Emotional Scars of My Self-Surgery
A Story of Making Things Easier for Hardworking Parents
As a child, my only priority was making life easy for my hardworking father.
When this happened, I was just ten years old and my feet were quickly outgrowing my sneakers. Despite the fact that I needed a new pair, the idea of asking my father for one made me feel guilty.
I endured wearing my uncomfortable shoes for months before realizing something was off about my toenails.
I examined myself more closely and saw that the edges of my toenails had grown under my skin, giving me the most agonizing pain.
I was aware that I needed to see a doctor and so, I went to our family doctor by myself.
At the time, it was the usual practice in Bangladesh for patients to go unaccompanied by an adult.
My worst worries were realized by the doctor: I needed surgery.
I was aware that if I told my father about the uncomfortable shoes, he would have happily gotten me a new pair but now that I have pushed things too far, he would be upset.
Shoes cost so much less than surgery!
I decided to take matters into my own hands that same night, using nothing but my own resolve as a guide.
I prepared myself for surgery by filling a pail with hot water and getting some scissors, tweezers, and gauze. Even though the agony was excruciating and the bucket was red with blood, I persisted.
My toes recovered eventually, but that encounter left emotional scars that persisted.
I was determined to relieve my parents of their burden because I couldn’t face the thought of bringing them any more sorrow. This desire caused me to go through unspeakable anguish.
Looking back on that incident, I can’t help but feel proud of the perseverance I showed even as a young child.
But the recollection acts as a permanent reminder of the suffering and sacrifices I underwent in order to lessen the load on my cherished parents was unnecessary and unreasonable.
Asking for basic necessities is a part of the parent-child relationship
and
with today’s story, I want every struggling parent out there to make sure their children don’t end up doing something stupid like I have.
Thank you for reading!
