They all had a cup of coffee from the coffee machine nearby. This portion of the AIIMS had been acting as the waiting shed for the relatives of the
patients who were operated. Jyotir went down and brought some tun, what they called puri in this Northern India. Akash who didn't have any breakfast
that morning, relished the tun with some subji.
Then the endless wait started. Akash was in Medical College but till then he had not seen any Operation Theatre or any operative procedure. One hour went without them noticing. Jay tried to divert the topic with some stories in School.
May be he could sense the tension in Akash's mind. He told the story about the friend who put the chocolate in his coat pocket and went to give it to a friend. When he reached the friend, he put in his hand into the pocket only to find a melted mess.
He then exclaimed, "Oh, What a Tragedy!" This was a story which they all used to enjoy and laugh together. But that day it failed to lighten Akash's heart.
He smiled but not at the joke but to the concern and love of his friend.
After about two hours the loud speaker crackled with life, "Mareej ka name Bhola Nath.unke ristadaar aayeeye" (Patient's name Bhola Nath, relatives please come." One after the other they kept announcing the names and all of them strained to hear Akash's mother's name.
It must be around 12'o clock noon and even then they could not hear the name. Jyotir then went down and got some samosas for lunch. These friends had all taken leave from their college that day to give Akash company.
Akash's heart started panicking. Was it because it was a difficult surgery? Or has anything untoward happened? Slowly the crowd that gathered around them got sparser.
Then it was 3 o' clock and the PA system did not announce anything.
The guard at that gate would not allow anybody to enter the corridor and the PA system would not announce anything. All of them were then standing. None of them could sit comfortably. Akash stood close to the shutter grill clutching one of the bars.
Suddenly, "Excuse me, are you waiting for an operation. They are calling some name there. The PA system is not working now!" Akash looked at the man who said this
and nodded. The man continued, "I could see anxiety written all over your face."
Akash then ran towards the ward in the same floor where the man had directed. He asked the nurse on duty and the nurse directed him towards the bed. He inched
in with a pounding heart and he recognized his mother.
"Mama," he called out."
"Ibungo, is that you?" asked his mother.
"Are you Ok? Now everything is over. You are going to be fine now!" Akash told her holding her hand. He closed his eyes and prayed, "Thank God, it's over now.
The nightmare is over."
Then leaving her, Akash walked out of the ward towards his uncle, aunty and friends. He saw them from far at the end of the corridor through the grills. Through the same grills, that morning, he had seen his mother wheeled away all alone with a heavy heart.
Now with a new life and new hope he saw his friends. He rushed towards them to share the news.
To be continued....
This is a series of article on different aspects of being a doctor as narrated by Dr. Swasti.
Dr. Leimapokpam Swasti Charan writes regularly to e-pao.net
You can contact him at [email protected]
This article was webcasted on April 11, 2005
|