The Last Seven Days

My surprise visit

It was 24th April, 2017 at 2.00 am I arrived at my destination, Chennai, After a long journey of nearly 23 hours... My in laws were ready with the cab and we  started​ traveling to my home altogether. I nearly had fixed emotions, happiness as on one side as I am  gonna visit my daddy​ after a long gap, gonna spend some time with my Mom and sisters, and on the other side don't know what had happened to my daddy​, why was he hospitalized?!. Having these thoughts running in my mind, I again started counting down the hours untill I entered my city.

I was nearing my city, I asked my in laws to call my mom and ask where my dad was admitted, she didn't sound clear, the only thing we could here was "1st floor". It was around 6 am in the morning when I reached the hospital. It was G.H(Govt. Hospital), where my dad was being admitted.

I ran straight to 1st floor but couldn't see my daddy, it was a general ward, my heart skipped a beat when I saw so many patients under one roof, I just prayed my dad should not be here. One of the nurse stopped us as I was carrying my two year old child along with me, she started shouting at me, as there were so many infected persons in, she warned us my child would get easily affected. Nothing ran into my mind other my dad. Almost my eyes where filled with tears when I looked from one bed to another. Then after she look into my eyes, called me politely and enquired about my daddy name and the cause for the admission.

Then she asked me check the building which is at backside of the current building and asked us to check the first floor. I thanked her and immediately ran down the stairs to reach the building at the back. In the meanwhile my son started crying looking at this atmosphere, he was hard to convenice, I showed all my frustration to him as I was not able to find my daddy.

Then finally I reached the building and ran up the stairs with anxiety and threat.With a heavy heart I started opening the door where my dad was admitted, it was a male general ward. When I entered my mama(uncle) was stuck seeing me and his eyes where filled with tears, then I saw the same tear filled eyes of my grandpa.

Slowly my eyes started looking for my dad. When I saw him, it was like I was stuck by thousands of lightning inside me and a millions​ of thunder passing through my head.

I saw my dad lying in bed with oxygen tubes, ECG wires, urine tubes, food pipes, IVs connected to his veins and totally surrounded by large number of tubes and wires all around.

I can even touch him as he was fully stuck with those wires. His body was so thin and I noticed his colour had turned completely yellow through out his body.

I was starring at him, one of my mama(uncle) slowly went near his ears and said to my daddy " Mama chithra has come".. That was the moment he responded by opening his eyes wide open and looking for me.

I could see his clouded eye looked for his lovable daughters presence. I asked him could you see me daddy? He nodded as yes... My next question to him was pointing at my son and asked him could you recognise him? he slowly whispered "yojith".

I was happy hearing him, meanwhile my son was little allergic to hospital setup, so he started crying. I convence him and made him see his grandfather, whom he was visiting only through Skype calls. He was the eldest and only grandson for my family, so my daddy had an enormous love for my son. When his grandson visited him he wasn't in a position to lift him up and cuddle him but simply stare at him.

I wasn't​ able to stand there seeing my dad in such a critical position. I ran through the corridors to the streets as I don't have strength to see my lovable daddy in such a position. I was walking out of the hospital like a dead soul who has lost all its spirit. It took few minutes for me recover from my grievance, as I was going to see my Mom, I should not further cry and make her more emotional. I have to stay positive to make my Mom and sisters positive, as I have the responsibility to be in such a situation.

I made myself not strong but I pretended myself to be strong even though can't stop down my tears rolling down my eyes, and my crying heart. I started on my way to my home to visit my Mom and sisters. .  .