I, the son of a doctor, am carrying the weight of being the child of a doctor in the era of the pandemic of the world’s most contagious disease, Covid-19.

I am seeing everyone watching television with a horrified face and a worried heart. I am seeing them concerned and discussing about the new challenge the world is facing. But, I am standing at the other edge.

Every morning I see off my mother with a happy heart and a positive smile because I know that she is not only a doctor, but a frontline warrior at the battlefield saving the lives of so many humans. I feel proud from the core of my heart. It increases my heartbeat when I listen to the daily happenings at the hospital from my mother, of how she fought and saved the lives during her tiresome and long duty. It is not less than an honour for me to be her child.

But very few of you would know what painful fear we feel as the family of a doctor and other paramedic staff. Every morning when I say goodbye to her, leaving for the battlefield, the heaviness of my heart cannot be explained through words. I know that my mother is directly exposed to the infected, seriously sick patients and she may also get infected.

This pandemic is scary for everyone, but more so for the family of a doctor, writes a doctor’s son

Life is precious, must be saved, but her life is also priceless, especially for me. Today all the medical professionals are fighting a war against an unseen opponent.

It gives me real pain to observe that people are not giving doctors and paramedic staff the deserved honour. They are illustrious; I wish people would understand it.

It breaks my heart and gives me goosebumps when I see that many medical personnels are martyred during their duties. This is the biggest worry we have. I wish others could imagine the pain we are suffering and help us to minimise this pain.

The only way to bring our parents safely home to us each day is by others staying at home and not spreading or contacting this disease. I request the whole nation, “PLEASE STAY HOME AND STAY SAFE”, so that we can get our doctor parents back safely too.

I pray that this pandemic gets over soon and we can all live in harmony, health and safety.

Published in Dawn, Young World, May 23rd, 2020