My USA visit. ......Concluded.

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Trrnnnnn…………trrnnnnnnn!!!!!! Telephone was ringing and I was slowly coming out of the stupor. The clock showed 3.12 AM, Sunday morning, 10 July. I crawled in my comforters to pick up the hand set from its cradle. As I said “hello!!”, “मैंने तेरा कमरा संभाल लिया है” was Papa from the other end. I could not understand anything. Mummy then came on line to explain. He was admitted in the same room (107) of Santokba Durlabh ji Memorial Hospital where I spent those trying 4 weeks after my spinal injury on 28^th March 2009. Papa had severe unstable angina. I was ejected out of my drowsiness and sat up. An open heart surgery in 1993, and angioplasty in 2009 was not a good history and I knew anything was possible. I rang up Ashu in Hydrabad and he reached Jaipur on Monday morning along with Shweta.

Sunita and I caught first available flight back to Delhi. The journey was long and whenever I fell into a nap the nightmares followed. We got first update from Vidushi as we landed at Abu Dhabi Airport which had wi-fi connectivity. Tri-vessel blockages were seen in his heart.  They implanted one stent on Monday, and two were more to follow once he is more stable after 48hrs. We landed in Delhi at 3.30 AM on Tuesday morning and after a quick wash at Kiran’s place drove to Jaipur. Sushil, Sunita’s brother was generous to give us a driver and we reached Hospital at 11.00AM. I met Papa in ICU and he looked very good. He said “मुझे पूरा भरोसा था कि मैं ठीक हो जाऊँगा” I respect his guts and confidence. I was much relieved man and then got into updating with Bhaiya, Rani, Gandhi, Harish, Mummy and Billu who came little later. On 14^th July two more stents were implanted and Dr Sanjiv Gupta, the cardiac surgeon showed us the video film of the Cath-Lab procedure. The blood was seen gushing through venous graft as the blockages got opened. Later, I spoke to Col Badal Verma, my classmate, comrade-at-arms and friend who is practically handling 100% logistics of this hospital. We can never thank him enough for all the support he provides.

Papa is back home today at 12.35 PM and talking to Kan Singh ji who has come to look him up. Normal routine at Bahadurgarh, will resume soon. Last week had been stressful. Our family is our strength and we stand through a tide emotionally un-battered.

Not in the least, I wanted my USA trip to conclude in a manner that it has. “Man proposes and God disposes” proverb comes to mind.