Where do I start this week’s blog? Do I start with the unanswered question from last week’s blog? So, who goes first? Almost sounds like a race huh? Well when compete with Chennai motorist sitting in an ambulance you will answer this question right away.
I was back at Chennai on a Friday morning and dad had to be taken to the hospital for an x-ray and review. Since the previous night I was thinking about how we could bring down a 6 foot man on a stretcher through a narrow stairway. We need a Hanuman to lift this Sanjeevi. When we called in for anambulance in the morning I explained his injury and they promised to send a stretcher that could be folded into a chair.
The paramedics showed up on-time but brought along a plain stretcher instead of the one that could fold into a chair. We had to send them back and make another request for a multipurpose stretcher. The clock was soon approaching “Rahu Kalam” and mom was all tensed and not happy making the trip to the hospital at that time.
And finally when the guys arrived it was close to 11 am. The stretcher neatly folded into a chair and dad managed to sit up. Like a temple Utsavamurthy on a palanquin he came out of his room and there was no Nacchiyar accompanying him on this trip. He quickly passed through the living room, foyer and finally descended two floors, thanks to Johnson Lifts. Before my dad could reach the ground floor all his belongings were loaded in the ambulance. Mom had packed his neivedhiyam, medicines and medical history. Well it was Daddy’s day out!
I had my fourth ride besides dad in the ambulance. There was a sense of calm on his face and he fell asleep on the way to the hospital. Chennai motorists drive around as though they are driving emergency vehicles. They seldom obey traffic rules and are always in a hurry. It suddenly comes to the forefront when you travel in an ambulance and when every second is precious and crucial. Though we were in an ambulance but there was no emergency this time around. I must tell you that ambulances are equipped with pretty good medical instruments (defib, ecg, oxygen cylinders – not sure if they work) and copious medical supplies. More importantly contents of each of the cupboards were listed on the doors.
On reaching the hospital we went into emergency, but there was no anxiety since it was a regular check-up. The doctors ordered an x-ray and were planning to remove the pin traction (Bohler Braun Traction) if healing was on track and if the femur had descended. While the x-ray was being processed the doctor grinned when they heard my dad insisting on the use a local anesthetic during the removal of the pin traction. Doctors know the anatomy and seldom do they know or feel the pain of a patient. Xylocaine was my father’s trusted friend for the moment and it made traction removal smooth and painless. Finally with the help of doctors for the first time in 24 days his feet touch the ground. More than pain there was a sense of fear on my dad's face.
During my school days I remember my father being summoned twice to have a conversation with my teacher on my progress report. And I now had an opportunity to avenge. Doctors called me in and put up the X-ray film in front of the light source and explained the healing that was in progress around the femur and pelvic joint. Dad was lying besides the doctor intently listening to every bit of detailed shared by the doctor. But doctors needed him to wait for another 3 weeks before they could decide on his surgery.
Soon after our conversation was over dad started a discussion with the doctor over choosing his trusted companion. It was not a Ferrari and we didn’t have to argue if we should go for a petrol or diesel version and fight over mileage. Nevertheless it was going to make him independent, mobile and more confident. Shortly after the decision was made over the model, I brought out the neivedhiyam and medicines while my brother was arranging for the ambulance to bring him back home.
After father’s day out, more peace and calm seemed to have descended on our house. And that made me realize that the upcoming weekend was Father’s day. The next morning mom, my nephew and I went to the surgical store in the neighborhood to get home is trusted companion and a toilet throne - just in-time for Father’s day.
Later in the evening when physiotherapist came home and when he made dad walk a little with the walker, my nephew put his hands together and celebrated my dad's baby steps. Anybody who came home that weekend had to hear my 4 year old nephew narrate a story about my dad walking again. What a grandson!
It is not a easy feeling when you are asked to pee into a bed pan or let an attendant clean up your ass. The power was back in my father hand and he was on the seat of power! A new piece of furniture was added to our living room, a walker, and dad’s toilet had a new addition too, a raised throne to potty.
Suddenly everyone’s spirits at home were on a high, not high enough to fly, but atleast walk around with a smile. So this was our Father’s day!
Mom has always been the first person to wake up and the last one to sleep in the house and I am not even sure if she is sleeping well these days. There was a sign of relief on my mother’s face today and importantly the Rahu Kalam didn't trouble her for once. If I could gift her something priceless today, it would be some peace, sleep and lots of rest.
In three weeks we will have to repeat the x-ray and hopefully the cartilage and bones would have turned cosier and healthy. At the moment dad is bonding well with his new companions and hopping around the house. As they say, one step at a time.....
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