctor at the hospital. You are handholding all of us through this intense battle. May the powers be with you. All glories with you. Prayers for you all. Take care, stay strong. India needs you. Thank you ????
— ???????? अजीत অজীত Ajit (@the_ajitsingh) May 12, 2021
You did everything. My mother died alone in a nursing home 5 months ago. The nurse allowed me to speak to her & I gave my mom permission to give up. It was everything. This nurse allowed 10 mins to close out mu mother's life the right way. TY to all drs/nurses. https://t.co/E0CvNugBGj pic.twitter.com/wJAQNhrvHJ
— ᴅɪᴀɴᴀ ʀᴏʜɪɴɪ ʟᴀᴠɪɢɴᴇ ˢʰᵉ/ʰᵉʳ/ᵉˡˡᵃ #???????????? (@DianaRohini) May 12, 2021
When a Twitter user appeared to congratulate the doctor for being able to capture the pain nicely in the Twitter thread, Dr Ghosh told him, "I did nothing. This shouldn't happen to anyone."
I did nothing. This shouldn't happen to anyone.
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) May 12, 2021
On her Twitter profile, Dr Ghosh says she practices critical care medicine. She has regularly asked people to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour and updates about her day at work. Mostly those updates sum up the pressure healthcare workers are handling currently across the country. Like this one:
Becoming a doctor is not divine calling. Please don't put this profession on a pedestal. You will worship till medicine fails you and you will take that out on the doctor. Please just stop. Becoming a doctor just means choosing to practise medicine. That's all. https://t.co/Sz0sJgrYU2
— Doctor (@DipshikhaGhosh) May 11, 2021
India's COVID-19 caseload hit 2.37 crore today with 3.62 lakh new infections in the last 24 hours. The death count has touched 2,58,317 with 4,120 people dying of the infection on Wednesday.
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