Days following the catastrophic quake of 25 April, hospitals in Nepal are filled beyond their capacity to treat casualties and the injured of varying degrees.
Two hospitals, the Bir Hospital (NAMS, National Academy of Medical Sciences) and the Teaching Hospital (Tribhuvan University's non-profitable hospital), both situated in Kathmandu, are the two main hospitals treating and tending to the injured.
Families, relatives, friends of the patients and lightly injured people occupy benches and corners of every floor in the hospital. The long corridors on the first floor house the male and female surgical wards, and the post-operation theatre. Inside the female surgical ward in room number 211, bed A, was the 19-year-old Ishvar Subedi from Dolakha district, 133 kilometres east of Kathmandu. A nurse brought a portable X-ray machine into the room and was trying to place the film plate underneath Ishvar's back. I offered help, holding his right hand I lifted him slightly. As she placed the 11-by-14 plate in position, the nurse tells me that his left arm is shattered. She asks me to move back, both of us step out and she pushes the trigger to begin the exposure. We go back in. This time Ishvar is in pain and insists on holding my arm as the nurse brings the exposed X-ray plate out. I leave Ishvar to rest and the nurse to tend to others.
On 1 May, 2015, two days later, I went back to check on Ishvar. I was informed that he has been shifted to the post-operation theatre. The nurse in the female surgical ward tells me that he was discharging cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from his ears and was scheduled to be operated.