Chapter 2 - Hospital

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!

Chapter 2 - Admission

The next morning, papa and I reached the hospital, a little early then 8:00am. I was accompanied by my husband. Reaching early, still the hospital compound was abuzz with 100 people. I took token and waited for my name to be called out. My token number was 63.  After that i decided to grab some breakfast. My husband got juice for all three of us. We started waiting and about 12:15, papa’s name was called out.  I reached there deposited money and papa was given Id card. This id card had to be brought every time we visited the hospital( i still have the id card). I became relaxed, now papa will be admitted. But the wait was not over yet. We had to wait for a room. 

I told papa, let us have lunch and come back. We went to the cafeteria. I asked papa what he would like to eat. He said,”idli”, since i was not in much of a mood to eat. I also ordered idli for myself. Not knowing that it would be our food for the next 10months.  My father loved food. He was an excellent cook. Whatever he made, he put his heart and soul in it.  Whenever me and my younger brother would visit our parents. He would ask my mother to make delicacies, he loved. We all would joke, its you papa, who wants to eat and telling mom to cook for us. 

Around, 530pm, papa was allotted a room. I checked the room. I didn’t like it. So we had to wait for another 30minutes for another room. Finally around 7pm, papa was on his bed. I called my mother. Soup arrived at 8pm. My mother reached around 9pm. I went downstairs, saw my little daughter in my mother’s lap. I picked her up and kissed. I handed over the passes to my mother. And around 930pm, I left.

On 8thNovember 2012, papa was finally admitted to the hospital. I was happy, because now i had hope. Hope that papa will walk free someday and we all will celebrate. It was not even a year, when papa left us. 

I still remember the times, when all of us would sit and enjoy tea ( papa made excellent masala tea, and mom would always crib about the spicy tea). Have jalebis, made by papa and discuss some or the other topic. Those days are gone. Days when we all  would sit( papa will never be there) and enjoy.

Life is not same without you papa!

We all miss you a lot, If only we could bring you back and still enjoy being together. Love you forever!