Treating patients at home

Last Thursday, my brother-in-law, (sister’s husband) suddenly fell ill.
He is aged 77, which is comparatively young by western standards but is old by our norms.
He had not been keeping well for some time and had started eating very frugally, hence was very weak.
As is usual in old age, he had become cranky and like a child, obstinate.
Unknown to the other members of the house, he went for a walk on the road.
Shortly. the other members of the house found out and went to bring him back.
When they called his name from the back, he turned to look and fell.
He suffered some injury and his hand started bleeding.
The wound was bandaged but he did not allow a second dressing for the pain.
On Thursday, probably because of pain and infection he became unconscious at night.
An oxygen cylinder was arranged because his breathing had become strained and he had lungs problems.
On Friday they called their family physician and also informed me.
I went immediately.
The family physician asked them to call a cardiologist to check to the heart.
The cardiologist came at around 2.00 pm. He did his check-up but he came without a ECG machine.
Imagine, a cardiologist, coming for a call, without his ECG machine.
He advised hospitalization in ICU but we preferred to do the treatment at home.
Anyhow, an ECG technician was called to do the ECG and the report came at 6.00 pm.
There was no problem in the heart.
Since, he had not eaten or drunk anything, saline drip was arranged at home.
We bought a nebulizer for his lungs problem.
Immediately after using the nebulizer for 10 minutes and starting the drip and giving one injection, his condition started improving.
Treatment started at 7.00 pm and he had started improving by 8.00 pm.
Now, why did we prefer the treatment at home and not hospitalize him.
Because of poor experience from previous episodes.
Hospitals keep patients in ICUs just to raise their bills and even after a patient expires, it is not declared so that they can continue billing him. Even reputed nursing homes in Kolkata resort to this method of fleecing customers. So a new movement has started where people, if they can arrange the facilities at home keep the patient at home and just employ a nurse to care for him
A few days ago, a director of our company, preferred to have his ailing mother treated at home rather than send her to the wolves in the hospital. Since she was old, they thought it is better she remain with the family during her last few days.
I commend the decision and would advise Indians to do the same instead of handing over your near ones to the beasts in the hospitals. I mention Indians for our Indian doctors, especially those in North India are just scoundrels, out to earn quick money only with no sense of serving the people.
The HIPPOCRATES oath has become the HYPOCRITES oath.