“Different Folks, Different Stroke”
Written By : Dr T C Chauhan, Voorhees, NJ, USA, (MD, FACG,, Gastroenterologist)
4th June, 2026
PREFACE:
જાતસ્ય હી ધ્રુવો મ્રુત્યં ધ્રુવમ જન્મ મ્રુતસ્ત ચ .
તસ્માત પરિહાર્ય અર્થ ન ત્વમ શોચિતમ્ અર્હસિ ।।
(ભગવત્ ગીતા)
Jatasya hi druvo mrutya, Druvum jamn mutrtastya chh,
Tasmat apariharye arthe n tvum shochitum arhasy.
(Bhagavt GEETA )
Everyone who is born is destined to die, Everyone who dies will reincarnate.
Therefore men should not lament the inevitable (but work for what he can change)
This is a script form the well-respected old Hindu book called “Shreemad Bhagvat Geeta”- which is the compilation of verses recited by Lord Krishna to his disciple and friend Arjun on the battle-field of Kurkshetra. Arjun was face with the dilemma of the war with his cousins who had defied all the justice and truth. This was more than 5000 years ago. Though we do not know about the rebirth, the first part sure is true – no human being has become immortal.
As a physician, we have utmost responsibility and privilege to attend to the most delicate and humbling moments of human life. We share the joy of new born, pleasure of recovery from long illness, excitement of successful outcome of a surgery, but we also are there to share the grief of death, disappointment of undesirable outcome of any procedure, and frustration of long incurable illnesses. And many a times we assume the role and responsibility beyond our own comprehension, and play the character beyond our chronologic age. We as a physician carry the burden on our shoulder to support the patient and family.
But let me remind you, no physician was born as a physician- we all attain this status by our education, training and experience that modified our mind and often heart. But our body is same as any other human body, we share same genetic pool which is 99.90 plus % identical to fellow human beings. So we have same susceptibility to all the illness whether we learnt about or not, whether we know about it or not, whether we deal with patients with similar condition or not.
So when I was struck by STROKE on April 5th of 2009, the world spread like a crazy wind in people I knew, or more precisely in people who knew me. At 45, I was pretty active- I work 8 to 10 hours a day, I like to walk, hike and play tennis, go skiing every season, and just two years ago I ran Philadelphia’s Broad street run- a ten-mile race. I have no risk factor for cardiovascular disease- no blood pressure, no high cholesterol, no family history of heart disease; I do not smoke, I exercise as regular as my schedule permits.
So everyone I know was quite concerned, surprised and shocked too, rightfully. They all prayed for me and I am sure their goodwill and prayers helped me tremendously. Apart from the medical treatment I received, by the grace of God, I made marvelous recovery. They all were curious to know not only what happened to me, but later on all wanted to know what were the factors that contributed toward the better outcome. It was Mayur Shah, one of my good friend and well-wisher, who planted the seed to inspire me to write my encounter with Stroke. It seems like it is my moral obligation to write something for them. So I dedicate this book to them with sincere thanks and gratitude.
In this book, I have included the account my illness and along with I have also included the illness that have struck my fellow physicians and physician friends. Some had stroke, some were struck by other kind of catastrophic medical illness, but I like the name “Different Folks, Different Strokes”. We all are like other human being- walking, talking and working people. We also are someone’s son, daughter, husband or wife, or father or mother. For the word, we are physician or doctor- but from within we are also human beings. And we all know that too well, so that is what makes us humbler physician and better human being.
This book narrates the personal experiences of physicians when struck by medical emergency or hit by accident. As many people asked me, “What do physicians do before dialing 911”, before help arrives and sometimes even after the paramedics are there how the decision making by physician changed the outcome in more positive way.
The intention of the book is to communicate with other physicians to know how they made right decision in most critical moments for themselves. I must add a disclaimer that it is not meant to guide or lead any person to take any particular action in case of catastrophic event affecting their health.
Dr. Tushar Chauhan, MD , FACG