Dear Editor,
I am deeply saddened by the passing of Dr M Y Bacchus. I will miss him very much. It is times like these that remind us about the brevity of life. For me, the quote by Emerson aptly applies to Dr Bacchus as I shall always remember him:
“To laugh often and much, to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends, to appreciate beauty, to find the best in others, to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch… to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived − this is to have succeeded!”
I prefer to think of it as “MY has lived and has touched my life.”
While I was first introduced to him in his professional capacity and he later became my gynaecologist, I have seen so many sides of him − the laughter, the concerns, his generosity of spirit, simplicity, sincerity, warmth, his willingness to confront any difficult situation and above all, a principled man with an abiding affection for his profession and a will to help the less fortunate.
He had a notice on his door (maybe the work of Anesha), the sum total of which denied any claims to being divine. But ironically, the faith his patients placed in him could probably only be reserved for the divine. He meant different things to different people. To me, he was an expression of the divine will, there to guide me through three pregnancies, two of which were very difficult. While in one case seeking overseas help was an option, I had faith in his assurance that he could have handled it and I was not to worry. And even on one visit during the last trimester of my final pregnancy when he jested to me about Alzheimer’s stepping in (he was working under a lot of pressure as he was carrying Dr Roberts’ clinic as well and he couldn’t remember my name), I never lost my confidence in him. I knew that come what may, he will be there to deliver me safely. He would jest afterwards about what a horrible patient I was, but he was there from the moment I screamed for him. Anesha and the other girls would always jest about the amount of consulting time I took away from him when I turned up for my ante-natal checkups, but I prefer to think of my visits as a little break away from the routine as we would discuss topical issues at his initiative.
Dr Bacchus has made his mark on the medical profession. For me, he would always be associated with the lives of my three children and my own life.
My condolences to his family and his employees who will miss him terribly.
Yours faithfully,
Gitanjali Persaud
