Moment: March 8th, 2018 at 4:08 PM CST
"You chose a vocation, not a job, so it is more than just making a living, it is a way of life"
It’s the 2020 National Physicians Week, and I think that especially during this time of our lives when the world has been turned on its head during a health crisis, I wanted to take a moment to commend those who are on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, working tirelessly to care for those in need, even when it means sacrificing their own safety or time with their families. Countless physicians are putting their own lives on the line, and some are even coming out of retirement despite the heightened risk to serve the communities that they swore an oath to protect. Not just doctors, but all health care professionals, are displaying great selflessness by going towards those who are ill when the rest of us are told to stay away.
I wanted to especially honor the physicians who inspired me to follow in their footsteps, passing down their love of God, fervor for people, and passion for medicine: my grandparents. When I went to India, I realized just how much of an impact they had on the community they served in, as everyone called them “Doctor Uncle” and “Doctor Aunty,” but I had the privilege of calling them Thatha (grandpa) and Ammamma (grandma). They provided free healthcare to those who could not afford it, and eventually decided to leave their comfortable positions in a private hospital to work in a government hospital and serve those who needed it the most. I watched my grandfather save a man’s life in the middle of a clothing store, and witnessed my grandmother care for her grandson (my brother) in the hospital with the professionalism she would afford anyone despite the emotional investment. They went above and beyond the job description, and I am beyond blessed to have their legacy to look up to.
It just so happens that Ammamma is also celebrating her birthday today, so Happy Birthday Ammamma! Even though she is retired now, she still answers people’s medical questions over the phone or FaceTime to put their minds at ease and help them stay informed, and helps me study Anatomy and Physiology almost 50 years after she studied it. Ammamma gave me pretty much all of my facial features (people in India who didn’t even know who I was would ask me if I was Dr. Leela Praveen’s granddaughter), but more importantly, she has been a great source of encouragement both in my journey towards becoming a doctor and my walk with the Lord, and I hope that by the time I’m her age, I will have even half of the knowledge of medicine and the Bible that she does.
I am incredibly grateful to all the doctors who continue to honor their profession not just as a job, but as a vocation. To my uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends who are putting the lives of others ahead of their own, THANK YOU. This week (and always), take a moment to thank a medical professional who has impacted your life, because they are the ones fighting for all of us right now.
