Tumbleweeds ...24th Update.. Pg 45 - Page 7

A conference with the doctors ………

The car turned into the driveway. The headlights shone in a circle as the car came to a stop. A young woman got out and adjusted her bag on her shoulder.

"I am going to leave this job. I can't take it anymore."

A man alighted from the driver's seat. "Calm down Varshu, you know an architect needs to do drawings over and over again. Of course today was a little more dreary ……."

"I am so tired Satish, I'm going in and straight to bed. I shall be ….."

The front door opened. "Varshu!" said Sulochana and burst into tears.

Both Varsha and Satish were shocked to see Sulochana cry.

"Ayi….. what's happened? What's the matter?"

"It's Archu….. she's met with an accident. Vinod and your father have gone to the hospital."

"My God! Why wasn't I told? How did all this happen? Wasn't she ……"

"Which hospital Ayi?" Satish inserted.

"Some City Hospital……Satish will you take me there? I am restless and can't stay back anymore."

"Yes, of course."

The three got into the car and sped to the hospital.

"Why wasn't I told Ayi?"

"Baba tried to call you, but yr cell phone was switched off. How many times have we told you not to do that in case there is an emergency? But you just won't listen."

Varsha bit her lip guiltily. Both of Satish and she had switched off their mobiles so that they could work in peace and make their presentation ready for the next day. She dialled her father's cell. It was switched off like Vinod's. What the hell was going on? She sat back in her seat. Her heart was thudding in her chest. Her beautiful sister …… she prayed she was alright. Varsha was younger than Archana by two years but was fiercely protective of her. She couldn't imagine a day passing without having a girl-to-girl chat with her. And now she was in hospital? Her mind couldn't accept it. She blinked her eyes to push back the tears. She was supposed to be at Vaishu's for mehendi, so how did this happen?

"Wasn't she supposed to be at Vaishu's for mehendi?"

"Yes."

"Then how did this happen? Did it happen on the way to the ceremony?"

"No."

"But she was going for a sleep-over, I don't understand …..Was she returning home? But why?"

"I don't know why either ……… and stop asking so many questions. I am nervous as it is!"

Varsha slumped in her seat and stayed quiet. Everyone was silent for the rest of the journey.

Vishwasrao reached Room no: 504. Savita was sitting next to Sachin and was trying to talk to him. But he was staring into space. The assistant doctor was explaining his patient's condition to Damodar and Savita.

"All tests have been done that is scans and MRIs. But he is fine as there is no injury to his head. X-rays showed a minor fracture in his arm. He shall be treated for that. As soon as the surgeon is ready, he will start on a procedure."

"What do you mean the surgeon is ready……..what's keeping him?"

"The other patient. She is in a very bad shape. He is trying to salvage that. He is an expert and will see this patient too."

Sachin sighed and closed his eyes.

"Everything will be alright," Savita stroked his forehead.

The nurses came in and started to do their jobs of taking temperatures and blood pressure. They asked the family to sit outside while they got Sachin ready for the short operation.

They left the room and Vishwasrao told his brother how the accident had probably occurred.

"What bad luck!" Damodar exclaimed. His eyes went to the door where Sachin was rolled out on a stretcher. They rode down to the OT together. Sachin was wheeled in. The three people stood outside just waiting and praying.

"Baba!" Varsha exclaimed as she almost ran through the corridor to her father and brother. Sulochana was breathless from nervousness.

"Varshu, Sulu how did you get here?" Manohar asked.

"Forget all that" Sulu said a little crossly. "How is my Archu?"

Manohar fell silent. Sulochana's heart skipped a beat. She shook her husband's arm.

"For Heaven's sake tell me!"

"Ayi take a seat," said Vinod. He helped his mother into a vacant chair.

"Archana has had a terrible accident." Manohar informed them. "She is in a coma but the doctors have not given up hope."

Sulochana couldn't stop the tears which ran down. She held her head in hands and wept. Varsha was equally devastated. Her breath got stuck in her throat and she thought her lungs were about to burst.

"How did all this happen? Who was with her? Was she alone?"

"No, she wasn't alone. She was with Suresh. They seemed to be returning after the ceremony." Vinod said.

"What on earth for? Ayi had told Archu to spend the night with Vaishu. Then …..?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Vaishu's parents are coming here. I told them not to come, but they wouldn't listen."

"Where is Suresh?"

"He's in surgery too…….has broken his ribs and shoulder."

"Who is responsible for the accident?"

"Some unknown person who died on the spot. Another car was also involved in the fracas, but they are relatively safe."

The senior doctor asked the Karanjkar family to come into his cabin. Satish offered to sit with Sulochana outside and the other three gratefully nodded.

"Sulochana is getting breathless with anxiety and it is better if she waits outside."

Vinod, Manohar and Varsha trooped in. Fearing the worst, they were hardly able to control their sorrow. The doctor took a look at them. He sighed inwardly. How many times had he dealt with situations like this?

"It's a serious matter ….. but we are doing our best."

"Will my sister live?" Varsha asked the question rather baldly.

"She is fighting with all that she has and for that we have to help her. Let me explain to you what her condition is. She is comatose no doubt but I have hope she will regain consciousness. There is no major damage to her head. Thank God!"

"Then why is she comatose?"

"There is some injury but tests show that it's not insurmountable."

"Thank God," said Manohar, his voice breaking.

"The dark side is that your daughter has broken two ribs. Her hip joint and lower back have been affected and the right thigh has been severely damaged. Her left hand and shoulder were sort of crushed. She is going to need major surgeries to revamp all these parts. We have worked on her ribs and the minor fractures on the head."

"When will the other surgeries be done?"

"As soon as she has the strength to withstand the trauma."

"So she is okay…..? I mean sort of …. In a way …okay?" Varsha asked anxiously.

"Our biggest fear was the injury to the lungs which doesn't seem to be evident since her breathing is okay ….. sort of okay." He smiled at Varsha as he tried to lighten the atmosphere. "But we are not out of the woods. Not by the end of a bargepole."

"What do you mean?"

"I cannot guarantee whether she'll walk again or resume her earlier duties. That thigh, hip joint and lower back are worrying factors.

"Once she regains consciousness will she be in pain or something?" Vinod asked.

"That's another thing …… we can't say when she'll regain consciousness."

"Oh ….. please don't say that, doctor. My sister is good girl. She can't be punished in this way."

"Have faith dear, ultimately we are mere tools in the hands of the Almighty. If all of you wish to shift her to a better hospital, I will make the discharge papers ready. However I would suggest you wait a while. It's Dr Gupta's and Dr Raikar's visiting days tomorrow and they are the best in the city."

"Okay….. please doctor, please be there for her….." urged the desperate father.

"Be assured, we shall be at her side." The doctor stood up and excusing himself he told them that he had another surgery to attend to.

The three of them left the cabin and re-entered the passageway. Sulochana looked at them inquiringly. Varsha moved swiftly to her mother. How was she going to tell her mother the bleak news?

At a distance, Savita was watching the trauma this family was going through. Obviously the girl in the ICU was not dead but was in a very, very bad shape. She saw the younger woman hold the older woman and rock her while she wept. Oh how terrible! The family gathered around her. She was being given a pump or something. Savita got to her feet. She walked the short distance to the bench.

"Dear girl, you mother needs some water to drink. Get her some. I shall sit with her. You see my son Sachin is another unfortunate victim of this unfortunate accident. He is in surgery just now. I know exactly how you are feeling."

Sulochana and Savita looked at each other. Savita reached out and covered her hand. "Have faith in Bappa ……. He is very merciful."

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Manav returned home early from the inn. Dana was good company but today somehow Manav was uneasy and couldn't understand why. He thought it was because of the afternoon's meeting. He was preoccupied and Dana sensed this. So after a quick drink or two, Manav returned home. He went straight to the phone.

"It must be 6.30 am back home," he said to himself.

At least his mother must be awake. He dialled the phone. No response. What the hell? Where was everybody? He dialled his father's mobile.

"Hello?" said Damodar.

"Hello Baba? I have been trying the phone at home. Where are you?"

"In the hospital. Sachin's had a minor accident."

"WHAT?"

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