Posted by
Vaisakh
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May, 2000
It was on a warm Sunday morning that I set out on my brand new 'Hercules MTB'. Don't think I'm boasting but I had the most attractive bicycle in the town; a sleek silver and blue metallic beauty. Naturally, being a youngster, I got carried away by the irresistible urge to show off ( Holy Cow! Now I wonder whom I was so intent on impressing, Even a stray dog wouldn't pass by in the deserted neighborhood of my ancestral house). Yes, so in the midst of the spectacular exhibition of my biking skills, I took a nasty turn with one hand on my bike and the other in thin air. To my dismay, the adrenaline rush was short lived as my forearm was cut by the sharp projecting edge of the fence and I went down with my bicycle to the barren ground. I had bruises all over my body but the cut on my forearm was worst of the lot. Grandmother came shrieking, grabbed me up and pulled me to her bosom. I was crying and grandmother tried her best to comfort me.
Grandfather was quick to react, he set out on foot to our small town Pulappatta, came back with an auto-rickshaw and rushed me to the hospital. En route to hospital, I was regretting my daredevil stunts. Grandmothers presence itself was a great relief.
The doctor was quite adamant on getting my cut stitched. I had overheard this when the doctor was speaking to my Grandpa. I was determined to resist the doctors decision. I would not let him stitch my skin! I cried out again. Grandma came to the rescue. She protested to the doctor, she would not let the doctor hurt me(much to my relief) and finally the doctor gave up. He ordered the nurse to dress my wound and let it heal by itself. The wound handicapped me for almost a couple of weeks. Grandmother did all she could to make me feel comfortable, in fact, I never felt my left hand was weak. The care I got then was overwhelming and is something I will cherish in my whole life.
November, 2010.
I returned to my village from Calicut, hoping to spend a joyous week with my beloved Grandparents. As usual, I found my grandmother waiting for me in the front porch. She greeted me with a rather weak smile and hugged me feebly. As she spoke to me, her voice was quivering. I sensed she was in some agony. She told me she was sick and wanted to go to the hospital. I consoled her with affectionate words and told her to get ready.
It was hard watching my grand mother pack up things, wincing in pain all the time. From the symptoms she told me, I guessed she was suffering from urinary tract infections and cystitis. I could tell the physiology behind the disease but I didn't know the medicines to cure it. I never wished more to be a doctor so that I could treat my Grandma at this very moment.
We reached the hospital in a few hours time and the doctor prescribed medicines and some diagnostic tests. Nevertheless, Grandma continued to be in pain. Neither could I console her the way she did to me ten years ago nor could I intervene in the doctors way to alleviate her pain. I felt helpless and laid all my trust on the doctor and of course, the Almighty. "What is medical science if it fails to relieve a persons mental or physical agony?" I reflected while standing in the veranda of the hospital, my eyes set on Grandma; in obvious distress.
As I glanced at the scar in my left arm, I ruminated upon the care and love she bestowed on me, when I was hurt. Now, that she is sick, there is not much that I can do but to pray and hope for her well being. The scar on my left forearm stays a mark of affection and care she gave me and I'm happy It will live with me till I breathe my last.
Grandmother - by Albert Anker
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Acknowledgement
The images you see in this blog are executed by my sister , Sreevidya P.A...
