Dr. Yogita Gupta
Senior Resident, Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS,
New Delhi
A 14-year old girl with past history of chemical injury in one eye was admitted to our ophthalmology in- patient ward. This is my first person experience of her emotions full of courage and hope as she witnessed her case being discussed among the team of doctors at the morning clinical bedside teaching rounds.
A 14 year old brave girl,
Was admitted under my care,
An eye surgery she needed,
Both parents were in despair.
Friends back at the village,
Awaited her return,
To go back to them and play
Was what she too did yearn
Dusky golden skin,
A smile all too shy,
Carried the hurtful memory,
Of a powder that damaged her eye.
Her life had turned for worse,
At a tender age of six,
What the world now called ugly,
Could God only now fix?
She was all too quiet by herself,
Was she really scared?
As she let me examine her,
To help her I was prepared.
She had lost an eye to injury,
I could almost feel the pain,
Damage that lime did to her,
She seemed to relive again.
A mind full of questions,
There’s more than meets the eye,
She seems wiser for her age,
She doesn’t fret or cry.
A one eyed daughter
Is what the parents see,
But with the one good eye,
This girl is hopeful as can be!
This little girl here,
Has what we have not,
Contentment with what remains,
To be happy with what she’s got!
We don’t appreciate what we have
Until we no longer do,
I take lesson from this little girl
I hope you do too!
— Yogita Gupta