At last she is regaining her health

Last month, by this time I was more tensed than ever. I felt like someone had stolen my heart. I felt empty and void and numb.  It pained me. I was lost in praying. I prayed more and more with each second knocked and passed by.

More than me, it was my beloved mom who was worried and lost in agony of pain. She was burying her pain in silence but her little eyes told me she can’t bear it anymore. She had been laid on the bed. It was on bed 25, third floor in maternity ward in Thimphu Jigme Dorji Wangchuk National Referal hospital.

Her case is serious and she is late to admit, a doctor said and looked at me scornfully. I don’t have to say anything. She had medical records. She had visited Zangthi BHU, Jomotshangkha hospitals and even Dzongkhag hospital at Samdrup Jongkhar. Those doctors didn’t have slightest idea that she needs surgery. She suffered.

It was hard persuading her to come here so that she can visit national referral hospital in Thimphu. I succeeded at last and they travelled to Thimphu for first time. Had I failed in convincing them, I can’t imagine the consequences. Doctors never referred her beyond Jomotshangkha BHU.

She was admitted exactly at 1800 hours on 4^th of September. In 14 hour from her admission, she would be in OT room. Sleep escaped that night. I was tired and felt like sleeping but my eyes refused to close. Sitting by my mom, holding her hand, I prayed. The drop of tears counted my prayers.

There is one hell on the earth. Where one can count the every breath you take. Times get stretched and every second seemed like hours. You look at others; all wear the same face, worried and tears brooding over otherwise lovely faces.  Three hours I spent in hell, the waiting room of Operational Theatre. And those 180 minutes seemed like three centuries. It made me restless. I sat on rusty aluminum chair, I stood up took several steps and sat back where I was seated, I craned through the window expecting some good news. I watched at my three years old fastrack watch for hundredth times. I lost the patience. Still I prayed. The goose bumps appear on my body as I type these very lines.

At last my prayers answered. Doctor called me, with smile she said; your mom had successful surgery. She pad on my back and said don’t worry kota. I was so happy then. I felt like prostrating in front of that doctor. I felt like hugging her and thank her by touching her feet like an Indian do. But I couldn’t. All I could say was thank you doctor and you saved my mom’s life. I also said you are a god to me, but this last sentence I just mumbled, for some reason I did not want her to hear.

One day after her surgery, she spoke to me. She said I was suffering more than her. Those lines touched my heart, not because she was pity on me, because she spoke for first time. I loved her more. I kissed her hand and said ‘just get well mom.’

mom with Buddha Dodrelma 

towards Tachog Lhakhang....

She regained her health, and after one week she was discharged. Never think of coming back in this ward mom I said as packed our belongings. I thanked every nurse who took more pain than me for every patient.

Its one month and she is back to normal. I didn’t let her go back to home. I will keep her with me at least for five months from now. I will take her to every possible neys and lhakhangs in Paro and Thimphu. She had already visited Ta-chog Lhakhang in thimphu paro high way, Ta Dzong, Kyichu lhakang, Buddha Dodrelma Memorial chorten in thimphu to name few. After her full recovery my priorities are Taktshang, Dechenphug, Tango Cheri and others.

LONG WAY TO GO DAD.....

He could have never crossed Phuntsholing gate whatsoever. But he was forced to cross. With mom sick and weak he was forced to travel to Thimphu hospital and to Paro with me. It’s the longest tour he made in his life time. He had now seen the tallest building in Thimphu, and majestic monastery clinging on the cliff at Taktshang.

My dad in his 53^rd years he had never been to anywhere. He made rounds and rounds in circumference of the village but never had the chance to travel beyond.

I thought he could rest here with me for a while. I thought I will keep them with me as long as they like to stay with me. I promised them to stay.

Seven days and the time ran out. The more he stays the more he became restless. In a day he would walk where ever his leg would carry. He made round and round around Paro airport.

Back there at home, no one is there to guard the home. The pet puppy that would stay obediently on master’s call might be wandering hunting for foods for there is no one to feed him. The crops are left unattended. Horses and cattle’s are left to few neighbors to take care of. And every day there is strings of calls from neighbors, with a bad bad news, that the wild boars are feasting on the maize plant that they had been taken care and nurtured for last nine months.

Blessed rainy day is celebrated on 23^rd. indeed it’s celebrated in most festive mood in rural pockets. And he had to sacrifice the widely celebrated Thrue-Bab.  He made his way. He won the battle and proceeded to Phuntsholing.

Now because of this incessant rain, the high way is blocked. Stranded somewhere at Gedu area since yesterday noon, he is helpless. He can neither proceed further nor he can return back. 24 hours he spent his sleepless night in the bus wishing something good could happen. Wishing the high way would be clear. Wishing this rain could stop. May be he is sitting in the bus with empty stomach this very time.

I am more remorse and my night today was engulfed with regret. In first place I should not have send him whatever his reason be. I only knew how immature son I am; I didn’t prepare him anything for such thing. I could have at least packed him warm meals so that he won’t starve.

I never knew such thing would happen. Hope the highway will be clear by today. Thousands are stranded there along with him. My heart is for all. Waiting is patience. You will get through in a while to join your loved ones for the big day tomorrow-THE BLESSED RAINY DAY.

HAPPY BLESSED RAINY DAY TO ALL.

SMILES AND TEARS......

Spend the youthful days preparing for future, thinking of lucrative and comfortable job. Today you have one that you dreamed a decade ago. And when you have fulfilled the wishes and dreams, you have another dream already and projected in the vast skies. A dream to buy a luxuries car, a dream to live in spacious room in one of the tallest building in town and the count goes on.

 When you dreamt decade ago, it was to have attractive job, so that you could help your parents.  Your parents spend so much and groomed you to be one who you are today.  Some of us are fortunate enough to be born to families who have everything, and others had to find our own way. 

Mom and dad did found my way. There was little at home and they sacrificed for me. They skipped the meals to fill my tummy, they went on with bare foot so that I can have shoes to go to school, they would wear those rags so that, little they saved in a year would  paid as admission fee for my education. For seventeen years of my schooling and college life I robbed them, I became the daylight robbery and that I cannot repay back in my life time. I took shamelessly the hard earned money of my parents.

My mom: busy separating husk from rice grain

My dad: with his Mathang.

In school day during summer and winter break, i had two hard choices to make, one to stay in school itself other to be at home.  Literary I had no other place to go. Every vacation in school, every semester in collage I went home. I went home to bully them; I went home to take away everything.

Now its one year that I am in service. And looking back, last I went home was after my final semester. It was in transition period, a young graduate ready to join the world of work. I went home to take my last share from them. I got my share, I got the job and I could never go back to home again.

But my story didn't end here. Those days I went home for I had nowhere to go. Now my parents have somewhere they could visit.  I had been requesting them to come and visit me here in Paro. But they never would, they have cattle’s to feed, they have acres of maize plants to save from menacing monkeys and wild boars and somewhere some construction is going on and reasons flows on and they never have time like I had in schooling days. 

I always wanted to show them that the Buildings of Thimphu never touched the sky and the huge metallic bird flies above cloud for real from Paro Airport. But they were adamant.

But today my mom and dad are coming to Thimphu. But my little heart hurts.  Its pricked my heart so much that they are coming but not the way I wanted. They are coming because my mom is so sick. She fought the sickness so hard, she took medicines. She had visited hospitals and BHU’s. She hoped she would be fine but only time knew that her health was deteriorating and need to travel as far as Thimphu for check up.

Proud mama of four son.

All I could do now is fold my hands and pray for their safe journey and quick recovery. There is long way to cover. Sadly there is no bus service in neglected Dungkhag  Jomotshangkha, hope frequent strike in strike ridden Assam and Bengal won’t pull back my mom who is so much in pain.

Love you mama, just come safe, please come fast I can’t wait a minute to see you….. I am waiting for you dear…………