A girls life..

I came across this young girl(let's call her radha) in the psychiatry department one day...
she was just 18 years old, but was already married with 2 kids..
The second child was recently born in the same hospital a few days back..
Radha was diagnosed with having post partum psychosis,which literally means "madness after giving birth"..but she wasnt mad, she was just like any other school girl,a little shy ,a bit excited,a bit hyperactive and she she spoke sooo much once we started talking to her..

Here goes her story..

Radha's parents were poor, hailing from one of those innumerable villages which are found in india..
she was the eldest of three children(she has a younger sister and a younger brother),had a nice childhood,infact she had studied until tenth class in the local government school,she was a good student and wanted to continue her studies,
But alas!!,all her dreams were shattered and she was married off to her maternal uncle at the age of 15,and soon her first child was on the way,the 1st child was a girl child,so her in-laws and her husband were angry and disappointed with her..this was when she got the first attack of post partum psychosis(ppp)..luckily she improved with time..
But soon she was pregnant again and this time,she had the additional pressure to bear a male child as well as take care of her other child!!

Now she had again given birth to another girl and was admitted to the hospital with ppp..
When she was telling her story i noticed that she was so young,so innocent and weak..
she was accompanied by her mother, her husband and mother inlaw had not come because she had given birth to a girl child again.infact her husband dint even bother to see the newborn child because it was a girl,they even told radha that her husband will marry another women because she did not bear any male chilren for him!!
radha looked at us and told us that she wanted to study further and be like us(we are medical students in that college).we advised her that even if her husband did leave her she can go to the police,and also that even now she could finish her studies with her parents help and stand on her own feet.she was so happy that she found elder sisters(us) and started jumping around happily!!

She was a sweet soul who was unwittingly thrown into things that are beyond her understanding,and was held responsible for something she did not have control of!!
If this is not unfairness,then what is??
but for all this we stiil dint know how to help her,nor did we know what to do!!
all we could give her was hope and encouragement,becauce they go a long way in making life better for so many people..

I met her a few weeks later in the same hospital and this time she showed me her child and told me that she is so haapy to have met me again!!

Her problems were not solved but we did what we could do.. we gave her hope..
There are so many radhas out there who need help and a little hope to believe in themselves..
for now..
The real change has to come from within, the mindset of the people has to change, the society needs to change..
Until then there will be innumerable radhas in this world,waiting for some hope and happiness in their life.....
p.s:-her name has been changed to protect her identity