"Son,can you get leave from your work?I am at the Kapoor hospital,not feeling well!Can you come?"
On the other side of the call is my old man.Considering the importance he gives to his work & mine as well,this has to be something really serious if he has asked me to see him.
"Ofcourse dad,I will be there in few minutes."
35 Minutes later:
On one bed in the emergency lay my dad,grimacing with pain in his shoulder & arm.The nurse carefully applying some kind of jelly on his chest & then putting on an ECG machine.Upon seeing the graph,the doctor present there immediately calls the cardiologist.He tells me there is some problem with my dad's heart.He has no clue what it is,so he has called the cardiologist.He asks a couple of questions regarding my dad's diabetes.Another few minutes of sheer anxiety for me & pain for my father.I had never seen him in a worse state.Trust me he is a tough man,he doesn't really writhes with pain,he has too much ego to show physical pain but today he just can't bear it.The nurse begins to take blood sample from his hand as a silent prayer begins to reverberate in my heart.
10 Minutes later:
The cardiologist has arrived.He sees the ECG & immediately tells me it's a heart-attack.I begin to panic inside.A HEART-ATTACK.It takes a couple of seconds for my mind to register what's happening.I ask him what needs to be done?He says he will need to shift my father for operation.There is a total block in one of his arteries he tells me.I still don't know how to react.I ask him what I should do?He tells me to deposit some initial money while they begin the procedure.I do exactly as told.Meanwhile my mother has arrived as well.Tears glistening down her cheeks upon learning about the truth.I try hard to control my anxiety & keep my left hand on her shoulder while the right one is busy signing the documents & wants the formalities to end soon.This hour--could it be any longer?
15 Minutes later:
We have been called in the Coronary Care Intensive(CCI) Unit.The doctor is explaining that they are trying their level best to revive my father.The operation is supposed to last for another half an hour to one hour,only then they will be able to tell the exact status of my dad's malady.He says hopefully everything should go alright.But do you really think as his son I am considering "hopefully" as an option?No he is my father & eventhough I know as a doctor you will give your best,I want your best to be enough.Enough atleast for next few minutes.Enough to get my father back to his healthy-self.He brings a document which requires my signatures for it states that if anything goes wrong with my dad the hospital can't be held responsible.He tells me it is for "incase"!INCASE..really?I feel disgusted for a minute.Alas bereft of any options I sign & give him a go ahead.My mother barely able to conceal her tears & right now as the only son present there my job is to be a pillar of support for her.I put the bars on my own demons & begin to wait for some more anxiety filled minutes.
P.S.-Dad is on his way to recovery now.He was discharged from the hospital today.
On the other side of the call is my old man.Considering the importance he gives to his work & mine as well,this has to be something really serious if he has asked me to see him.
"Ofcourse dad,I will be there in few minutes."
35 Minutes later:
On one bed in the emergency lay my dad,grimacing with pain in his shoulder & arm.The nurse carefully applying some kind of jelly on his chest & then putting on an ECG machine.Upon seeing the graph,the doctor present there immediately calls the cardiologist.He tells me there is some problem with my dad's heart.He has no clue what it is,so he has called the cardiologist.He asks a couple of questions regarding my dad's diabetes.Another few minutes of sheer anxiety for me & pain for my father.I had never seen him in a worse state.Trust me he is a tough man,he doesn't really writhes with pain,he has too much ego to show physical pain but today he just can't bear it.The nurse begins to take blood sample from his hand as a silent prayer begins to reverberate in my heart.
10 Minutes later:
The cardiologist has arrived.He sees the ECG & immediately tells me it's a heart-attack.I begin to panic inside.A HEART-ATTACK.It takes a couple of seconds for my mind to register what's happening.I ask him what needs to be done?He says he will need to shift my father for operation.There is a total block in one of his arteries he tells me.I still don't know how to react.I ask him what I should do?He tells me to deposit some initial money while they begin the procedure.I do exactly as told.Meanwhile my mother has arrived as well.Tears glistening down her cheeks upon learning about the truth.I try hard to control my anxiety & keep my left hand on her shoulder while the right one is busy signing the documents & wants the formalities to end soon.This hour--could it be any longer?
15 Minutes later:
We have been called in the Coronary Care Intensive(CCI) Unit.The doctor is explaining that they are trying their level best to revive my father.The operation is supposed to last for another half an hour to one hour,only then they will be able to tell the exact status of my dad's malady.He says hopefully everything should go alright.But do you really think as his son I am considering "hopefully" as an option?No he is my father & eventhough I know as a doctor you will give your best,I want your best to be enough.Enough atleast for next few minutes.Enough to get my father back to his healthy-self.He brings a document which requires my signatures for it states that if anything goes wrong with my dad the hospital can't be held responsible.He tells me it is for "incase"!INCASE..really?I feel disgusted for a minute.Alas bereft of any options I sign & give him a go ahead.My mother barely able to conceal her tears & right now as the only son present there my job is to be a pillar of support for her.I put the bars on my own demons & begin to wait for some more anxiety filled minutes.
P.S.-Dad is on his way to recovery now.He was discharged from the hospital today.
