Behind the Mask: What We Forget About the Doctors in Our Lives

A missed diagnosis. A prescription that showed no improvement. A patient who returns only to say their condition worsened. An important family event missed for a last-minute consultation. These are not just incidents, they are everyday realities for many doctors.

Doctors are trained to heal. To know. To always be in control. But what we forget is that they are human too. They grieve every loss, carry the weight of every failure and constantly walk the tightrope between their duty and personal life.

Also Read: National Doctors' Day, July 1, 2025: Theme – "Who Heals the Healer?" Know more about Its History and Significance.

In a deeply candid conversation, Dr Guru N Reddy, a senior gastroenterologist, shared, “I didn’t spend time with my family when my kids were growing up. My work always came first and then came my family.” That struck a chord. As patients, we expect doctors to answer our calls immediately, respond to texts late at night and be available at all hours. We rarely pause to think who’s waiting for them at home?

And God help you if you have a doctor in the family. Because the rare time they do manage to show up at a gathering, they inevitably turn into the unofficial consultation desk. “Can I quickly show you this report?” “There’s this pain that won’t go, can you suggest something?” Sometimes, it’s not even for them, it’s for a friend, a colleague or someone they barely know.

Most doctors, even the most humble and well-meaning, find it hard to say no. Their instinct is to help. But somewhere in the process, their own boundaries blur. What’s meant to be a relaxing evening becomes a mini OPD. And they smile through it because that’s just who they are. But let’s not pretend that it doesn’t wear them out.

No wonder this year’s Doctors’ Day theme is so fitting - Behind the Mask: Care for the Caregiver. We often forget that doctors, beneath their professional calm are silent sufferers too. They carry the emotional burden of every patient they try to heal. While we blame them for a delayed recovery or a missed diagnosis, we fail to see how much it breaks them from within.

“If doctors could carry a magic wand that ensured perfect diagnoses and flawless treatments every time, they would, without question,” Dr Shuchi Sharma said. But medicine is not magic. It’s a science filled with uncertainties and doctors do their best within those limits.

Also Read: Healers, But Human Too: The Quiet Burdens Our Doctors Carry

It takes years to build a reputation as a doctor and just one unexpected outcome to tear it down. That’s what they fear the most, not for their name, but for the trust they lose, for the patients they couldn’t save, shares Dr Reddy.

And for this very reason, we have started Beyond The Stethoscope podcast series where we go past the prescriptions and procedures to bring you inspiring conversations with the minds shaping the future of healthcare.

So today, let’s pause. Let’s honour the ones who put others before themselves every single day. Behind their mask is not just a professional, it’s a person, quietly carrying the weight of hundreds of lives. This Doctor’s Day, let’s offer them what they rarely ask for - understanding, respect and a little care in return.

A new study from the University of Edinburgh found that the brains of cats with dementia show changes very similar to those seen in humans with Alzheimer's disease. These findings are a big step forward and could lead to new treatments for both people and pets. For the first time, researchers can see how the brains of cats naturally change as they get older and develop dementia, which provides a much more realistic picture of the disease than previous research has been able to. This discovery is a huge breakthrough because it offers a new way to study the disease and find better treatments.

How Can Cats Help Us Treat Dementia?

In the past, scientists have relied on genetically modified rodents to study Alzheimer's. However, rodents do not naturally get dementia. Cats, on the other hand, do. They also show similar symptoms to humans, such as confusion and changes in sleep patterns. Because of these similarities, cats provide a more accurate and natural model for studying the disease.

Dr. Robert McGeachan, the study's lead researcher, said that because cats naturally develop these brain changes, they may help scientists explore whether promising new treatments for human Alzheimer’s could also help our aging pets. This research benefits both species and their caregivers.

What Does Cat Dementia Reveal About Humans?

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh examined the brains of 25 cats after they passed away. They found that older cats and those with dementia had a build-up of a toxic protein called amyloid-beta. This protein is a key sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

The research showed that this protein was found in the synapses—the connections between brain cells. These connections are essential for healthy brain function. When they are lost, a person's memory and thinking skills decline.

The research also discovered that some support cells in the cats' brains were "eating" these damaged synapses. This process, known as synaptic pruning, is a normal part of brain development but can contribute to the loss of synapses in dementia.

Why Is Dementia On The Rise?

Dementia is a very common disease among older people, and since the elderly population is growing quickly worldwide, the number of people living with dementia is expected to increase. A study published in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences journal, based in Wales, UK, looked at medical records from 1999 to 2018 to understand this trend. The study included over 161,000 dementia diagnoses from nearly 117,000 people. The study found a few important things:

Older Age at Diagnosis

The average age for a dementia diagnosis has been going up. This means fewer younger people are being diagnosed with the disease.

More Cases and Longer Lives

The number of new dementia cases has risen and so has the total number of people living with the disease. The study also found that people with dementia are living longer than they used to, even with their diagnosis.

This is not just limited to the UK, dementia cases in the US are also estimated to double by 2060. Published in the journal Nature Medicine, followed nearly 16,000 Americans since 1987, found that the overall lifetime risk for developing dementia for a middle-aged American is 42 percent.

This risk is higher for women (48 percent) than for men (35 percent), mainly because women tend to live longer. The risk also increases with age, rising to over 50 percent for people who live to be 75. The study's authors believe that previous estimates were too low because of poor record-keeping and a lack of data on early-stage cases and racial minorities.

According to the study, preventing heart diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes can also help slow cognitive decline and prevent dementia. Other factors linked to a higher risk include obesity, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, and poor mental health.

Bubonic Plague: A Lak Tahoe area resident has tested positive for plague, as confirmed by the California health officials on Tuesday. The officials have confirmed that the resident was infected after being bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area.

What does this mean for people living in the surround area? Questions about plague, how is it spread, or is it preventable are of course spiraling in everyone's mind right now.

Here, we try to answer all your concerns.

California Resident Plague Case 2025

What happened? The health officials in California confirmed that a South Lake Tahoe resident tested positive for the plague. This is the same centuries-old disease that had killed millions during the Black Death.

The individual is believed to have contracted the infection after being bitten by an infected flea while camping near the Lake Tahoe Basin. According to El Dorado County Public Health, the patient is receiving care and recovering at home.

“Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher-elevation areas of El Dorado County,” said Kyle Fliflet, the county’s acting public health director. “It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and camping in areas where wild rodents are present.”

Also Read: What History Teaches Us About Plague? Are There More Than One Type?

Plague: It is an illness that you can get from the bacterium Yersinia pestis or the Y pestis. It is a zoonotic disease, which means you can get it from animals and they also can get it from you. The disease usually spreads through bites from fleas that have been infected by biting an infected animal.

Read: California Resident Tests Positive For Plague, Officials Trace Case Back To Lake Tahoe Flea

Is The Bubonic Plague Back?

The Global Center for Health Security, by the University of Nebraska Medical Center notes that the bubonic plague never really went away.

The bubonic plague wiped out tens of millions of people in Europe in the 14th century and it thus gained the label 'Black Death'.

Last year too, a rare case of human plague was confirmed in rural Oregon, as confirmed by the Deschutes County Health Services. As per the report the individual is said to be infected by a pet car, which had symptoms.

As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US, on an average, seven human plague cases are reported each year in the country.

Is Bubonic Plague Contagious?

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), while not totally eradicated, "human to human transmission of bubonic plague is rare". However, bubonic plague is contagious.

The CDC notes that people usually get plague after being bitten by an infected rodent flea or by handling an infected animal. People can also become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats, which had been the case from Oregon, last year.

There are 3 ways a plague can spread, through animals, through blood, and through infectious droplets. However, all three different ways make for three different kinds of plagues. For bubonic plague, it is spread by flea bites, notes CDC.

Flea bites: Infected fleas transmit plague after feeding on sick rodents. When rodents die, fleas look for new hosts, including humans and pets, potentially causing bubonic or septicemic plague.

Contaminated fluids/tissues: Handling infected animals, such as skinning animals without protection, can spread plague bacteria, usually leading to bubonic or septicemic plague.

Infectious droplets: Plague pneumonia in humans or animals can release bacteria into the air. Inhaling these droplets may cause pneumonic plague, though direct close contact is usually required. Cats are especially vulnerable and can pass the infection to people.

Bubonic Plague Symptoms

The common signs of bubonic plague are:

• Fever
• Headache
• Chills
• Weakness
• One or more swollen, painful lymph nodes, called buboes (where the disease derives its name from)

These symptoms of bubonic plague usually start within the period of 2 to 8 days after being bitten.

The bacteria multiply in a lymph node near where the bacteria entered the human body. If the patient is not treated with the appropriate antibiotics, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body.

Bubonic Plague Mortality Rate

As per EBSCO, a platform that provides research databases, e-journals and other library resources, the bubonic plague has a historically high case fatality ratio from about 30 to 60%. However, today, with the help of treatment, it can be reduced to 5% to 15%.

The CDC notes that over 80% of the US plague cases have been in bubonic form, with seven cases each year. Plague has occurred in people across all ages, though 50% of cases happen in people aged 12 to 45. CDC notes that while it happens to both men and women, the plague is more common in men, probably "because of increased outdoor activities that put them at higher risk".

When it comes to medicine, truth can often be stranger than fiction. Some conditions are so rare and bizarre that they sound unreal.

Here is a part II of five medical conditions that sound too weird to be true, but are very real.

Stone Man’s Disease: When the Body Turns to Bone

Imagine your body slowly locking itself in place, bone by bone. That is what happens in Stone Man’s Disease, known medically as Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP).

In this rare condition, muscles, ligaments, and tendons begin to transform into bone, turning the body into a rigid cage.

The first sign usually shows up at birth in the form of irregular big toes. As people grow, flare-ups caused by injuries or illnesses can lead to swelling, which in turn speeds up the formation of new bone in places it should never exist. The disease usually starts from the neck and shoulders, gradually working its way down.

Over time, simple actions like walking, eating, or even breathing can become almost impossible. There is no cure, and people with FOP live knowing that even a small fall or bump can accelerate their condition.

Imposter Syndrome: Success Feels Like a Mistake

Unlike the other conditions on this list, Imposter Syndrome isn’t a physical disease but a psychological phenomenon that feels just as crippling. First described in 1978, it refers to the nagging belief that one’s achievements are undeserved.

People with Imposter Syndrome, often high achievers, dismiss their accomplishments as luck or mistake. For instance, someone may believe they were admitted into a top university by error, or that colleagues overestimate their skills. While both men and women can experience it, studies show it is more commonly reported among women.

The result is a constant fear of being “exposed” as a fraud, even when evidence of success is clear. Left unchecked, it can lead to anxiety, burnout, and even depression.

Walking Corpse Syndrome: The Cotard Delusion

Zombies may belong in movies, but Walking Corpse Syndrome, also called Cotard’s Syndrome, makes the concept feel eerily real. People with this rare neuropsychiatric condition believe they are dead, missing vital organs, or soulless. Some are so convinced of their own death that they refuse to eat, feeling food is unnecessary.

First described in the 1880s by French neurologist Jules Cotard, the syndrome is often linked with severe depression. Cultural beliefs and folklore can also shape the way it manifests. A case study in Iran, for example, described a woman who believed a ghost had attacked her, leaving her to die slowly.

Also Read: These 5 Medical Conditions Sound Too Weird To Be True - Pt 1

Although rare, the condition is dangerous because of the self-neglect it causes. Treatment usually involves medication and therapy aimed at addressing the underlying mental illness.

Flesh-Eating Bacteria: A Battle Beneath the Skin

The name alone sounds like something from a horror story, but flesh-eating bacteria, or necrotizing fasciitis, is terrifyingly real. It is a rare but aggressive infection where bacteria invade the fascia, the connective tissue around muscles and nerves, destroying everything in their path.

The most common culprit is Group A Streptococcus, the same bacteria behind strep throat. The infection spreads rapidly and can be deadly if untreated. Early symptoms often mimic flu or a simple skin infection, which makes it even more dangerous.

According to health authorities, it remains rare, especially among healthy individuals. Still, doctors urge proper wound care and avoiding swimming pools, lakes, or oceans if you have open cuts or sores. Prompt treatment with antibiotics and surgery can save lives.

Alice in Wonderland Syndrome: Distorted Reality

Lewis Carroll’s famous tale wasn’t just a fantasy. Alice in Wonderland Syndrome (AIWS), named in a 1955 medical article, causes people to experience bizarre distortions in perception. A hand may suddenly appear enormous, or a hallway may seem to shrink and stretch like an optical illusion.

AIWS is often linked to migraines and epilepsy, though viral infections and drug use can also trigger it. Carroll himself reportedly suffered from migraines, which may have inspired the dreamlike visuals of his story.

For those who experience it, the condition can be unsettling but is usually temporary. It highlights how fragile and flexible human perception can be.