Saturday, October 29, 2005

Be careful what you wish for

It’s human nature to always wish for things that we don’t have. Whether it’s our birthday candles or your eyelash, or while we stand in front of the almighty God or even sending those annual letters to the North Pole round about Christmas, we’re always wishing for things in your life, to fill that void that we all have. But how many of us truly and really believe that someone out there is actually listening to our wishes, jotting them down, only to be fulfilled when the right time comes.
I could never decide whether I believed in God. I believed in a supernatural force that probably controls the entire universe, but whether that entity is God or not…I never could decide. The only time I was sure that there is a God, is during my exams or when my results would be due. Hell, I prayed like anything at those times, making a zillion promises to the divine. I’ve somehow always been taken care of!!!
But sometimes we do get carried away with our wishes. Maybe it’s because we don’t really believe that there might be someone who’s paying attention, or maybe it’s just our social structure that builds up so much of mental pressure that we force ourselves to wish for the most outrageous of things. And then, when we least expect it, there are times when those very wishes are fulfilled. While sometimes they might be a blessing, sometimes, most of the times it just seems as if fate’s having a huge laugh at our expense. What we wished for, backfires, and we realize what a stupid dud we’ve been for having wished for something as stupid and idiotic.
I guess what I’m getting at is a personal experience that I recently had. All through my life I’ve always wished to be slim. Getting teased every single day, wasn’t exactly my idea of an ideal life. And since I was and still am the laziest person in this big wide world, I never lifted a finger, other than to pick up my order of Chicken McGrill of course. What I did do was wish for a serious or fatal disease, you know, the ones that just make you lose a tonne of weight. Year after I year, I made the same wish. And you know what. It came true.
Recently I had typhoid, coupled with ARSD (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome): A potentially fatal combination. And things did get critical. There was a time when the doctors were doubtful if I would be able to make it out alive. Day after day, night after night, getting shifted to one hospital after another. Afraid to sleep, because every time I closed my eyes, something always seemed to go wrong. My parents were worried sick. So were my relatives and friends. And with their combined wishes and blessings, I pulled through. Yes, I have the occasional fight with my parents still about not being able to go out because I’m still supposedly weak, but I’m thankful every single day, that I at least exist. My wish of being taken seriously ill was most certainly fulfilled, but somehow, I didn’t manage to lose any weight. What really happened was, I realized how many fabulous friends I have.
Life has weird ways of teaching you things. I learnt my lesson (well, a little of it at least). And at the same time, it gives you so much in return for nothing, we just don’t know where to look, or in fact, we don’t know HOW to look, because the best gifts are right in front of us. I wished for something outrageous and it was fulfilled in the most terrible way possible. I never really though about the friends I might or might not have, and I got saddled with a whole bunch pf precious people, and I ain’t complainin’. So be careful what you wish for, or better yet, don’t wish for anything for yourself at all. Life just seems to have a way of handing you the best things ever, just without asking. I got some great friends, what more can I ask for???
Ohkay, so I can think of a couple hundred things…but seriously…. ;-)

Sunday, October 23, 2005

An ode to doctors: Thank You guys!

It’s weird how certain experiences in life change your entire perspective towards it. The past one-week has been one such experience. In and out of consciousness and hospitals, you realize how you can’t even take such a simple thing such as breathing for granted any more. Sleep had changes from being a period of respite and restfulness to something to be fearful of. I’d close my eyes only to open them to find a flurry of activity around me, and two other high tech gadgets attached to my body. Looking around, I can see the technological advancements that science has made – my blood oxygen level, heart rate, breathing rate, B.P. – all displayed in one machine, oxygen masks on my nose should I require extra oxygen, a continuous flow of intravenous glucose inserted into my veins for immediate effect. They’re all there to save me, protect me, take care of me. My life and well-being was in the “able” hands of ‘cold-blooded’ machines, which could do no wrong. So, does that mean that the machines had conquered?
Asking the senior doctors “when will I be fine?” the only answer I got in return is “we’re doing our best…we can only pray.” So, there is something that these ‘perfect’ machines cannot do. There does exist a power and being above all of man’s manufactures and creations. We still rely on that one re-assurance from our doctor’s mouth, that one smile, that one handshake that tell you “everything will be okay.” We don’t place our faith, and the lives of our loved ones on a bunch of high-tech gadgets; we place them in the warm, caring, trusting hands of our doctors. And you know what? They always deliver. They spend days and nights taking care of others, when they’re at their worst, only to be forgotten when life’s back on track. And God forbid, should you come back, they’re right there with their arms wide open and a reassuring smile on their faces.
It’s a thankless job, but they do it selflessly. Thank you Doc! ‘coz there are no other words that can express what we feel!!!

(This is an ode to the doctors at the Metro Hospital, Noida, who’re nothing less than Gods on earth, and trust me...they take care of you as one of their own. I speak from personal experience.)