A GOOD BOY

A seemingly frail but titanium-willed 74 year old was fighting the Govt. for drafting a strong Lokpal Bill and on the other hand , a 20 year old was suffering the unfortunate consequences of choosing the wrong place for a double date. A perfect juxtaposition to find a place in the history books, maybe joke books too.

I was sitting in a pedal boat humming an old golden melody, where the Aedes Aegypti decided to savor just my blood of the four of us.

BUT, I would like to confess I have had the time of my life.

The morning of Raksha Bandhan, I was hot. The fever, initially diagnosed as just viral remained for 3 full days. I became the small baby I was 20 years back. I was on bed, super hot, all the time. I would sleep with my mummy, her arm as my pillow, facing her, and her arms around me. I would not let her go anywhere, not even to make dinner. I once laid down in her lap too, when I fainted after midnight and I was too scared. You see, twice before I have fainted. Once in school, when my Bio teacher was with me, another time, my mother and neighbours were there, so nothing happened to me. I was scared if I will be with my close ones the next time I faint. So I just wanted to lay down in her lap and feel safe.

The vomits just made it worse. Continuous high temp, refusing to be lowered even by medicines, and very low intake of food, had made me very weak by the fourth day. So when we went for the check-up, the doctor advised us to hospitalize me there and then.

And so started the time of my life. The blood reports stated the present Aedes Aegypti had given me. Barring the blood that was taken for blood platelets count every morning and evening, I had a most amazing time, better than the time spent at home normally.

Life followed a time table. Someone would come to change the bed sheet every morning at 0700 sharp. My hatred for him peaked the last day - I hadn't slept well the last night, he came knocking at 6 - Good morning Bhaiya! Good morning my ass.
The nurse, there were many of them, would come to extract my Dengue virus infested blood every morning and evening. By the end, I had holes at a dozen different places.

Blood pressure and fever check up used to happen at regular 2 hour intervals throughout the day. There was this one eccentric male nurse, who I am so thankful to God is just a nurse, otherwise I would have gone from the hospital straight to cemetery. He din't understand my language, he din't any language I guess, except giggling. I would giggle (at him), he would giggle back (I hope not at me). Normally with the other nurses, the BP and fever check took only about 1 min, but with this fool, it took 6-7 minutes. He would come and press all along my arm, trying to measure the BP manually, then confirming with the sphygmomanometer. 2 minutes then to measure my fever with new innovative ways before finally turning to the thermometer.

Food was the best part of hospital. Initially I was on a liquid diet, then soft diet, and then finally normal diet. The breakfast used to come at 0715 sharp everyday. Juice and bread with jam, I liked it. An additional bowl of poha or upma too was there. Soup and lemonade were given some times during the day. Lunch sharp at 1215 and dinner at 0715. Since the cannula was inserted just below my wrist, I couldn't eat myself. My mum or dad would feed me. I loved it. I do mean it when I say I had the time of my life.

Two consecutive days, my friends came to see me all the way from college. My health must have got better just by seeing them. My mother too had a good time gossiping with them. She did most of the talking. I just laid with a silent unfading smile. My neighbours and relatives too came to see me everyday. I would be very happy when all would be discussing something and laughing.

If it takes an illness for all to come together and laugh, I would like to be ill forever. Ok okay, others should take the brunt sometimes.

Dengue is a serious illness, but thank God (I don't believe in Him), it din't get too serious. We were prepared though for that eventuality too, to shift me to a bigger hospital. Blood transfusion would have been required had my blood platelets dropped below 30000, but they stabilized and increased after reaching 38000, the normal being above 1.5 lakh. So close yet so far.

I made a friend too, a male nurse who scared me to death before removing the cannula the penultimate day by saying - "Dekh! Ab tu cheekhne chillane vala hai!". It was not as painful as he made it out to be, mind the 'as'. I was shivering afterwards in excitement and laughing tentatively that I was still alive. 24 hour AC and a most comfortable incline - adjustible bed were some of the other comforts I don't get at home.

My stay was summed up perfectly by a friend - "Yeh mazze main hai".

It had been 15 days since I last took a bath when I came home. I was in no condition to wash myself. So just like those childhood years, I took bath with my mother. She insisted. Then, just as mothers take their baby's hands and put the shirt through them, my mother took my hands and put them through my shirt. She combed me and I was again the small good boy I was in the previous millennium.

Hospital sweet hospital.
Home sweet home.

Comments

  1. I didn't know dengue could be so bad..
    The lesson learnt- Always carry a mosquito repellent cream in your handbag..

    What hospital was this? Didn't know hospitals serve good food these days!

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  2. Thats it. I'm bying a pet Aedes Aegypti.
    Happy Childhood Reloaded!

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  3. @P: The shameless boy I am, no lessons learnt :P The hospital goes by the name Ayushman Hospital. Hunger and being fed by your parents will make the food good anywhere :)

    @AT: Good luck with her. Breast-feed her daily with care :D

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  4. mast likha hai!!
    We loved that day as well, awesome mausam, I was happy to see that "tu mazze me hai" :P
    and then we went to Pacific mall, yes we forgot that a friend is struggling for his life..
    Ghanta struggle !! :P

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  5. everytime i read your blog ...it looks u've improved even more ...i even find your language and description better then some authors and novelist ...again simple yet wonderfully written

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  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  7. "and I was again the small good boy I was in the previous millennium"

    Very strong emotions expressed wonderfully... A wonderful post..!!

    ReplyDelete

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