An Ordeal that made her importance felt

“Almost a hundred and twenty-five thousand and I guess it won’t exceed," doctor ended her sentence decisively as if she had already set her mind that she wouldn’t have a word with me over it. I had just felt earth giving way under my feet, sitting and looking at her beseechingly but in vain. Beside me was my better half giving a brisk nod with her eyes gesturing me to follow suit—but mine was imperceptible.

All the way back home, I remained silent and thought about making arrangements of the hospitalization as early as possible; we had come to a point where delay dealing with it would have become imprudent. Soon after two days, I managed to get one hundred thousand from—my dearest friend -- I know he wouldn’t want his name mentioned, so I am not disclosing it too. In fact when I told him about it, he, in no time, was ready to bear the whole sum—but I requested him so badly and stopped him from doing so.

Now, I was still short of twenty-five thousand, but I had someone I knew would come forward and bail me out of this terrible predicament. I then informed him about the matter and the urgency to have the rest of the amount. He came himself and handed it to me. Very next day, I took her and got her admitted. We were unlucky to find that the suggested room wasn’t vacant but instead we were offered a deluxe room with no extra charges—same as the suggested one.

Next day, was her surgery for which she wasn’t allowed to eat or drink after 12:00 am. In the morning at around 9:30 am, she was taken to the OT. The surgery might have taken about one and a half hours. After she was brought back to the room, she intermittently came to her senses but not properly. In the evening, she opened her eyes. Now this time, she was in her full senses and had begun to feel pain. She showed considerable courage and started walking slowly during her hospitalization. The doctor too encouraged her a lot. Finally, after four days and one night, she was discharged from the hospital. As it was the second day of Eid Ul Azha, it became rather difficult to find a cab to home. After I had waited at the round-about for some 10 minutes, I got a cab, and he brought us back home.

It was such troubled time that can only be felt by someone who undergoes it. Anyway, when she back home, she was overjoyed and much relieved. She had been missing home beyond imagination, and it was all over her face. This all was so painful—but who knew that it wasn’t over yet.