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Check Me for Venom

   
One fine night at around 11.30PM, When I jus entered Stage 3 NREM sleep,My calling bell went off. With palpitations resulting from sudden arousal from my deep sleep, I went to attend the door, scratching my head, mumbling to myself 'Who wants what now?'
As I opened the door,I found a 50 year old man grinning at me with bright eyes..! It was my neighbourhood shopkeeper whom I met the previous day, and he came to know that I am a doctor.
"Hello..How are you?What happened?"
   'Greetings Sir..I was walking on my way home,and I accidentally stepped on a snake'
"OMG..What happened?Did it bite you?"
   'No Sir..I only stepped on it..It ran away'
"Let me see ur legs"
I checked for bite marks but cud'nt find any. I reassured him, and told him to go to the hospital immediately if he has any symptoms like difficulty in breathing,double vision etc
He nodded patieny and stretched his hand towards me.
I thought, May be he is offering me doctor fee and said
"No no..its ok..No problem"
But he insisted,and its not the fee
   'Please check if the poison has gone inside me'
What the Heckk..Face palm
"How wud I do that in my home!"
I explained him if he is in doubt he should go to the hospital and do some blood works.I also lectured him about various types of snakes,neurotoxin,hemotoxin,how we test for it blah blah blah.He listened patiently and asked
   'But can you not check my pulse and tell if I am poisoned?The healer in our village finds out poison by this method only and he breaks the poison too'
Second facepalm,break the poison..ahem ahem
checked his pulse rate,
"82..Nothing to worry,60-100 is normal,Go Home"
   'So No poison na sir..I know how will I be poisoned if the snake did not even bite me'
It should have,I thought to myself,"Go home" I repeated.
And he went happily with the satisfaction of ruining my sleep.And I could not sleep for an hour contemplating between,'Should I have send him to hospital and get atleast his clotting time done'and 'Anyway he was not even bitten.'

But What I never expected happened the next day.On my way to work, I saw a group of 10-15 ppl on the roadside gathered (my heart started racing)around a lifeless body.And my heart skipped a beat..To my utter horror It was none other than the snake!!And the shopkeeper was standing there grinning at me,
   'Our snake only..Dead...Dead (Grin)'

Dr.Praful JK, MBBS



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