~ Proud of You... ~

Death has become an overwhelming part of our daily lives nowadays. Not a single day passes when one does not get to listen or hear about tragic stories of someone’s passing away due to Covid. The saga is getting bigger and bolder, each one has a story to tell and suffering to enumerate.

Amid these turbulent times, there have been parables of positivity and successful turnarounds of life. They fought the pandemic head on and were fearless of the dread it brought. One such ‘Son’ who had to take upon himself the complete control of his family is ‘Ravish’, he is a close friend for more than two decades now. When Covid struck his entire clan, he had no choice to put his entire family of four – his father (who is an heart patient and a retired Army officer), his wife and his teenage daughter, who is fighting anxiety over back to back postponing of her 12^th board exams. They ran from pillar to post to garner medical support which was utmost needed but ended up for nothing.

With each passing day, the situation turned worse for himself and his father – with both wife and daughter largely unaffected with the onslaught of virus, frantic calls for oxygen cylinders and to various hospitals for ICU or Oxygen beds went on deaf ears – there were no one listening to the family – this turned out to be a loosing out situation and with each passing minute, the tide got turned towards frustration and helplessness. The family doctor’s advise was all that was strictly followed , along with ‘God’s hand’ which made them bring in touch with an unknown lady who said ‘Yes’ for oxygen cans when they approached her. The ordeal had just started and many a time the situation went out of hand and Ravish had lost hope for himself and his father – with an average oximeter reading of Spo2 at 70 – both the father and the son became a compelling case of hospitalization – but no avail!

The desperation creeped in but was constantly matched with the motivation to beat the killer disease – Uncle’s Army training at heights of Kargil and Siachen was utilized at the best of the times. A strict regimen was initiated – proning exercise along with time-tight diet was the order of the day. As time ticked, situation started to stabilize, though it was still dicey. Our continuous talks on the phone was the only source of inspiration and motivation that we could have shared amongst ourselves. With no medical or supportive help, we were taking a big chance as we were not left with any other option to the fore.

Ravish left no stoned unturned to stick to the basics of living, his daily story telling his father whilst he poured sip-by-sip soup into his mouth and gave him medicines on stringent timelines had actually started to work. With each passing day, the situation told him the grim reminder of so many sudden deaths happening – be it checking the news or from the whatsapp groups – the predicament remained the same.

Then came a sudden twist of events, and after about two weeks of suffering, I head a positive news of Ravish’s father started to let go of Oxygen cans and started to breathe naturally – the Oximeter showed healthy reading but one thing was still not upto the mark – his weakness, which his body had taken a toll due to persistent high fever and less exposure to oxygen.

His frantic calls to various chemist’s to find a commode chair for his father to ease him out was also not acknowledged – such was the situation of medical supplies in Delhi at the peak of the pandemic – as they say ‘ Need of the hour produces a Man” – he did his best to provide comfort to his father by converting his dining table chair to a commode chair ! – anything for the father he would say to me on the next day – such a single minded dedication and  alertness actually became his need of the hour.

Now that he called and we talk at length how he was able to manage the fragilities of time and how internally he had suspicion and fear of losing his father, his single mind devotion and effort made him and his family sail through.

The best part came as a soothing comfort to Ravish – as he told me today on call, you know Sanjeev , today I got the best gift from my father as he has fully recovered from covid and have started to do his daily chores – “ I am proud of you Son, I am lucky to have you as my Son. I had lost all hope of getting better and living my life again, such was the situation I found myself in…” .

These words of attainment from a father to his son means everything today, all I can say is that “Good Work Ravish, you have proven by example what family is all about and how at the most delicate of the time, if one gets true support of family, any eventuality can be shred off, it is more of an emotional support  and proper care that is most comforting in those times of distress…”