What the Doc ordered for himself

By Bindu Jacob

NEW DELHI, JUNE 28. There is little time to rest, for the emergency calls are far too many. Living through a maze of ventilators, intravenous pumps, fluctuating blood pressures, racing heartbeats....they know that more often than not the panic button is triggered more by anxiety than anything else. But each time the alarm goes off, they catapult themselves into action -- ever alert and anxious.

Day after day, the routine continues ceaseless, the mind- boggling stress and strain notwithstanding. Studies put cardiologists, cardio-thoracic surgeons and pathologists in the "high-stress-risk" bracket. Making split-second decisions for patients hovering between life and death and being on call virtually 24 hours a day puts them ``nice and firm'' in the "high risk" section. How long, then, does it take before the doctor himself falls victim to the very ailment he writes out prescriptions for? Thankfully, the answer is: Hardly ever.

Yes, the ``health-wise'' physicians have evolved their own ways to beat stress, the modern age killer. Wonder how some of the Capital's top physicians do it?

Escorts Institute's cardiologist Dr. Naresh Trehan prescribes yoga, meditation and spending time with friends as the best stress busters. Swimming and skiing too cushion stress, as do movies. Going to discos, an old hobby, is now ``boring''. A heavy smoker, Dr. Trehan adds: ``I am most relaxed in the operation theatre.''

``A positive outlook'' does the trick for another seasoned cardiologist, Dr. K.K. Aggarwal. ``I believe that nothing is an obstacle in life. A strict diet-and-exercise regime helps of course.''

Listening to music and being with the family figure high among stress-busters. Says Dr. James Thomas of the National Heart Institute: ``Meeting people and doing my bit for society is my anti-stress pill. Daily work-outs and social work keep me in touch with reality and help cope with stress at work.''

Dr. Anoop Mishra, personal physician to the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and Associate Professor at All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, says: ``Long walks and regular work-outs helps me de-stress. Old Hindi music and novels help.''

For Dr. Verghese Mathews, Director and Head of Orthopaedics at St. Stephen's Hospital, working is de-stressing. ``I begin work at 7-30 a.m. and reach home by midnight. I enjoy taking up challenges. For me the joy of a job well done surpasses all stress levels.''

Dr. Sandeep Vohra, psychiatrist, regulates his number of patients to combat stress. ``I see a stipulated number of patients each day to maintain my calm. My children are my anti- stress pill.''

Another physician who believes in the family mantra is Dr. Rajasekhar of Apollo Hospitals, the first doctor in South Asia to have conducted a live liver transplant. ``Playing with my children is very relaxing. Over the years I have built up a self- protective mechanism where I can automatically dissociate myself from stressful situations.''

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