Precious

There was a guy in his 20s affected by Cerebral Palsy, wheelchair-bound and had come in to us with severe pneumonia. His heart was beating faster and faster, his temperature falling and the oxygen in his blood creeping down slowly. You could tell that things would only get worse from here. I could foresee him struggling to breathe very soon. We started stepping up to the plate. I took it upon myself to start the hardest part of my job. Trying to break bad news. That too, to a mother.

She was one of the most calm and collected people I'd ever seen. Trying to understand the situation and possibly denying the seriousness at the same time. She'd nod to what I'd say to her and then look at her son longingly. Things happened at quite a fast pace then. I had to say,"We have to make a decision now." And then.....I heard the most heart-wrenching 'Mera bacha' (My baby) from this woman struggling to put on a brave face all this time. She clutched him, lay with him on the gurney and started wailing, 'Mera bacha'....

I have to say, I have experienced this multiple times. Every time, my heart sinks and I have to struggle to hold my tears back. Outside was lying this boy's chair that he'd sat in all his life. It was brought in to make him feel comfortable. I was having nightmares thinking that this woman is now going to have to get used to seeing this chair empty. How painful can life get? How hard it is to let go...

How lucky we are to get a chance to hold someone's hand in such delicate times....

May he enjoy the pleasures of heaven. May she smile at the thought...