Cancer battle
On a visit to India last week, I was at the lounge of Abu
Dhabi airport waiting to board a plane. The renovation work happening there
meant that the space was crowded.
Among the passengers I found a well dressed lady walking
back and forth restlessly answering to phone calls and making her own calls.
At some point of time, she came close to where I was
standing and I found that she was calling doctors at a Cochin hospital and
enquiring about the health condition of someone in the ICU. Feeling for her
stressful situation, I started a conversation with her just to make her relax a
bit.
Talking to her I found out that she is a medical
professional from Washington DC on an emergency visit to Kerala as her father
has been admitted at a prominent hospital in Cochin.
She told me that her father was normal a few months ago and
had visited her in the US.
Recently, he was found diagnosed with cancer and added heart
and other conditions made things worse and his kidney had stopped functioning
now.
It happened that there was lack of medical support and
things have now turned out to be really worse.
To aid speedy recovery and assist with right medical
guidance she decided to take emergency leave and fly down.
We talked about the recent increase in cancer of various
types, especially in the region. Our topics also covered lack of proper medical
guidance to the patients and their support system.
At the Cochin airport, I assured her all support if ever she
required and left for home.
Next day, I was visiting Cochin for a personal reason and
was driving in front of the hospital where her dad was being treated.
To my surprise, I found her coming out of the gate and I
told my driver to stop.
She too was surprised to see me again. Her face was totally
down and she told me that her dad’s condition had worsened and they did not
have any hope. They would try and keep him in a ventilator till her husband and
children arrived from the US in the next two days.
I felt too sad and consoled her. Having undergone similar
situations in my life twice in the recent years, I know how distressing it is.
I said goodbye to her, offering prayers for the speedy recovery of her dad.
Although, it was an unhappy situation we met, I never
expected her to meet again when I left her at Cochin airport but we met again
and hope we will meet again as her love and willingness for her dad left
everlasting impressions in me.
Ramesh Menon
To read it in original, please visit GULF TODAY online.
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