While on my way back home, after walking Percy, I remembered it was Aryaa's birthday. I looked up and saw my dad blessing her and then a short film ran through. Dad has suffered a massive heart attack and was on his death bed. It was like he was counting days, I could see his end coming near and was preparing myself for the worse. Though, I wished he recovered and come back with the same zest for life, wishful thinking does not work, at times. My younger brother Paresh was too hopeful and I think he could not see or did not wish to see beyond, I am not sure. His girls, Aryaa and Sara longed to speak to their grandpa, but he would avoid saying let him get better, then they can speak. This was because dad was in Sion Hospital in Mumbai and we siblings had flown down to take care of him, Paresh's daughters and my son was in Bangalore, where as Abolee was in Kochi. My elder brothers daughter was in Nagpur and his son was living with dad in Mira Road.
This is another scheme of the Lord. My nephew Raj, who is the eldest grand child of my parents, had chosen to do internship in Mumbai and had invited his grand parents to stay in Mira Road, so that, he can spend time with them and learn more about them. My parents were dropped by Paresh on the 28th of June 2014. Raj was to come on 1 st for a sign off and then later join the assignment after a week. He went back to Nagpur and came back somewhere in the 2nd week of July. They 3 had just started adjusting to each other and on the 17 th of July my dad got an attack.
My mother too, could not think or see beyond her wishes. She thought it was a heart burn and gas that was causing severe ache to him. Dad was of course in the pain. Being a working day, they did not call any of us and Raj was sleeping through when all this was happening in the early hours. He had come back home in the wee hours from his internship, he was blissfully unaware of the confusion. My mother took help of her neighbour Priti, they dialled several numbers, but none of the doctors were available, then Priti remembered of the doctor, who attended her mom at home for her regular check ups. Dad was uneasy, at times dizzy, loosing balance, coughing hard and throwing out. Time was clicking. The doctor arrived and checked him, he saw his eyes, pulled the skin down, it was complete white. He knew there was no blood flow and he immediately advised to go for an ECG. With all this commotion Raj woke up.
Even when death was standing at the door, my dad, dressed up, but this time in a siting position as he would loose his balance while he stood. Removed all the undergarments and changed to fresh ones. While doing so, he suggested my nephew, you stay back as you have to attend duty, we will proceed, but Raj refused. Raj was talking to his dad and my brother Dr.Mukund and probably dada knew what was happening, being a cardiologist and might have told him the seriousness of dad's illness.
Thus the countdown began. We three left, all our homes and camped in Mumbai. Angiography was successfully performed, he was smiling and talking with all those who visited them. It gave a sigh of relief. But within few days, instead of showing progress, his health was getting worse. Doctors attending him could not predict or give any assurance. One of his valve was damaged as their was a delay of 6 hours or more from the time he got his heart attack, but they could not figure out this immediately. Treatment was continuous but their was no relief. My eyes would continuously flow, I had never seen dad suffer anytime in my life. He never ever got any fever too, so lying in the bed, so helplessly for him, was unimaginable. I could of bear to see him like this. We all felt so helpless. Dada, who was a cardiologist was put to the ultimate test. He had used all, his contacts and his name and fame to give the best, but doctors are humans and even they cannot stop death, standing near the door.
Paresh most probably had put a full stop to his unnecessary fears and left everything on dada. We all 3 shared equal pain and sufferings and this was one of God's or let me say my dad's way to bring all 3 of us together to hold hands and support each other.
Each day was critical, but dad never once feared or uttered that his life was coming to an end. His senses and thoughts were much as before and in fact he found humour in the way his treatment was going on. It was amazing to see him so calm and compose even in his last days.
On the 11 th of August was Aryaa's birthday and the girls were missing their grandparents and their father Paresh. Daddy was in the ICCU and was not using his mobile anymore. Paresh kept on pushing further, saying, I will connect him to the girls, when he is improving.
I knew in my mind, this day may never come, so, I told him, let dad just wish Aryaa at least, maybe he will chat later when he is doing fine. With this, Paresh agreed and called his home in Bangalore. Sara picked up and told daddy, how she was missing him and asked him to get well soon, then it was Aryaa on the line, she told him, she has got high marks in Sanskrit in the test ( as daddy had prepared her for the unit test ) and then dad wished her, in a tone he never did, a very low tone but with the same enthusiasm, " Maany Haappy returns of the day". That moment, I was ready with my iPhone camera and I captured the moment, 'Paresh holding his mobile near dads ears and dad leaning on the left side wishing her for the last time...
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| Dad wishing Aryaa |
Last birthday 2015, I shared this picture to Paresh and today I actually saw dad smiling from the sky pouring his blessing from above...
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