Storm Before the Calm II

So far my writing has been soppy.  Time to change tack and see what positivity can do!  For starters, I want to end this travails part quickly and move on to the better bit of the travel.

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Okay! Parents weren’t too happy I was moving to Europe for a year.  Old age and (intermittent) ill-health can certainly do this to anyone.  Even though I was concerned about their state of health I was determined not to lose this opportunity.  However, I hadn’t planned for prolonged illness of mom.  Her arthritis flared up and turned rheumatic.  She became immobile.  For many years Kumi (Kusuma, my sis, for those who don’t know; a doctor and lives in the UK) had been insisting that mom should undergo knee replacement.  But mom hadn’t relented. 

This time – with pain unbearable and relegated to the bed, completely immobile – mom agreed.  But, it took several weeks to even bring her to a condition where surgery could be made possible.  Thanks largely to the efforts of Kanaka aunt, Prakashanna and Sarasa aunt, hospitalization of mom was possible by the first week of August.  This was race against time for me though.  I wondered if I would be able to go at all at times or if I need to revise the plans of departure.  I had my tickets booked to fly on the 30^th of August. 

Surgery wasn’t immediately possible due to infections that mom still had.  Treatments continued at the hospital.  I stayed with her.  She was pretty scared of the surgery.  Her experience with hospitals has never been pleasant and this time too she was certain things would go wrong.  There were enough ‘know-alls’ back home who had advised mom against this – her half-informed friends, quacks, superstitious relatives.   I am glad we didn’t let her succumb to those ‘well-intentioned’ concerns.   I really must be thankful to my boss and colleagues for their understanding in the hour of crisis.  They allowed me to put in fewer hours at the office or even carry work to the hospital and complete from there (for the entire month I lived there).  And, there were many relatives that were amazing in their support.  Sarasa aunt was always there like me at the hospital on most days until she had to return to her work.  Her arrival had immediately perked up mom and readied her for surgery.  And, her conversations kept the atmosphere in the hospital room alive.  Rameshanna and attige brought us dinner every day.  Kanakamma – a relative hitherto unknown – was there every morning and evening with her big smile and big booming voice and loads of goodies to eat to boot.  We had made the entire hospital our extended home.

Despite troubles – severe pain after the first surgery resulting in postponing the second replacement, delusions and depression after the second possibly due to morphine overdoses – mom underwent replacements successfully in both knees, started taking baby steps towards recovery.  I postponed my tickets to the 3^rd of September.  Mom stayed in Bangalore until the 1^st and then returned to Kolar.  Gayathri aunt from Mysore came down to stay with her at the hospital.  She also wanted mom in Mysore so she could take care of her further – she’s an amazing care-giver; excellent with the patient, speaking exactly what she needs to hear, very timely with providing multiple, nutrition-packed and tasty meals.  In Kolar, it is chikkamma who’s by her side most times and days – as always. 

I liked my own reaction to the crisis.  I behaved with surprising maturity, dealt with even dad’s silence without extreme reactions, and exhibited utmost patience at all times.  No reactions of impatience or anger at anyone.  Mom wanted only me to touch her legs while in pain and even after surgery.  She didn’t like anyone else’s touch as she felt I alone knew how to reduce the pain.  I gave vent to my negative emotions by running.  Every other day I ran over 6km while at the hospital.  I couldn’t participate in the 10k run I had registered for as mom’s second surgery happened on that day.  But, that didn’t dampen my spirit.  I continued to believe I would be able to travel.  Of course, I possibly prayed to every God and saint silently for mom’s recovery.   The good news is she’s making slow and steady progress to recovery.   And, I could travel!