Continued...
Arjun was struggling to digest the fact that Roja had done so much for him.
She was writhing in pain and his heart pained too. He felt that. He rushed towards her immediately and laid her on his lap
"Roja, enna paaru. Enna paaru Roja, please"
She was bleeding heavily and his entire pearl white shirt was soaked in blood. Arjun didn't even notice his costume. Immediately he took her hand and checked the pulse which was dropping rapidly.
Roja was slowly losing her senses
Before she completely passed out, she held Arjun'a hand tightly.
"Ungala kaapathiten la. Athu pothum Enakku"
Arjun couldn't stop his tears. They flowed out like a waterfall.
"Ennakaga nee yean ivlo pannanum"
This one question kept haunting him.
By then , all the doctors had come up to the stage.
One of them called the ambulance
Arjun was trying to stop her profusely bleeding head with his handkerchief but the blood wasn't stopping.
"She needs immediate medical attention. Ambulance ku laam wait panna vendam"
Saying this, Arjun lifted Roja in his arms and ran out.
Arjun gently made her lie on the back seat of his own car and then quickly brought the first aid box which he always kept in his car.
A few doctors anxiously followed him.
Arjun took a sterile gauze and gently dabbed all the blood. He found some glass pieces sticking there which he removed as slowly as he could. Then he put more layers of bandage and made her lie comfortably.
Then without wasting a second, he quickly started the car and took off like a rocket..
As he drove in panic, he felt some pricking pain in his heart which he couldn't explain. And he had never felt it before. He anxiously turned back every couple of minutes.
"Unakku ethuvume aagathu Roja. Naa ethuvum aaga vidave matten"
Hé didnt know the road ahead. All that was flashing in his head was Roja pushing him to save him and she swimming in a pool of blood back there at the venue. That made his heart sink to his stomach.
In a few minutes, he reached the hospital. As Roja was bleeding heavily inspite of the first aid Arjun gave, he didn't call or wait for any ward boy. He himself lifted her up and ran straight to the emergency ward.
He changed to his operation gown in no time. When he removed his blood stained blazer, a drop of tear automatically fell on the blazer.
The nurses began helping him to treat Roja. Meanwhile the other docs arrived too behind Arjun.
Arjun gave Roja an injection and did the basic treatment. But he knew that this was a severe head injury and a scan was needed to find out the extent of damage. An entire body X RAY was needed too. To diagnose the fractures. He immediately arranged for all of it. The other docs who had arrived behind Arjun enquired about her health.
A: Enakke theriyala doctor. Scan report vantha than theriyum. Appram than further course of treatment Ah decide panna mudiyum.
As he waited anxiously for the reports, he heard his phone ring.
It was his amma.
Shaking, ARJUN picked the call
"So..sollu..sollunga ma"
K on the other end : Ennachu Arjun?
Function 9 pm ku mudinchirum nu sonna. Ippo time 10:30 aayirchu
Innum nee varala? Function ode location Namma veetula irunthu 20 mins thane sonna
Arjun : (sobbing)
Am..mma!!
Kalpana panicked hearing Arjun's teary voice.
K: Enna pa aachu
Nee nalla thane irukka?
A: (eyes brimming with tears) Naa nalla than ma irukken. Aana Naa nalla irukkanum nu nenacha oru nalla ullam Inga uyir ku poraditu irukka. 😭
K: Ennada solra. 😳
Arjun then narrated everything to Kalpana Amma in one breath without stopping. He was afraid that he'd burst into tears in front of his Amma.
K (sobbing now): Roja anniki Ennode uthavi ku vantha kovil la, inniki unnode uyira kaapatha ava uyir ah panayum vechu irukka. Avaluku Namma eppdi nandri ah kaataporom ney theriyalaye pa.
Sari Arjun, nee bayapadama iru. Naanum mathavangalum anga varom
Just then a nurse arrived and informed ARJUN that the scan and x ray reports had come. So he immediately cut the call and anxiously took the reports. Before he read them, he prayed to the Lord Ganesha statue in the hospital
"Avaluku ethuvume aayida koodathu. Un mela baaratha pottutu than Naa Intha reports ellam paaka poren"
Then he went to Roja's room (emergency ward) and opened the reports there
As he read it, his face became pale.
A few doctors who were also present there asked him what had happened seeing Arjun's discoloured face.
A: The report clearly indicates that many glass pieces have penetrated through her skull which has caused severe bleeding inside. It's a severe case of TBI where in we have to immediately stop the bleeding and remove the glass pieces
A neurologist doctor Dr. Venkat present there said -
"You're absolutely right Arjun. She needs an immediate surgery. Show me the reports"
Dr. Venkat carefully studied the reports
"This is a very risky and complicated operation which needs delicate hands as many tiny glass pieces have gone in. It's even tougher to remove tinier glass pieces. Any mistake and she permanently slips into coma"
Arjun couldn't hear that word "coma"
A: No Dr. Venkat, no! That shouldn't happen. Never! I know you're a famous neurosurgeon. You must save her doctor!
Dr Venkat : I can guide, but am not the best person to do this, Dr. Arjun.
There's another doctor here, who's a better person for this surgery. I'll guide him
Arjun: (anxiously)
Yaru doctor Athu, yara irunthalum Paravaila! Avangala odane vara veinga. Yaru nu mattom sollunga. Naane vara vechidren
Dr Venkat: Ethukku Arjun, Antha doctor ennode kannu munnadiye than irukkaru
A: Kannu munnadiye va🤔
Dr Venkat: Neenga than Dr. Arjun!
Arjun couldn't believe what he just heard. He felt like a lightening bolt just fell on him!
He stammered and staggered
Arjun: You mean me, me doctor?!
Dr Venkat: I know it's shocking for you, but why I feel that you're a better person is, you're used to operating newborn babies and infants. Their body parts are extremely small and delicate and therefore your hands are trained to small, delicate things. That's what we need for this surgery as everything that has gone inside is extremely tiny pieces gone into tricky crevices of the brain. So your hands will be much adept to this.
Arjun: But but...doctor!
Dr Venkat: Don't hesitate Arjun! I'll guide you with everything. Plus neengale evlovo delicate brain surgeries chinna kozhandaigal ku panni irukkinga. Neenga panna than Roja polaikka chances athigam. Don't you want to save her?
The last question hit Arjun hard. Nothing seemed more important than saving her.
He walked out silently contemplating the next move. As he came out, he saw his Amma, appa, paati and Deepa. Ashwin had gone out of station for work.
As soon as Arjun saw his amma, he broke down and hugged her.
Prathap: Ellame kelvi pattom, Arjun. Roja panninathu nejamave periya vishyam than.
Ava eppdi irukka Arjun?
Arjun explained the entire situation to his family, and how he has been asked to do the surgery as it was delicate.
Annapoorni paati: Ithukku nee yosikave koodathu ARJUN. Unnode uyira kaapathina avalukaga ivlo kooda panna mattiya. Nee dhairyama poi pannu da.
Deepa : Ama na, yaru yaru uyirayo kaapathi irukka. Avangala kaapatharthu mukkiyam na. Po na.
When ARJUN hesitated, kalpana dragged him near the pillayar statue
Then she held out her palm.
Arjun looked confused
K: Arjun, Naa oru amma va Ithu varaikum ethuvume kettadhu illa. First time kekkuren. Nee Intha operation Ah panra. Ava uyira kaapathara. Nee mattom itha seiyalena Antha guilty feeling nammala konnudum. Enakku sathiyam panni kudu Arjun. Avala kaapathuva nu!
Arjun: Amma!! 😳
K: Nee amma va mathikarena sathiyam pannu Arjun
Arjun took a deep breath. He know what kind of risk he was commuting himself to. Any mistake and Roja would permanently skip to coma. And the guilt? Arjun could bear the weight of the mere thought of it. Arjun closed his eyes.
Roja's one sentence "Ungala kaapathiten la. Athu pothum enakku" rang a million Times in his ears
"Promise Amma! I'll try my level best"
Arjun placed his hand on her palm and promised. He then fell at Kalpana's feet and sought her blessings.
What will happen next?
To be continued.
Thanks for reading ❤️