AskDoctorKT

 Switching from pre-Ramadan to Ramadan mode can be very challenging for those of us in the “special duties squad”… Health care professionals, security personnel, etc. It’s much better when you’re working in a place where there are other muslims to identify with. Otherwise, you have to contend with people eating, drinking and gossiping around you while you’re fasting. 
The painful part is having to (occasionally) eat suhoor and iftar in the hospital, away from your family. Sometimes, it becomes inevitable to skip suhoor when you’re in the middle of an emergency which doesn’t get resolved until fajr. Sometimes you miss the taraweeh in jama’ah and have to make do with witr plus/minus 2 or 4 raka’at whenever you’re free. You plan to finish 2 rounds of tilaawah, but you end up struggling with one… All the same, AlhamduliLlaah! 
When work gets busy, time runs fast.  Before you say Jack Robinson, it’s time for iftar. The excitement of serving humanity and saving lives makes you forget about hunger and thirst. The sight of patients in pain and suffering makes you see the home-cooked iftar as a non-issue. The constant reminder that sickness and death doesn’t respect age or status, makes you more humble and thankful. 
Personally, Ramadan makes me more patient with patients. I’m more calm when talking to them. I can listen more attentively. I’m able to show more empathy. I don’t mind if you’re malingering, I’ll hear you out and offer you soothing counselling after your rant. I feel how it is to be hungry, so I understand how a patient on “nil by mouth” feels… 
Ramadan is such a blessing and a period full of lessons. If Ramadan doesn’t make you more pious, I wonder what will. O Allaah, open our hearts to receive the blessings and open our eyes to see the lessons. Aameen. 
“O you who believe! Observing As-Saum (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqun (the pious) – Qur’an chapter 2 verse 183.