There came the Doctor to ask for the details. He asked me so many questions and I got irritated. He talked so much about TB that for once I feared that I they had diagnosed me with TB. But I remembered they hadn't done any tests. He asked me to show where I had a surgery when I was young. I wondered why was he so interested to see. Finally the questions stopped and I closed my eyes.
A nurse rushed in and pierced a needle on my arm. "Oh no! This kid has such high fever!", she exclaimed. More than the fever, her calling me kid bothered me. I looked at her. She wasn't very old, must be in her mid thirties and she took me as a kid. I didn't understand. She connected the IV to my veins through a bottle of antibiotic. She stuffed two pills into my mouth and left.
I thought I was asleep. Suddenly I was shaken and there was this beautiful lady in front of my eyes. I realized I was in a hospital bed. She put the thermometer under my arms and went. I thought hours had passed since she left and she wouldn't return. After what felt like an eternity, she came and took the thermometer and announced "105.8". I was not amazed, I was hardly in a position to realize what that meant.
Later again I was forced to open my eyes. The beautiful nurse was holding a syringe in her hand. She asked me to change sides and then put the syringe on my back. It did not hurt. Now there was another one to be put through the needle in my hand. She asked me to take a long breath. She tried to talk to me but I could not bring myself to answer her questions. This time it hurt very much. More than the pain it was irritating. I closed my eyes and my mind started racing so bad that I fell asleep. When I opened my eyes I saw my best friend Abishek. He talked to me all the time and kept me alive. But everytime after a little chat I went to sleep.
I woke up this time fully drenched in my own sweat. My shirt was fully soaked. I could not sleep. I looked up. Dad was sleeping, I don't know for how long. I didn't wake him up but waited to fall asleep again. I could not sleep this time. After a little while, the nurses arrived. "Look at him, he is fully soaked", one of them said. Another put the thermometer under my arms again. Dad woke up. "Do you have another shirt?", one of them asked. I tried hard to remember but I couldn't. "No", Dad replied. The nurse immediately rushed, and came back with a gown. She brought a towel and wiped my body. Then both of them helped me out with wearing the gown. 102 was the temperature. "This guy is amazing", one of the nurses uttered. "He had almost 106 fever and never panicked. He is the same at 102". "Yes! He is so calm", I heard another of them agree. I lied down again and the nurses went.
It was early in the morning must be around 5 when Mom arrived with some soup for me. I was in no mood to eat but she forced me to. I was feeling a little better but still a little unconscious of what was going on. The nurse again came and put the antibiotic. The fever, they measured and again it was 104. More pills again. I think in 6 hours I took seven of them.
Later again I was forced to open my eyes. The beautiful nurse was holding a syringe in her hand. She asked me to change sides and then put the syringe on my back. It did not hurt. Now there was another one to be put through the needle in my hand. She asked me to take a long breath. She tried to talk to me but I could not bring myself to answer her questions. This time it hurt very much. More than the pain it was irritating. I closed my eyes and my mind started racing so bad that I fell asleep. When I opened my eyes I saw my best friend Abishek. He talked to me all the time and kept me alive. But everytime after a little chat I went to sleep.
I woke up this time fully drenched in my own sweat. My shirt was fully soaked. I could not sleep. I looked up. Dad was sleeping, I don't know for how long. I didn't wake him up but waited to fall asleep again. I could not sleep this time. After a little while, the nurses arrived. "Look at him, he is fully soaked", one of them said. Another put the thermometer under my arms again. Dad woke up. "Do you have another shirt?", one of them asked. I tried hard to remember but I couldn't. "No", Dad replied. The nurse immediately rushed, and came back with a gown. She brought a towel and wiped my body. Then both of them helped me out with wearing the gown. 102 was the temperature. "This guy is amazing", one of the nurses uttered. "He had almost 106 fever and never panicked. He is the same at 102". "Yes! He is so calm", I heard another of them agree. I lied down again and the nurses went.
It was early in the morning must be around 5 when Mom arrived with some soup for me. I was in no mood to eat but she forced me to. I was feeling a little better but still a little unconscious of what was going on. The nurse again came and put the antibiotic. The fever, they measured and again it was 104. More pills again. I think in 6 hours I took seven of them.
Some of my family members started to arrive. I tried to talk to them but I was too exhausted. They'd ask questions and suggest food. I'd had some juice and again sleep. All I wanted to do was sleep so that I wouldn't have to bear the pain.
The entire time I heard people talking from the other bed. There was a woman in that bed. I never saw her because of the curtain until the day she was discharged. Her voice was very sweet with am ethnic accent. She needed blood transfusion but her family was having difficulty finding blood. The second day, she was about to leave without blood. But there was a huge male voice that visited her. He scolded her and told her that it was waste of time and money to go without blood being transfused. She was convinced and her sister in law who seemed to be very young too, called people and they managed to get some fresh blood. That night she was transfused with three pints of blood. She seemed very happy the next day. She packed her things and was discharged in the evening. She bade goodbye and it was the first time I saw her. I knew I was going to miss that voice. But I was jealous of her freedom. I didn't know I was about to stay three more nights after her departure.
Immediately after her departure, there was an arrival of a couple. The woman was being operated the next morning. I didn't bother about what was happening on the other side of the curtain. I wanted to sleep, moreover I wanted the fever to come down so that I would be discharged. But I knew it was going to take time.
"This antibiotic failed yesterday", Doctor said. "I have started another one from yesterday evening. It will take 72 hours.", he said. I was so disappointed then. 72 hours meant three days. Three more days in that bed that made so much noise when I twisted and turned. I wanted the time to pass but time is an evil thing. It took forever.
The entire time I heard people talking from the other bed. There was a woman in that bed. I never saw her because of the curtain until the day she was discharged. Her voice was very sweet with am ethnic accent. She needed blood transfusion but her family was having difficulty finding blood. The second day, she was about to leave without blood. But there was a huge male voice that visited her. He scolded her and told her that it was waste of time and money to go without blood being transfused. She was convinced and her sister in law who seemed to be very young too, called people and they managed to get some fresh blood. That night she was transfused with three pints of blood. She seemed very happy the next day. She packed her things and was discharged in the evening. She bade goodbye and it was the first time I saw her. I knew I was going to miss that voice. But I was jealous of her freedom. I didn't know I was about to stay three more nights after her departure.
Immediately after her departure, there was an arrival of a couple. The woman was being operated the next morning. I didn't bother about what was happening on the other side of the curtain. I wanted to sleep, moreover I wanted the fever to come down so that I would be discharged. But I knew it was going to take time.
"This antibiotic failed yesterday", Doctor said. "I have started another one from yesterday evening. It will take 72 hours.", he said. I was so disappointed then. 72 hours meant three days. Three more days in that bed that made so much noise when I twisted and turned. I wanted the time to pass but time is an evil thing. It took forever.
I was not feeling any better. I was not convinced that the antibiotic was working until after 48 hours when I was able to sit on the bed. I was able to talk but not for long. It was Saturday when 72 hours would be complete. That meant I wouldn't be discharged that day.
The next morning on Sunday, I was feeling very good. I had no fever for the first time. I was feeling as if nothing had happened. Doctor arrived and asked whether 72 hours were complete. "Okay. So do you want to spend one more night or go home?", he asked me with a happy face. There was no alternate to going home. I immediately pointed towards the door and said I wanted to leave.
That afternoon I had to wait until 3 to put my dose. I thanked the nurses and luckily the ones who had taken so much care the first night were on duty. I thanked them headed outside the hospital. I boarded a taxi towards home. It felt like I was a bird. It felt so good to be back home. I lied down on my bed. It was so comfortable. Those six days that white bed with black wheels, gave me all sorts of trouble. But still I miss that bed. That was where I threw away my pains, fever and healed to be able to walk back home.
No comments:
Post a Comment