Love Story – LOVE IS SO SHORT, FORGETTING IS SO LONG
Photo credit: gracey from morguefile.com
In 1998 on 21st. September at midnight I had had a massive heart attack. The family doctor injected me life – saving drug and called for an ambulance from the Hospital I was employed with as F.M.
I was admitted in ICU. The doctor attended me and asked the nurse on duty to monitor minute by minute. The staff nurse was on night shift duty from ten to six in the morning. None was allowed from my family to attend me.
In the morning I opened my eyes like a newly born baby – eyelids slowly and slowly opened and I noticed the staff nurse who appeared to be very happy to see me conscious. She measured my BP and body temperature. She did ECG also. She filled up the bed chart before she handed it over to another nurse. While departing with she smiled and I reciprocated the same.
I was discharged after a few days and advised for treatment at higher medical centre in Kolkata.
I went to Kolkata with an attendant and on examination and particularly by ECG, Eco – Cardiogram and Angiography it was detected that there was blockage in one artery and in another two arteries a little bit blocked. Necessary medicines were prescribed by the cardiologist with some valuable advice. I was asked for regular check – up once in a year. I was under treatment for nearly three and a half years.
In the month of March 2002 I went to Pune and got advance health check- up in which it was detected that my three arteries were blocked to a great extent.
I was asked to undergo CABG soon as there was abnormal blockage in three arteries. I went to Pune’s one of the best hospitals. All necessary tests were carried out and lastly angiography was done. As there were three blockages, I was advised by the cardiologist for bypass surgery. My eldest son preferred to take second opinion from another cardiologist of a highly reputed hospital and it was confirmed.
On 2nd. April 2002 I was admitted and a team of surgery -11 in number met me and each one was introduced on 5th.evening 3 days earlier to 8th. April – the scheduled date duly fixed for open heart surgery (Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting). In common language CABG is also said to be Bypass Surgery or Open Heart Surgery.
Every morning and evening Dr. Shivani used to check me up so closely that I realized her breathing even. The moment she entered the cabin and sat happily beside my head, she turned her face towards me, fixed her eyes up on my face and asked politely, “How are you feeling , Mr. Prasad ? ” She wanted to know whether I was afraid of bypass surgery I would have to undergo soon.
Jokingly I used to reply, “I feel better the moment you are present so close to me and I become sad the moment you leave me alone and go out so far from my eyes.”
She understood what I meant to say and turned her face, smiled and left out. She checked my BP, my heart beat, my body temperature and while leaving my cabin she never forgot to bid me goodbye.
Every day I waited anxiously for her arrival – 12 hours were too difficult for me to pass. I realized for the first time in life what waiting meant in the real sense of the term and particularly waiting for a young and beautiful woman – so softy by skins, so softy by palms, so softy by fingers, so sweet by voice, so sweet by words that she uttered, so sweet language that she spoke as if echoed in the valley surrounded by the mountains all around, the curly knots of blackish hairs, so fair in complexion from top to toe, so charming face just like that of a Japanese doll, bluish eyes like that of young deer, a pointing nose like that of a young parrot and what not ?
On 6th.morning Dr.Shivani appeared in my cabin just like a fairy in pink Salwar-Kameez with a matching Dupatta beautifully embroidered with silver threads.
“Mr. Prasad! Don’t be afraid of bypass surgery. Here we take utmost care of heart patients. I will see you after you are shifted to your cabin after 12th. Pray to God early in the morning on 8th.”- she consoled me like an intimate friend.
After surgery I was senseless for 2/3 days and under critical care monitoring in an ICU where some other patients of different age, sex and community were lying on beds and being taken care of properly like me.
On 13th.morning I was shifted to my cabin when I became conscious and started taking juice.
Dr. Deshmukh a young orthopedic surgeon used to attend me every morning and evening for taking care of the wounds that I had had in my left hand and incision on my chest from where the necessary veins were taken out and cutting was made to take out my heart respectively for CABG.
For the consecutive three days I didn’t see Dr. Shivani, I asked Dr. Deshmukh about her whereabouts.
Dr. Deshmukh never expected such a question from me as he was quite ignorant of our love for each other, love that sparked from our eyes when we talked to each other, love that expressed the language of our hearts through our eyes, love that we realised in the air we inhaled and exhaled particularly while we were face to face and peeping into eyes of each other.
She was well aware of the date of my discharge from the hospital. On 18th.morning I had to get the discharge certificate with suitable advice and guidelines after making payment in full and final settlement.
It was 17th evening and I was very sad that I could not see Dr. Shivani before I vacated the cabin and left for house. I was quite alone and in sheer loneliness I was recollecting the moment I spent with Dr. Shivani while she was present all along for a few minutes in the morning and in the evening regularly.
Just then the door was opened slowly and slowly and a lady well dressed in white salwar – kameez embroidered nicely with golden threads entered my cabin, came to me and sat beside my head.
She looked very worried by face but didn’t want to displease me with any sad news.
She holding the tears within her eyes and glittering her face with sheer smiles asked me: How are you, Mr.Prasad?
Quite well, feeling as healthy as a young man.
Now your heart is renewed, you can live a long life and I do believe you can share your happiness with the people in need once again.
As usual she shook hands. This time her hand was not as soft as rose petals, rather it was as hard as that of a dead body. As usual she smiled but this time her smile disappeared as dew drops as happens usually with the rising of the Sun. As usual before shutting the door she stared at me as a sort of courtesy but not as a token of love she had had for me since I came in her association, let it be for a few minutes, for a few hours, for a few days and so on …
Dr. Shivani left but with a heavy heart, the reason best known to her only. Early in the morning on 18th.Dr. Deshmukh came for regular check-up.
Dr. Deshmukh! What has happened to Dr. Shivani?- I asked him.
“Her husband had left for USA for higher study three years back and on last Sunday she got a divorce letter and it was confirmed that her husband had married someone and settled there permanently.
That is why Dr. Shivani couldn’t see you as she was extremely perplexed and mentally disturbed.”- Dr. Deshmukh added.
After ten days I went to hospital for check-up and came to know that Dr. Shivani was on leave. I took her phone number from the secretary and after necessary appointment I went to see her in her bungalow.
I noticed her awaiting at the gate. She took me to her drawing room. We sat face to face as usual. We kept mum for a few minutes.
Your husband did injustice to you that he divorced without any specific ground.
Please don’t blame him, he is not at fault.
How?
After doing M.ch. he got a very good job and asked me to come but I denied.
Why?
My mother is confined to bed and she needs proper care every time. Her right leg is totally paralysed, she cannot stand up even. My mother became widow when I was merely seven years old. She didn’t marry again. She sacrificed all she had had with her. Now it is my turn to sacrifice all that I have had with me.
Then why not you marry again?
Not at all. I love my husband most, he too. I cannot think for another man, moreover I cannot accept another man as my husband in my life.
You are young and so many years?
What of that?
I love the people whom I see, I take care of them as of own and when they get well, go home with cheerful faces, I realise eternal peace of mind, I become so happy that I cannot describe in words.
Mr. Prasad ! I love you too, you also – doesn’t mean that we do anything wrong in the eyes of God.
Dr. Shiwani! I want to see your mother.
Why not?
She took me to a hall, at one corner her mother was confined to a bed.
She approached her and called, “ Mamma! A gentleman has come to see you, please open your eyes.”
I noticed she opened her eyes and stared at me anxiously. She smiled and wished me raising her hands.
I touched her feet and came out.
We sat down together in the drawing room and took tea.
“Love is so short.”- I said to her.
“But forgetting is so long. Isn’t it? ” – she added.
I nodded my head in acceptance. Mr. Prasad! Now it’s the time to give medicines to my mother.
O.K. She asked her driver to drop me at my residence.
__END__
Writer: Durga Prasad. Dated: 7th. July 2015, Tuesday.
Marthahalli, Bangalore, Karnatka.
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