Chapter 16: The last days in captivity before taste of sweet freedom. ~ Chapters from my life

24^th March 2013:

4 cycles of plasma pherasis were over. The final one was due. It took longer than the usual. I came out of the dialysis unit after 5 hours of pain, breathlessness and unstable blood pressure. But then don’t they say, all is well that ends well. There were some moments of relief. The riles tube was removed. And when I saw the length of the tube that was inserted nasally, I almost staggered. My father had to hold on to something lest he fell. Thankfully, my mother did not see the length of the tube. It pained when it was removed. And finally I felt my throat muscles coming back to normal. I was first treated with tea and a biscuit. And I sipped it for an hour, not wanting it to finish. The first taste of freedom is sweet, in my case it was bitter sweet as my throat still ached as it had been in control of an external system all this while. But nothing mattered more than the fact that I was able to speak. I was able to swallow. I was able to drink. I was able to single rhymes to my son. I was able to recite hanuman chalisa to my heart’s content. And most importantly, I was able to thank all those people who had tended to me in the darkest hours of my life. The nurses Sister Vincy, Sister Joby, Sister Usha, Brother Abraham, Brother Abin, Brother Jacob, Sister Jesse, Brother Jaishankar and many more, Dr, Vyas, Dr Bharani, Sister Sindhu, Lab tech Mishraji, Sister Aradhna, the Aayas who sponged me and cleaned me when I was immobile, the cafeteria guys who made sure I got what I liked and wanted, each one of them helped me recover. And for each one of them, I shall always pray for their long life and prosperity.

Besides, my aunt and uncle, my brother Annu, my chitti – chittapa, Coimbatore mama, my parents, my neighbors (N and S) my husband and my son and hubby's fellow comrades who stood by me every minute, every second, made me realize the power of prayers and spirituality. Till this event, I was not much into the spiritual side. But the sequence of events made me see the light in spirituality. I drew my strength from the Vishnu sahasranam that was played day and night long. It gave me the confidence and courage to overcome the uncertainties that each day got me. Most importantly, I value each day more than before, each moment, each minute, each second that goes by.

Lines on that day: Value of the most important things are often realized when we are deprived of it. Respect for life is the best way to please God, the best way to have destiny on our side, the best way to work with Mother Nature.