Xpre$$!ons...The White patch…
The coughs echoed, people strolling two and fro in tension (especially for the caesarian operations and surgeries), patient visitors, nurses dressed in white tunic, doctors portraying the act of ‘busy personalities’ and patients giving a sick glare at each other and a sigh of pain all fell in my pot of observation when I made a visit to the hospital. My twin wasn’t well and we were here to see the general doctor, she had high fever. As soon as we stepped in I just happen to notice my classmate, Jayashree. Her face was evocative that brought school days episode in a mist form; those combined studies, science fairs, dance competitions, picnics and at the noon time when our hunger pangs troubled us lunch boxes were tempting and lastly the gossips of school rumors.
The scenes were disturbed by my twin’s interaction with Jayashree. She was indifferent, something was badly worrying her. On looking at her state of mind I thought we should leave her alone and I interrupted my twin by asking her to go see the doctor.
But, my conscience was disquieting me and I thought of having a word with her. So, I quickly moved to catch her up and to ask the reason for her be troubled. In the beginning she did feel ill at ease; she needed some time to open up. It was almost five years since we met. She then started to sob and told me that she was engaged to a guy whom she had loved. And I wondered what must be the reason for worry when everything was so well settled for her.
She then replied; ‘but… I have a disease…skin disease. I had no clue about it; I noticed it few days back when I saw a white patch on my arm. The doctor says its leukoderma and it is not got anything to do with cancer. It is not contagious and is incurable. He has prescribed some medicines but he is not sure whether they are effective. I have to go through the stigma in the society and how will I face everyone.’ I was taken aback and had no words to express grief for her.
After joining my twin and discussing the issue with her we both were shaken and didn’t know how to console our friend. She had no other way out and only her fiancée could help her out. After a month, she informed me that only her in-laws had problems with her and her fiancée had no issues. Life still was a struggle for her except that she was lucky her fiancée stood for her. This was the poignant tale of my friend but there are many who are still besieged and careworn. Our care and support is what they badly are in need of.
There is also a book written on leukoderma, ‘Mahashweta’ by Sudha Murty (a very simple woman with great thoughts, she is miles away when it comes to glimpse and glamour but today is the chairperson of Infosy’s foundation, wife of Narayan Murty ). The book narrates a story that is heartrending which opens eyes towards the fatalities of leukoderma in the society.
Leukoderma is a skin disease that is not communicable but a white patch appears on the skin that in some case can spread in other parts of the body. People have mistaken belief that it is a bad omen and the woman who has leukoderma is not healthy etc; but it is not so. The next time you come across a woman with a white patch don’t give an expression of shame rather pluck the shame out of the diseased by making her feel at ease. Life is never the same, tomorrow anyone of us can become the victim of leukoderma. Now, the question is; do we have a heart for them?
The coughs echoed, people strolling two and fro in tension (especially for the caesarian operations and surgeries), patient visitors, nurses dressed in white tunic, doctors portraying the act of ‘busy personalities’ and patients giving a sick glare at each other and a sigh of pain all fell in my pot of observation when I made a visit to the hospital. My twin wasn’t well and we were here to see the general doctor, she had high fever. As soon as we stepped in I just happen to notice my classmate, Jayashree. Her face was evocative that brought school days episode in a mist form; those combined studies, science fairs, dance competitions, picnics and at the noon time when our hunger pangs troubled us lunch boxes were tempting and lastly the gossips of school rumors.
The scenes were disturbed by my twin’s interaction with Jayashree. She was indifferent, something was badly worrying her. On looking at her state of mind I thought we should leave her alone and I interrupted my twin by asking her to go see the doctor.
But, my conscience was disquieting me and I thought of having a word with her. So, I quickly moved to catch her up and to ask the reason for her be troubled. In the beginning she did feel ill at ease; she needed some time to open up. It was almost five years since we met. She then started to sob and told me that she was engaged to a guy whom she had loved. And I wondered what must be the reason for worry when everything was so well settled for her.
She then replied; ‘but… I have a disease…skin disease. I had no clue about it; I noticed it few days back when I saw a white patch on my arm. The doctor says its leukoderma and it is not got anything to do with cancer. It is not contagious and is incurable. He has prescribed some medicines but he is not sure whether they are effective. I have to go through the stigma in the society and how will I face everyone.’ I was taken aback and had no words to express grief for her.
After joining my twin and discussing the issue with her we both were shaken and didn’t know how to console our friend. She had no other way out and only her fiancée could help her out. After a month, she informed me that only her in-laws had problems with her and her fiancée had no issues. Life still was a struggle for her except that she was lucky her fiancée stood for her. This was the poignant tale of my friend but there are many who are still besieged and careworn. Our care and support is what they badly are in need of.
There is also a book written on leukoderma, ‘Mahashweta’ by Sudha Murty (a very simple woman with great thoughts, she is miles away when it comes to glimpse and glamour but today is the chairperson of Infosy’s foundation, wife of Narayan Murty ). The book narrates a story that is heartrending which opens eyes towards the fatalities of leukoderma in the society.
Leukoderma is a skin disease that is not communicable but a white patch appears on the skin that in some case can spread in other parts of the body. People have mistaken belief that it is a bad omen and the woman who has leukoderma is not healthy etc; but it is not so. The next time you come across a woman with a white patch don’t give an expression of shame rather pluck the shame out of the diseased by making her feel at ease. Life is never the same, tomorrow anyone of us can become the victim of leukoderma. Now, the question is; do we have a heart for them?
