There was a sudden knock at our door.
"I'll get it." Says Aniket, and moves towards the door. He opens the door to find Kanya anxiously about to knock the door again.
"What happened?" Asks Aniket, looking behind her.
"Your dad—
"Is he alright?" Aniket sprints down the stairs faster than lightning.
I follow him, down the stairs to find Pops sprawled on the floor, conscious and clutching his chest.
"Out of my way." I say and kneel on the left of Pops. He has already vomited the chapathi, and he is sweating profusely.
He's had a history of heart attacks.
"Aniket, I need you to get my brown satchel from the closet upstairs. Now!"
Aniket doesn't wait for more instructions and runs like his life depends on it.
"Mayma, I need you to get me all his previous hospitalized records. Anything that is medical related. Go!"
Mayma frets around for a few seconds, not wanting to leave her husband, but she complies and shuffles towards their bedroom.
"Kanya?"
"Yes." She says, worry laced in her voice.
"Call the ambulance. It's 800 here. And bring the phone towards me."
"Alright." She says, pulling out her phone from the pocket.
I turn to Pops. "It's going to be alright. I want you to breath as normal as possible."
Pops nods vigorously, clutching his chest and lying in his own vomit.
Aniket returns in a few seconds and I have the water ready.
"Has his doctor prescribed him any nitroglycerin?"
"He has."
"Go check on Mayma."
I pull the satchel from him and find my first aid kit in it. I take out the aspirin, but wait for Aniket to return.
"Here." Says Kanya, handing the phone to me.
"Hold it for me."
"Hello," says the operator. "Are you there?"
"Yes, ma'am. I have a 58 year old male, conscious and having a heart attack at his house. I'm a cardio thoracic surgeon. We are related. I need an ambulance. Do you copy?"
"Yes. Their on their way."
"Do you have the address."
"Yes. Thank you. Do you need me to stay on the line?"
"No, I'll be fine. Approximately when will the Amblance arrive?"
"It's rush hour. It will take at least 30 minutes."
"Tell then to get here faster."
"Alright."
"Kanya, Shut the phone."
Kanya turns off her phone and looks at me in awe. I turn to Pops. I place my hand on his hair, "it's going to be alright."
Aniket returns with the nitroglycerin a few seconds later. While I administer the medicine to Pops, Aniket delivers some more bad news.
"Amma fainted." He gasps.
"It's alright. She's in shock. Carry her here." I turn to Kanya. "Get some water."
Hearing this news, Pops' breathing shortens and his eyes close. "He fell unconscious." I glare at Aniket and sigh.
Who tells bad news in front of a heart attack patient? It's common sense.
I kneel on the ground and mark my hands from Pops' Armpit. I place my linked hands near the center of his chest and started giving compressions.
"Get the pocket mask." I tell Aniket.
He struggles to find it, and I shove him away from the bag and retrieve it myself.
I place the pocket mask on his mouth and give two breaths. Aniket carries in Mayma and places her near me.
"Kanya," I gasp, giving the chest compressions. "Pour some water on her face." I say nodding towards Mayma.
Her hands shake as she picks up the glass, and pours the water on Mayma's face.
Aniket shakes her by the shoulder, and Mayma opens her eyes faintly.
"Give her some water." I sigh. "She'll be fine."
When Mayma sits up and shrieks over husbands' unconscious body, I tell Aniket to get her out.
Aniket picks his mother up swiftly and carries her outside to the car.
He comes back and stands above me, struggling to comprehend the situation.
"Go away, he needs air." I say, pushing on his chest.
After a half hour of CPR, I'm struggling to breath. My asthma kicks in and I'm coughing too.
"You know what, the ambulance is not going to get here. Get him in the car and I'm taking the long route, away from the traffic. C'mon! Pick him up, Aniket!"
Aniket looks at me like I'm crazy. "Let's wait for the Ambulance."
"He'll die before it gets here."
"Fine," Aniket yells, and picks up his father.
We strap the man into the seat. "Kanya, you know how to drive?"
"Yes."
"Aniket, come to St.Anne's hospital in your motorcycle."
"I need to be with him."
"Don't worry. The best heart surgeon in India is treating him. He'll be fine. Your not a doctor and you'll only cause more stress for Kanya while she's driving."
I push him towards his motorcycle and ask the security to open the gates.
Mayma is crying and wailing as the car turns the curb, but I pay no notice. I'm giving compressions in the back of the car, while Kanya is driving. I take off his shirt and bring out the razor from my first aid kit to shave his chest hair. I finish quickly and place the AED pads on his body; one on his right side, and one underneath his heart. I plug in the AED in car's back outlet, and wait as the machine analyzes his condition.
"Shock recommended. Stay clear."
"Clear." I yell in habit, and take my hands off of Pops.
"Shock has been administered. Continue CPR." I do as I'm told and continue as we reach the hospital.
"We're here." Yells Kanya, and I push the car door open and unbuckle his seat belt.
As I give him another shock, his body pounds up and his eyes open.
I sigh in relief. "Oh Pops, you're alright!"
He lays on the seat, confused. "Can you hear me?" I snap my eyes in front of his face. He's in shock.
Kanya has brought a nurse and a gurney. I lead Pops out of the car and onto the gurney and sigh as they push him toward the hospital. I run with the nurse, and Kanya as the nurse pushes the gurney into a room.
"I'm a cardio surgeon, let me in!"
"Are you a relative, ma'am?" Asks the nurse.
"Yes, but I need to be in there. I'm only his daughter-in-law. I'll be fine. Let me in!"
"Ma'am, you can't go in!"
"I own this bloody hospital! Now, move."
I push the nurse away and scrub in.
I see Pops has been given Anesthesia.
"He needs an CABG, I've already looked at his medical records. Please!"
Everyone looks at me, as I cut open Pops.
After a few minutes, I have them all under control. We finish the surgery with minor complications.
When I wash my hands and come out the door, Aniket and Mayma are sitting together, crying. Aniket is trying to assure her, and Kanya is trying to calm down the anxious Aniket.
"He's alright. We've saved him." I say monotonously. This is how I usually deliver news. Whether it's good or bad, I always deliver it the same way. Just in case.
Everyone jumps out of their seats and Mayma rushes in to hug me. Aniket kisses me full on the mouth, and I'm too tired to push him away. Kanya looks amused,but I don't glare at her. I'm too exhausted.
I put my hands on my tingling lips and look at Aniket in awe, whose too busy hugging his mother. A faint smile brushes past my lips and then I fall unconscious.
**********************************
"Is she alright?" I hear Anikets' worried voice.
"She's fine. It's normal for surgeons to fall asleep after a long surgery." A woman says.
I hear footsteps as she leaves the room. Metal clinks; Aniket is sitting beside me.
"I love you, Krithi. What would I do without you?" Aniket kisses me on the lips again, and I'm tingling and shivering all over.
"Don't kiss a sleeping woman."
"You're awake?" Aniket asks, probably scratching the back of his neck.
"Yeah." I open my eyes to find Aniket staring at me.
I am sprawled on the waiting room chairs, my head on Mayma's lap.
She's sleeping.
"You okay?" Aniket asks, brushing my lose hair behind my ear gently.
"I'm fine. Is Pops alright?"
Aniket smiles. "He's still on meds. They won't let us see him."
"He'll be fine. How long have I been out?"
"A few hours. You must be hungry. Do you want anything to eat? Kanya is getting food from the cafeteria."
At the mention of the lady, my eyes a scrunch together.
Aniket chuckles at my expression. "Don't worry. She's my friend. Nothing more."
"Hmph." I huff, not believing a word he was uttering.
Aniket shakes his head.
"You know what. You look cute even when your jealous."
"I'm not jealous." I lie.
"Yeah? Then what do call that green shade on your face right now."
"I can't get green. I have a dark complexion."
"And I love it." He smiles sheepishly as he kisses me again. On the lips.
He is perfect. Sigh.
Mayma smiles, her eyes still closed. "I'm still here people, get a room."
"We will." Aniket says cheekily. I hit him again but he laughs without shame.
Mayma opens her eyes and I see the mix of emotions. Relief, Sorrow, happiness.
"He'll be alright." I say, referring to Pops.
"I hope so."
"Don't worry, I didn't let anyone else touch his heart. I personally performed the bypass. I made sure of everything to perfection. He'll be alright."
"My daughter is the best surgeon in all of India," she laughs.
I scratch my head sheepishly and smile. "I am. Aren't I?"
"Is this hospital really yours?"
"Yes. The man who hired me here at the start of my residency had apparently owned this hospital. He had no children and I took care of him on his death bed. He was a wonderful man. Without me knowing, he made a will, entailing that this hospital was mine after his death."
"Oh." Says Aniket.
"Yeah. It's sad. I never told anyone else except my family, the chief of surgery and Alisha. I am still too young to take on such a big responsibility. So Whatever money I get from the surgeries, I donate it to the children's hospital. The money this hospital makes goes to buying more technology and improving the quality of our hospital."
Aniket kisses my forehead. "You have a big heart, Krithi."
"Really. I never needed any money. I always ate here, slept here. My job is my life. I made an oath. To never let another person die on my watch."
Aniket smiles at me sadly. "What happened?"
"After that wonderful man died, I couldn't see death. I was devastated. I love him so much, I'll never forget his horrible death. He had no one. No one to visit him, or tell him he will be fine."
"Isn't that what your doing now? Pushing anyone who comes close to you?"
"It's my job to save lives. Family can't be a weakness in my job."
"Family is everything. What will you have at the end?"
"He had relatives. They didn't come to see him. Relatives are only after money."
"Trust me. I am not. Neither is any of your family. We all love you. Stop pushing us away."
I sigh, too tired to explain to him my experiences.
"I'll try." I say, giving up.
**********************************