Untitled

Suhani didn’t cry. She didn’t feel the pain. Lying on operation table she was in deep sleep. Prior to this situation Suhani was a happy woman, content with her life. A good job, a nice caring husband, an understanding friend and now herself carrying a seven month foetus. Life could not have been better.

Suddenly things overturned overnight. Everything went topsy-turvy leaving her in a lurch. She was shattered on unexpected turns. Her husband was away on tour. She paced and paced, thinking and crying. She couldn’t sit for a moment. There was no end to that long dark night. She felt extremely lonely and almost had a nervous breakdown.

Her mental anguish had its effect on her physically. She felt like having convulsions. She knew something was terribly wrong.. looked like her time had come.. she wanted to be with her mother at this moment.
Suhani impatiently waited for the dawn and waited for her doctor’s home call. Told her about her wish to travel to her mother. The doctor was reluctant as she could be admitted anytime. Strong-willed as she was, Suhani assured the doctor of her well being and that she would contact her if need arises. It was a matter of just two hours.

Then she called her mother. “I am coming by next flight” was the simple message passed on. Mom didn’t have faintest of idea of what her daughter was going through. She herself was a heart patient and wasn’t keeping well. And now this ? She got worried. What happened suddenly ? Suhani was not supposed to come here for at least one more month for her delivery. Was there any complications ? She contacted the doctor here who was supposed to deliver Suhani’s child and apprised her.

Heart patient as she was, she started feeling sunken. In another four hours time Suhani would reach here but by the time Suhani came, neighbours had already taken the old lady to hospital.

Suhani’s condition started deteriorating but she was about to reach her destination. She kept her cool. Her eyes were red and swollen. She knew she had to become mentally tough, but somewhere deep inside she was extremely weak. However hard she was trying, she could not help thinking about the things that happened last night.

Plane landed, she rushed to her mom’s place only to find out she was in hospital. And it was time for her to rush to hospital as well. Her husband was informed and he too would reach here by tomorrow evening.

Suhani was in terrible pain. There were other complications also. It was her first delivery, that too before time. It had come when she least expected, all because of last days developments. She cursed herself for being so sensitive and stressing herself. Writhing in pain, she called out to mom again. Both of them were in same hospital but on different floors, different departments and both alone.

Next day afternoon Suhani delivered a premature child whose lungs were not developed fully. The child was immediately transferred to an incubator even before she left the operation table.

For next few days though Suhani recovered a bit, her child was still in danger. She remained in hospital but enquired about her mother all the time. Mother was at home, resting but can not come to the hospital, Suhani’s husband told.

Suhani was experiencing strange emotions. She was happy, angry and upset.. all at the same time. She looked at her husband… He could not have understood the emotions, he was lost somewhere, perhaps in the office work which he had to leave in the middle of everything. Not all guys are that sensitive and emotion filled, she thought. She wanted to share her feelings with her friend but that too was not possible now. It is matter of some more days, with a dismayed heart she assured herself. Everything would be all right.

On eleventh day, the doctors declared that her child was out of danger. She wanted to rush home to show her mother her next generation, her grandchild, her fulfillment. She wanted to ask her mother how she looks in her new role.

Mother would be extremely happy to see that little bundle wrapped up in blanket and would immediately take the child in her lap.

First time in many days Suhani smiled.

Little did she know that six days back, in the same hospital, two floors up, her mother had closed her eyes forever.

Current song- O Meri Jaan, O Meri Jaan – Asha & Shailendra