I'm A Covid Warrior And This Is My One Big Dream
I was born with music in my heart and soul. As a baby, I would swirl and swing at any musical sound or song.
Before I could even learn to read and write, I started to sing at the tender age of two. At five, I was playing the keyboard.
Growing up, music became my soulmate, and I thought that this would be my career in the future. However, many times, things don’t go as we desire but take a different direction as God has designed.
Ten years ago, I was a 13-year-old volleyball enthusiast. While practicing for the game, I injured my knee and was diagnosed with an MCL Tear. I had to miss school for a month and missed friends and opportunities. I had to undergo rigorous Physiotherapy Rehabilitation at Dr. L.H. Hiranandani Hospital, Powai for three months.
I used to meet my Physiotherapist Dr. Shilpa Joseph, every alternate day for three months, and each session lasted for an hour. My Physiotherapist designed all exercises according to my comfort. She did not confine herself to be my therapist but also my friend, and so, the process became exciting and fun.
The entire rehabilitation experience inspired me so much that I wanted to become a Physiotherapist myself! After completing my rehabilitation, I remember telling my mother that someday I would walk into this hospital as a doctor and not as a patient.
Having completed my junior college, I went to pursue Physiotherapy at D.Y. Patil University, Navi Mumbai. The syllabus was not easy to study, especially with my music career always going on side by side. I did face a lot of challenges and backlash. Many said that one can't pursue music and Physiotherapy at the same time. But I proved them all wrong.
I ranked 4th in my university while also participating in stage performances and gigs throughout my exams.
I am grateful to my family and close friends for having stood by my side throughout. They were the only ones who truly believed in my potential, and I didn’t want to let them down.
I graduated as a Physiotherapist in February 2020. Adding the prefix Dr. to my name and ‘PT’ at the end gave me great joy and pride. In a few days, the COVID-19 pandemic came knocking on Indian doors. I was initially hesitant to work because the fear of the pandemic had gripped everybody. But there was this calling that I need to help those in need.
I soon applied for a job at Dr. L. H. Hiranandani Hospital. I had done my ligament tear rehabilitation from this hospital only. I was offered a job there, and that was one check on my bucket list.
I could serve those in the covid ward, post covid, in patients and out-patients of various departments. Coming to Dr. L. H. Hiranandani Hospital as a doctor was my dream!
One dream achieved, many more to go. As said earlier, the passion for music is still going strong within me.
I wish to incorporate both my love for music and my profession as a Physiotherapist into one. I want to rehabilitate performers and initiate music therapy as part of my exercise program.
Nevertheless, there is still a long list of dreams to be fulfilled - dreams that I have envisioned and live for.