Papa was diagnosed with cancer in one of the so called best hospitals in Delhi. But since the hospital din’t have dedicated oncology department. So it was mandatory to shift him to some other hospital. Now the major question was where to take papa for his further and specialized treatment. I had two options stay in Delhi and be there with papa or send papa to Mumbai, where my younger brother stays.
I turned selfish and decided to find a hospital in Delhi itself .Besides papa wanted to be at home and be with his “chutki beti”( his only grandchild and my daughter).
Papa, was admitted to a Cancer hospital in Delhi. The hospital staff was very good. I must say, during the entire treatment, i am more then happy with the junior staff. The staff was compassionate and dedicated. From ensuring personal hygiene to a dedicated nurse to look after papa. Timely medicines to dressing the wounds, or just applying lotion on a swollen nerve. Everything was done in a very disciplined manner. Every morning the CEO, would just come without informing. And would listen to everyone and personally ask every patient or relatives about the hospital, doctors, or any other issue.
Papa, loved to dress up and was very conscious the way he looked. On 29the November 2012, the fateful day when we went to the hospital for the first time to consult the doctor regarding removal of gall stones. He woke up early. The first thing papa did after waking up was to shave( i have seen him doing since i was a baby). This routine continued till he himself was able to do it. And later on when he became bedridden, he would ask my elder brother to do it.
Papa, would never wear clothes without ironing ( he made ironing look as a form art)l. He was again dressed in his favorite neatly ironed cream colored shirt, brown trousers and well polished shoes . Looking at his preparation, mom joked, you are not going to office but to the hospital.
Mom tells us that papa was a great fan of Dev Anand ( the actor). Infact, when they got married. All his shirt had long collars. His style sense was so strong that it gave complex to many even today.
The colors, he chose were very elite. His dressing style was way ahead of times. The suits he wore are still in fashion. In an earlier chapter i had mentioned, papa loved shopping. But after he came to know about cancer, he lost interest in life, colors and everything else. After that he never shopped. There was this mall next to this hospital. And since we had ample time after giving sample for blood tests and collecting report(s). I would often take papa to the mall.. Once when i insisted that he buys something for himself, he said “ now i don’t need it”.It was painful. And my fears have started taking shape- fear that papa has sensed his approaching “end”
In the next few months he grew weaker and weaker. He couldn’t walk and would just sit in the waiting area. But I never stopped telling him about the new SALE(s) going on and my shopping. He would see, listen , smile and then we would get up and start walking towards the report collection center.
Miss you PAPA!
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