Last year around this time I was posted in a ward with significantly higher morbidity and mortality rates than what I was accustomed to and could deal with. Not doing that posting was obviously not an option, unlike selecting MD where avoidance works. I tried to look for any, if at all, silver lining, and I realised that since it was a shift based posting- I could turn my brain off at 5pm to the dot. Unlike my original ward- Psychiatry- where I could get calls at any time of the day or night, this was not the case in this particular posting. I only had to carry the morbidity and mortality till 5PM. Sometimes 6. So I started painting after my shift would get over, with some nice music in the background(personally partial to Bach, maybe Brahms)- to make sure my mind wouldnt replay the events of the day shift of my life during that time. I eventually did finish some 3 canvasses during that month, but 1 was left unfinished as the posting got over, and I got busy with life. I tried to pick it up about thrice over the last 1 year, but simply couldn’t push myself to finish it. Anyway- heres the finished painting. It took me over a year of procrastination to finally complete it. And less than 6 hours in total. Going forward, I promise to understand and look kindly at the part of my patients lives where they really REALLY want to follow certain advices, want to pursue hobbies, but cannot, because of procrastination or the illness itself. For life is a better teacher than textbooks, atleast when it comes to empathy. 🙂 (Acrylics on canvas)

Went to a nearby corporate hospital for a family member’s routine checkup, I started entering a lift absentmindedly and was immediately stopped by the guard “For Doctors Only!” I almost spat out a “How Dare You! I AM A DOCTOR” before remembering I am not, in this hospital 💀