Hospital - Day Five

The day began on a cheery note and has largely stayed that way.

Early in the day it was decided to bring Daddy out of the ICU and into his room in the hospital. We had hoped that getting closer to all of us and to 'reality', he will move out of his disconnected state.

That came true when he returned and the accompanying photos tell most of the happy tale. He began to crack jokes, discuss politics and appeared back in form - except for a slur that is the legacy of days of sedation. After lunch he slept well, entertaining Mummy, Neeti and me with his snores.

Later he again appeared to go back into the shell, making us worried. Sunil and Anju arrived late evening and he cheered up again.

Incidentally, he also sang four songs for mummy - and as I was telling her, it was terrific that he always got her name right while singing those romantic songs!

   He was put through a bit of physiotherapy today and he took it well and without any visible discomfort. Tomorrow is an important day - he will be made to stand and even walk.

More tomorrow...

Hospital - Day Three

I must admit that it has been a rather difficult day; though there is nothing to worry about at the end of it.

The good news first. Daddy is apparently not in any pain at all. His essential parameters have been good for most part of the day. He is being well taken care of in the ICU.

He has, however, remained completely disorientated and restless. He recognises me and listens to my requests, but for all the others, he poses a bit of a struggle. It is clear that he does not realize that he is in a hospital and tries to get up almost every minute, sometimes to go to 'office' or 'cross the water' or 'look for his mobile from top of the fridge' or to 'hand me a set of keys'. Heavy sedation has rendered his speech somewhat unintelligible and one has to strain to hear the mumbling. He is, however, strong as ever and held on to my hand and the bed railing with such force that surprised even me.

As I said, his basic health indicators are good. His blood pressure is within limits, the amount of oxygen usage excellent and the pulse a shade high. He could use with some more sleep though! But the amount od sedation is being limited to the bare minimum so that he recovers to 'normalcy' as soon as possible.

The doctors have assured him that this delirious condition - known apparently as 'ICU Psychosis' is not unusual and he will emerge out of it in another 24 hours or so. His shifting out of the ICU and into the room has, however, been put off and a fresh call will be taken tomorrow.

I also must admit that it is extremely hard to see one's parent in this condition. While outwardly remaining calm is, of course, the key to helping him the best, inside it is a reversal of roles where I feel like a parent now. I am glad, though, that he is receiving top-notch treatment from a very professional lot of doctors and nurses. It is almost as if Fortis uses 'being happy and positive' as the main criteria for selection of its employees.

I am staying on in the hospital (the place is wonderfully comfortable!) and I am writing this post from the hospital so that all the family members can be fully updated.

More tomorrow....       

Hospital - Day One

Daddy was admitted to the Fortis Hospital Mohali today. He left in high spirits and is all geared up for the knees-replacement operation.

He was delighted with the welcome he got at the professionals of Fortis - a far cry from the indifference of Govt hospitals and dispensaries. He has a full suite to himself - a room for him and another, a living room, for the visitors. Both have spick and span restrooms, televisions and host of other amenities completely unknown to public healthcare!

 The operation is slated for tomorrow morning at 8 AM. I will be staying with him through the week (the attendant too gets to stay in style!

Plan For Daddy's Operation

Looks like we have arrived at that point in our planning when Daddy is on the threshold of getting brand new knees! The winters are nearly over and everything is in place.

The chosen hospital is the Fortis, Mohali. All the tests have been done and it has been determined that medically, he is good and ready for the operation. Mentally, of course, he is hard as nails!

26th March is the date of admission. The operation is slated for the 27th. He will be attended to in the ICU on the 27th and 28th. He is will rest and recuperate in a room from 29th to the 2nd of April. Back home on the 2nd!

I will keep everyone posted with posts and pictures.

Daddy's Operation

During the last two months we have been considering the prospects of knee-transplant for Daddy. We have met up with doctors at Delhi, consulted a local private hospital of repute and today, he was examined by a leading orthopedic surgeon at the Post Graduate Institute.

The initial findings are that yes, he is fit for a knee-transplant operation and the earlier it is done the better. We need to put him through a few tests - blood examination, chest X-ray and ECG to decide whether it is all-systems-go. As far as Daddy is concerned, it IS all-systems go already!

Only for the second time in his life he consented to use a wheelchair at the PGI. Later he told me that while the 'rickshaw' ride was good, the 'rickshaw-pusher' (me) is rather an expensive one to have!

We should be able to take a final view within a week.

Watch this space.....

Dadiji Raises An Alarm....Sort Of!

In the wee hours of the 16th, Dadaji noticed that Dadiji was breathing in a very laboured way. He tried waking her up but that also did not seem to work for a while. Naturally, an alarm went up in his mind - and ours in Delhi, where I was due to attend an official conference in the day - and it was decided that her condition warranted a closer look by the doctors. Hence, even before dawn broke, she was shipped to the Army's hospital, Dadaji bravely in tow.

The good news is that after comprehensive tests and observations for three days, the doctors have deduced that it was just one of those things, a bit of an aberration, and that she is fit enough to be discharged. Which is just as well because with the passage of each moment, she was getting more restive than a child waiting for school's closing bell! The fact that she had a private 'VIP' room did not help as she would have preferred the company of a couple of patients, each sharing her chronicle of medical experience! And that solitary small TV, mounted on the wall, could not keep her attention either - her daily dose of soaps is no longer acceptable on a small-screen TV.

So here she is, posing for me. Don't let that pensive look fool you - that has been her chosen stare for all cameras since 1930!





And now, three days of suspense later, she is back, all set for the 5 PM tea and string of her favourite tear-jerkers on the TV that tell us all that we don't want to know about relationships and are always bursting on the seams with melodrama and nerve-jangling music.

The picture below was taken as she reached home and stepped out of the car - looking every bit a general who has returned after vanquishing an army of foes. Hence the upright flag on the chariot!

Sid's On His Way!

One flew out of the cuckoo's nest!

Sid is on his way to Cape Town. He left for Delhi early today and will finally leave India on the evening of 14th. We woke up early (for a change) to see him off. As you can see from the pictures below, Sid is more than happy to be moving away from his parents. In the background of the first picture, his Dadi is making a brave attempt to surmount cold and arthritic pains to see him off. In the second picture, while he continues to smile at his freedom, Neeti is less than happy to see him go. And Ginger is trying to climb up all of six-feet for a last lick!

Sid's Dadaji waved him goodbye from his bed. And I am behind the camera!

Abhishek is flying in from Mumbai to meet him at Delhi and will be around till the 14th (there is also the small matter of the Valentine's Day coming up, remember?!) 

Sid leaves just a day before Chachaji arrives from the US; his college has already opened and he wanted to rush off to ensure he did not lose any time.

Neeraj