Satya Narayan Sardar
“Hello, ambulance!”
“Hello.”
“Could you please come immediately? My grandfather needs to be lifted to the hospital.”
“Your location, please. We’ll be there as soon as possible.”
“Please note.”
Ranjana gave the location and started calling her father and uncle to tell them about the sudden sickness of her grandfather. People from the neighborhood had gathered there to see the old man. They expressed their sorrows and asked Ranjana what they could do for her. She urged them to ease him as much as they could. Some of them brought water and others began comforting the grandfather by fanning him.
In a while they heard the siren of the ambulance.
Ranjana asked her uncle from the neighborhood to help her lift her grandmother into the ambulance. They brought a stretcher, put the old man on it and rushed him to the ambulance. With the emergency siren, the ambulance rushed towards the hospital. Within a few minutes, the it stopped in front of the emergency ward and the grandfather was taken inside the ward for emergency treatment.
Before the treatment, some lab tests were recommended for immediate examination. He was immediately diagnosed to have high blood pressure. Within an hour the lab test result came and he was additionally diagnosed to have high blood sugar and UTI (Urinary Tract Infection).
The treatment started. Dr. Sailendra came in round and noticed the grandfather in the emergency bed. He rushed to him and asked, “What happened, Mukesh?”
“Sister, could you show me his report?” She gave him grandfather’s report. As soon as the doctor saw the report, he burst at Ranjana, “Hadn’t I told you to give the medicine one time? How did he get pressure and sugar both high?”
Ranjana looked at the doctor and said in a sympathetic but low tone, “For the last few days, he had been looking very depressed. I tried to give him medicines but he ignored.” Tears rolled down her eyes.
The doctor went towards Mukesh and with an angry look, burst at him: “What have you done, my friend? Why didn’t you take the medicine? Is anything wrong with you?”
The grandfather didn’t respond a while. The doctor forced him the reason why he didn’t take the medicine. As the doctor frequently asked the response, the grandfather looked at the doctor and began to say.
“Sailendra, from the school time, we studied together. After certificate level, you tried for MBBS and luckily you got that chance as well. I joined B. Com. then M. Com. and eventually I got the license of auditor and began to run a firm. I started earning money and got married. Not only that we had had two sons and a daughter. I can’t forget the moment when you came with cheerful face to congratulate us for the first son and a successful life.”
“Yes, I remember.” The doctor added. “I knew that you earned enough money for your children and even they got married one by one. I had come to attend your son’s marriage. Did you forget?”
“How can I, buddy?”
“After two years of marriage, Ranjana was born. That was the happiest moment in the family. Since then, my son and daughter-in-law began to live away from the family. It has been more than one and half decade since they are away. They rarely visit to me. Last year, my wife passed away. They came here and stayed until the death rites were over and returned the next day saying that they had to go.”
The grandfather began to cry. The doctor said, “They are busy. They have to go with their duty and responsibilities. You need to think about that.”
“I know, I know.” The grandfather wiped his tears. “They have always excuses. I ask them, at least, to come and meet me once in six months but….” The grandfather began to sob again. The doctor comforted him consoling that he would talk to them.
“You know how much I love them. I don’t say that they should visit frequently. But at least they can come home just for one night or two and then they can go.”
“OK Mukesh, take rest. You will be fine soon.”
The doctor moved to his cabin. He closed his cabin from inside and looked towards the ceiling. Unknowingly, some tears rolled down his eyes. He could not show the tears in the ward because that would be against his professional ethics. He remembered frequent visits of Mukesh and his word. He had said that his sons had been away from him. They showed their deep love towards their wives. They ignored their parents. The doctor also remembered his words how his sons and daughter-in-laws had misbehaved with him for trying to keep them close to him. Numbers of past panoramas moved in front of the doctor’s eyes. He felt sad as he remembered the past.
Someone knocked at the door.
“Yes, please come in.”
Subodh was at the door. He looked greatly worried.
“Come in Subodh,” said the doctor.
“How is my father, Doctor?” “He has high blood pressure, high blood sugar and also UTI. Some investigations are still on. The report will come soon”, said the doctor.
“Will he be fine or not, Doctor?”
“He will be fine, physically but what about his mental health, Subodh?”
“What do you mean, Doctor?”
“He has stopped taking medicine?”
“What?”
“Yes.”
“What do you mean, Doctor?”
“Listen, I have known him since his childhood. He is very sensitive person. He loves you all but…?
“But what, Doctor? I have been taking care of him all the time. My daughter, Ranjana, is with him. She takes care of him”, said Subodh.
“I know but what he wants is, he wants you and your brother, Nabin, around him at least once a month. Please manage time meet him and talk to him. That is greatest medicine for him. That will help him to live a bit longer. So, take my words seriously. What about your brother, Nabin?”
“He is on the way. He will be here in no time.”
“OK,” said the doctor. “Let him also come and we will talk together with your father.”
Subodh looked sad and conscious at the same time.
Within few minutes, Nabin arrived. The doctor called him in and told him the same what he had said to Subodh. Both brothers looked at one another for a while and then looked at the doctor. The doctor took both brothers to the grandfather. When he saw his both sons, a short smile ran on his face. He said, “Should I be sick to get both of you by me?”
“No Father,” both said in the same tune.
The doctor said, “Mukesh, your both sons have realized their mistakes and have agreed to come home frequently.”
“Look, my sons! I know you have your own duties and responsibilities. You need to go after it. I also know that you have been financially strong. Money can buy only medicines but not a good health. Money can buy people but not their pure love. You are my property. I find the richest person when you are around me. You are everything for me.”
“Yes Father,” said Subodh and Nabin also shook their heads in approval.
“We will come to see you time and again,” Nabin added.
The grandfather was injected insulin and also he was given medicine against high pressure. He began to feel comfortable and wished to go for urinal. As he went to the rest room, the doctor told both brothers, “Listen, money only cannot give everything. It can buy comfortable bed but not a good sleep. It can buy delicious meal but not a hunger. For a father, there is a deep love when you all are together and talk to him together. ”
Both brothers thanked the doctor. They talked for a while together. After some time, the grandfather was discharged.
Subodh and Nabin brought their father home. He looked happy. Meanwhile, Archana , the daughter came. She looked worried but when she saw all of them together, she felt relaxed. They said the father was fine; there was nothing to worry about.
The grandfather looked at everyone with great satisfaction and went to bed.
Ranjana took a long breath with a sigh and felt happy inside.
[Sardar teaches English at St. Xavier’s College, Kathmandu. He is a prolific writer and an ardent researcher.]