Septoplasty at PIMS
Written By: Zeeshan Ghayur

Friday, June 23, 2006

Any nation shall never develop itself nor explore its full potential until each and every citizen contributes his/her duties, skills and experience positively. Pakistan does not fit under this statement. The dominion that was carved out of the Indian Territory and given independence from the Imperial British Rule was formed on one basis that never found a strong backbone. True Islamic principles of governance, economics, and law and order shall be implemented leading to prosperous economic growth and excellent international relations. Before this could actually begin the country’s founding leadership expired and/or got forcefully eliminated by the landlords themselves who though played a crucial role in financing towards the establishment of Pakistan. With the taking hold of the country’s governance by the money thirsty began an era continued till today of continued corruption and welfare of merely the miniscule higher upper class.

Beginning years of independence the blame was true to be imposed upon the money thirsty landlords however today every citizen of this nation is equally to be blamed. Sometimes it’s tough to wonder as to how this huge land with yet again the most sickening growth of population is surviving. Perhaps it’s because of a miniscule invisible manpower that is contributing itself positively towards the development of this nation.

Asking either a highly qualified person or an illiterate, the reason for having multiple children is described as a religious duty; though Islam does not recommend it in any way in the book of the set rules and regulations, the Holy Quran. Aware of the fact the religious scholars joining hands with the landlords in the beginning years of independence, to derive business confused the minds of the nation by preaching them the corrupted and manipulated sayings of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h). The book that even today is known to be in its pure form is not preached when any citizen of this nation steps into the mosque to perform the prayer. Yet when any of the religious preachers is asked for not preaching the Holy Quran one receives the reply that it is taught in Arabic to which almost the entire nation does not understand the meaning of. In simple, the end result that prevails today in the entire of Pakistan has been the wrong interpretation of Islam and corrupted sayings of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h). Alas the population of this third world country has the annual growth rate of 2.09% (2006 EST.) with the entire population being an alarming total of 165,803,560 (July 2006 EST.). The age structure of this sickening population that continues to grow for 0-14 years old is 39% (male 33,293,428/female 31,434,314), for 15-64 years old is 56.9% (male 48,214,298/female 46,062,933) and for 65 years and over is 4.1% (male 3,256,065/female 3,542,522) (2006 EST.).

The country has no more than an estimated 600 government hospitals that aren’t enough to accommodate the entire population since its true for a fact that Pakistan is not a welfare state. With unemployment rate being at 6.6% plus substantial underemployment (2005 EST.) and population below poverty line being 25% plus the inflation rate being at 9.2% (2005 est.) the conditions of the public hospitals for lowest, lower, lower middle, middle class is shocking.

Islamabad being the capital territory of Pakistan also known as the most developed city in the entire country has a total of merely two public hospitals. Patients would travel from northern, western and eastern areas of Pakistan to have their diagnosis done in Islamabad since every public hospital does not have cure to all the diseases. If you posses link in the Government of Pakistan then surely you would choose to be diagnosed at a public hospital as the protocol you are to receive would be splendid. However, the misery in the campus is something not blindfolded.

I have had a nasal blockage since birth which used to give me difficulties in breathing. Discovered at the age of ten since at most times I used to breathe from mouth rather than nose it was suggested that I do not undergo the ‘septoplasty’ operation till I reach the age of eighteen. After all it required the patient to undergo anesthesia and get operated by ENT (Ear Nose Throat) surgeons.



Tuesday, 20 June, 2006

I was to admit myself at PIMS (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences), a public hospital, and I could see people in queue to be merely medically examined since last more than six months. Thereafter the date of operation was again a wait of another six months if the operation was deemed to be necessary. With having a room settled upon, I was medically examined for blood, urine, ECG, blood pressure and X ray tests. A procedure that took an entire day and night to happen, I witnessed thousands of patients helplessly seeking medical aid from the hospital. A misery that I unwillingly witnessed is scripted here. I tried walking through those corridors that were supposed to be vacant but they were not. I tried not to write this down but I could not stop. Though the hospital is equipped with state of the art technology and is heavily funded it just is not able to accommodate such an alarming rate of the patients.

A Pakistani gets married because it’s considered a noble need in the type of society everyone lives here. A couple would have children without having to think of their financial conditions just because its considered to be a religious duty and that it would allow them to live safe in their old age and enter heavens in their life thereafter. Alas, if the religious preachers preach the true Islam, this nation that is a devout Muslim can become the most developed nation.



Wednesday, 21 June, 2006

The day of the operation had arrived and I was being tested for blood pressure at every hour’s interval. I was given clothing to change myself into and was implanted a needle that would be a painless access to various injections to be injected at a later stage. Though the clock was ticking towards the close of the operation time I was happy because anesthesia’s operation is supposed to be painless since the patient undergoes unconsciousness. But I was unaware of the fact as to the pain I was to encounter. Walking from my room to the operation theatre, I could see patients whose operation had been conducted and were lying helplessly in pain and blood because they had been awakened at a time they are not supposed to because a public hospital cannot bear itself guilty to the death of any patient because of anesthesia. However, I was unaware of their misery until I experienced it myself.

I was asked to take off my slippers and glasses. I see things in a blur when I take off the glasses but it was something that I had to agree upon. Thereafter, I was taken to the recovery room and asked to wait in there at the back bed with my medical reports and medicines in hand. Approached a few minutes later by the doctor who was to operate me I was escorted to a waiting room. While he was escorting me he enquired whether it was true that I cannot see properly without glasses to which I agreed and then asked me of my qualification when he was impressed with my Australian qualification of Bachelors of Business in Marketing. Sitting in the waiting room, I witnessed almost eight patients waiting since hours to be operated. The area was a non-smoking zone but according to one of the patients in the waiting queue he witnessed the surgeons smoking at the end of the corridors. I had to agree with his statement since I could smell it myself. Ten minutes of wait and a doctor came looking for me with pronouncing my name in the waiting room. I waved identifying the pronounced patient as being myself. I was asked to wait. Minutes later the main doctor who had examined me a week ago and finalized the date of operation came looking for me and waved at me to wait for a while. Minutes later the doctor who was actually to operate me came looking for me and took from my hands my medical reports. I was now left with my X ray sheet and the medicines/tools that were required for my operation.

Minutes later the doctor who had taken my medical reports came to collect the rest and escorted me to the room next door which was the operation theatre. Noticing the blur environment I must state it was one of the finest and most advanced rooms I had witnessed till that time at PIMS. I was then left and asked to walk myself to the dentist type bed two meters in front of me. Walking towards it I witnessed the senior doctor probably drinking tea or perhaps water. There was laughter in the operation theatre which at least I was amazed to notice. Lying on the dentist type bed which I couldn’t fit myself upon since I am quite tall compared to the average height in Pakistan another senior doctor walked towards me laughing at the scene and held my legs from my feet to probably stabilize me on the bed. I looked at my left side and saw another doctor taking out the medicines and the anesthesia pipe. I requested him to insert that long pipe in my mouth after I slip into unconsciousness. Another doctor who busted into laughter standing a few meters away from him asked me whether I watch a lot of movies. Agreeing to it he informed me that nothing like the movies would happen here. Somehow I agreed with his statement.

Came towards me and pushing my nose to notice its inside and then with lights and then again with lights being very bright and close he informs his senior doctor that the deviation of bone in my nose is not something he has witnessed before. Therefore, it would prove to be a lengthy and complicated operation. There was again laughter from yet another senior doctor and a reply that it would be more than just fun to operate me. I by this stage became nervous further, even got scared. Prove to this was my sudden tremble when another doctor stuck on my chest the heartbeat monitoring stickers. Asked by the doctor for the very first time to relax and I could hear my heartbeat on the monitor. Sat behind my head was the anesthetist whom I informed that my nose is to be operated to be merely sure that I was in the right room and came forth laughter by the entire crew of surgeons. A huge mask was placed upon my face with which I was asked to breathe in and out with long breaths. After a while said the anesthetist to one of his senior doctors that it is not three complete long breaths and subject hasn’t slipped into unconsciousness. Came forth; another laughter to which I was a member of by now and the senior doctor who had previously examined me for the confirmation of the operation took out the anesthesia injection and noticing me looking at him asked me as to how I was. Replying that I’m fine and what about him I counter asked as to whether he would inject it into me before I get unconscious because I am afraid of injections and came forth a witty reply that I wouldn’t feel anything. The doctor who had pushed my nose dropped into it a few drops and squeezed it for a while after which the senior doctor injected the anesthesia into the already implanted needle on my right hand. It was without any pain. I was again asked to breathe in and the same situation took place yet again. This was the time when almost eight doctors came and stood by me with complications in their eyes. This time rather a large syringe was filled up with either anesthesia or antibiotics or probably something else then injected into the already implanted needle. However, before pushing the liquid in it I was asked wittingly as to how quickly should the liquid be pushed in and the doctor examining my nose for the surgery asked him to kindly push it in with respect sounding to me as if the doctor who had asked was in fact his senior probably teasing him. Three long breaths again with the mask placed on my head yet again and I don’t remember anything else.

When I opened my eyes I found myself pushing away the oxygen mask in the recovery room and trembling with extreme pain requesting to do something about the pain before putting on my nose the mask. I was shouting with pain and trembling to an extent that I almost fell down the bed a few times saved by the nurses. A moving bed was speeded towards me and I was asked to hop on it myself which I in great pain did manage. Thereafter, I was shifted to my room where I kept on trembling with pain and the nurses injected me with a pain killer in my arms, an antibiotic in my implanted needle and supported with a bottle of glucose injected into the implanted needle. I noticed on my nose a bandage stuck that was steadily filling up with blood. After a while when I was able to notice the environment without having to feel the pain and without having to notice my breathing since after the operation from my mouth the surgeon doctor who had operated upon me entered the room. He informed me that I had a major bleeding in the operation theatre that was again something not expected. I counter asked him in respect of the reason for all that laughter and he emotionally replied that it’s the only time when people like him can have a bit of witty time though the patient feels trouble witnessing it.

With every interval of a few hours the bandage was removed and I was injected with pain killers and came forth the night when I was injected with a sleeping injection.



Thursday, 22 June, 2006

A fact that I was in the government hospital another preferred patient with links was to be accommodated in the room I was in and came forth a quarrel between the surgeons who operated me and those who were to operate another patient. I noticed the surgeon who had played with my nose in the operation theatre to have somehow becoming emotionally attached with my situation and was not willing to let me dispatch without having to complete my treatment. Anyhow the time arrived to pack up myself and leave for home. On the way home I purchased the anti biotic medicines, pain killers, and the tough to purchase sleeping pills.

I am writing this text with continuous bleeding where I change the bandage after every two to three hours and spray in the two liquids recommended. I am still unable to breathe from my nose but I expect it to happen soon. I need to go back to PIMS for the last checkup in which they are to withdraw a plate implanted deep in my nose and perhaps that plate is not letting me breathe.

Having spent one night at home I am still in a painful condition. Attached are the photographs and a video shot after the operation.

If you are a Pakistani then I would recommend you not to get into the bond of marriage just because it’s considered a noble deed in need. Considering the fact that you do get into marriage, then bring into this world calculated children so that in case of loss of job or bankruptcy in business you are able to feed, educate and nurture them as well as go to private hospitals till the time they stand upon on their own feet and start earning. This is one mindset that needs to be injected in the entire nation.

The misery I witnessed at PIMS was not because the public hospital wasn’t funded. In fact it is funded quite heavily by the Government of Pakistan. The entire blame goes to the population itself that keeps on increasing at an alarming rate. I had witnessed most people in there who did not have proper clothing to wear, proper footwear to walk with, enough finance in their pockets and yet they had an army of children. God bless the children whose parents have more than two kids in this a country.

Watch/Download Video

Video Size: 9.93 MB
Video Format: Windows Media Video (.wmv)
Duration: 1 minute & 26 seconds

Produced & Directed By: Irfan Hafeez Khan
Edited By: Zeeshan Ghayur
Copyright Owner: ZeeshanGhayur.COM
Copyright Year: 2006

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