LIFE.. D. E. C. O. D. E. D

SPEECHLESS..

Have you ever had an incidence where someone or something has really left you speechless?? When you actually don't understand what you can do?

This is a incident which happened during my graduation college days. As a dental student, we had to do check up of small children in the PEDODONTICS department.. I went to the college as my usual routine not knowing that there is gonna be something unusual today...

I sat down to do check up of a small kid. She must be hardly 7 or 8 years old. Ragged clothes, messy hair.. Heights of being shabby. 😓. By the looks of her I was sure that she has come from a slum. I asked her, "Where do you stay beta(dear child)?" She said, " Didi(elder sister) I stay behind your college in a slum." I checked her teeth.. So much decay, half teeth completely blackish. Desperately needed multiple extractions and cleaning treatment. I asked her, "Beta don't you brush your teeth?" She said, "No didi. I don't. I can't." I asked her, "Why don't you brush? Your mom doesn't shout on you?" She said, "No." I was confused. Why would a mother do this to her child? 😦Not teaching her the basic hygiene of even brushing her teeth? I asked her, "Where is your mom? I want to meet her." She told me that she works in my hospital as a maushi (maid). She just left her at the check up counter and told her to wait till she comes. As there were fewer patients that day thats why she got an early chance. There was no patients behind her, so I had a little time to interact with her before her mother came.

I asked,"Don't you feel pain in your teeth? Don't you feel like cleaning them?" She said, "Yes I do didi. But I can't help it. There are so many things I want to do but I can't?" I asked her why is repeating those words "I CAN'T" ? What does she want to do so badly? And her reply just left me SPEECHLESS..

She had an innocence in her eyes and voice. She looked at me and said, "Didi. I am very poor. My parents don't even have money to buy me a brush. I want to be a doctor like you. I want to study, go to school. I have a lot of pain in my teeth but I don't say because I know my parents will not be able to pay that much money for my treatment.."

STUNNEEDDD SHOCK and SPEECHLESS.. 😣😧😱😳. A little girl who is not even 10 years old knows so much about her financial condition. Has dreams to become something big when she doesn't even have food to eat. Hides her pain to comfort her parents from financial insult.. Before she could even speak something more she stopped. She saw her mom approaching.

I definately helped her out. Bought brush and gave her biscuits.. Helped her with her treatments. She was absolutely fine and recovering when her mother asked me, "Why did you give so much importance and personal care to my child more than the rest of your other child patients?" 😇

When I said... "SOMETIMES WE DON'T REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT WE HAVE. DON'T REALIZE HOW LUCKY WE ARE. EVEN IF WE HAVE EVERYTHING, WE FAIL TO UNDERSTAND WHERE TO AND HOW TO USE IT.." This what your daughter taught me..

Her "THANK YOU DIDI.." will always be in my memories.. 😇

Love,
❤️NiKi $.