Convert to allopathy

Worry writ large on her face, she sat stiffly facing me. I asked her, ‘How come you are here?’

This will appear a strange question to ask a patient, you may think. But you don’t know Saroj as I do. Her first court of appeal is her favorite family homeopath who is also her close friend. By the way of answer she gave me a hard stony look. Her husband, Sanjay prompted her,’ go ahead tell him’. Thus encouraged, she said,’ I have it again’. What you have it again? I asked her. She said doctor,’donot make fun of me, you know what I am referring to, I have it again’. Those of you who have read my last posting know Saroj’s travails with tuberculosis of her neck glands and how she was managed by her homeopath.’ If you have it again why come here when your homeopath friend is still around and kicking’ I couldn’t help taking a dig at her half jokingly and half seriously. She was quiet. That meant only one thing. She had already consulted with her friend and then has come here. I told her, ‘first of all I don’t know what you have got, let me have a look’ and then I said rather pointedly, ‘with your cooperation this time, we will tackle the problem, provided you keep your friend away when you are under my care’.

Her being quiet meant acquiescence. I proceeded to examine her.

Her right neck was empty in the sense there was no tissue under her skin, thanks to her old infection, the lymph nodes have been wiped out there and only an ugly scar was seen and felt. But the picture was different on the left neck. There were several matted [adhered to one another] nodes, a hall mark of gland TB. She also had low grade fever and felt unwell. She agreed to whatever I said. A piece of tissue was taken out of the lymph node and it confirmed TB. She also agreed to take the treatment for the next six months and come for follow up as advised. Not even a whimper about drug induced side effects etc. This kind of resigned acceptance is not in keeping with the character of this spirited young woman. ‘What? You have no questions, I asked her’. ‘What questions?’ she said, ‘what I am going to go through with your treatment cannot be worse than what I went through last time when I had this illness’. That said it all.

Had she taken, in the first instance, the six months anti tubercular chemotherapy she would not have had this relapse as the organisms would have been effectively removed from her body. I was prudent enough not drive home the point.

Later I came to know from Sanjay that they both had done an extensive net search and found the consultation with the homeopath did not answer their questions as well as mine did! She successfully finished the treatment about a month ago and I can now say I have a convert to allopathy.

Sometime later I will tell you all how Saroj saved her homeopath friend’s life, which is another story.