The muscular disease

CHAPTER 14

The muscular disease

Dr. Shrikanth came out of the OT. Everyone looked at him anxiously.

Signalling with his hands, Shrikanth said, “Please follow me.”

Dr.Shrikanth went into chairman’s office. Rekha and Raghuram went behind him anxiously.  They all sat down around Dr.Ravi.

Ravi asked anxiously, “Doctor, what is the problem with our Anand?”

Shrikanth gave Anand’s file to Dr. Ravi, who went through it. Then he looked at Shrikanth’s face silently. Rekha got scared and worried on seeing his serious face.

Worried, Rekha asked, “Sir, please tell me. What is wrong with my boy?”

Seriously, Shrikanth said, “I will tell you. We doctors should never hide the facts from the parents. We must tell the truth.”

With fear on her face and not knowing what to expect, Rekha said, “Tell me, Sir.”

Slowly with sadness in his voice, Shrikanth explained, “Your son has been affected by a muscular disease called MD.”

Rekha closed her eyes. Tears rolled down her eyes. Raghuram removed a check book from his pocket. He signed a blank cheque and handed it over to Dr. Shrikanth saying, “Let it cost anything, but you must cure the boy.”

Rekha touched coach Raghuram’s hand trying to calm him down.

Ravi said calmly, “Raghuji, please cool down. Here money is not important. I opened this hospital to give best service to the patients.”

With sadness, Shrikanth said, “Sir, I am sorry to tell you the truth. The boy will never be able to walk again. The disease which has attacked your boy is incurable.”

Rekha was shocked to hear this. She cried loudly.

Consoling her, Shrikanth said, “Please don’t cry, madam. You are his mother. You have to give strength to the boy.”

Rekha wiped her eye. “Can’t you cure Anand?”

Shrikanth explained, “Madam, in MD there are 9 types. The one that has attacked Anand is the fastest one. It will attack some other part of his body soon.”

Rekha was shocked to hear this. She felt helpless. She took courage and wiped her eyes with determination not to break down.  She said, “I will accept the reality. I will do anything for him.”

Helplessly, tears rolled down her face. Raghuram was also crying. Shrikanth looked at him and said, “Mr.Raghuram, as his coach, you have to remain strong and not lose hope.”

Wiping his eyes, Raghuram said, “You don’t know how much I am attached to the boy. He is not just my student. I love him as my own son. I know he is a gem.”

Rekha went near him and put her hand on his back. “Mr.Raghu, please calm down.”

Raghu looked at Rekha with tears in his eyes. He pressed his eyes with his fingers.

Looking at doctor, Rekha asked, “Can we see him now, doctor?”

Shaking his head, Shrikanth said, “We have transferred Anand to the room. He will wake up only tomorrow morning. You can see him then.”

Vimal was walking on the road fully drunk. He kept drinking from the bottle which he had in his hand. He did not know in which hospital Anand was. He went to various hospitals asking about his son. But he was unable to find him. Finally he reached his complex. There was no one in his house and hence the door was locked. Vimal drank from a bottle he had in his hand and fell down in front of the door.

When the sun rose next morning, Vimal was still lying outside the door of his house. When the sun rays fell on his face, he opened his eyes slowly and looked around. He remembered the incidents of last night. Tears appeared in his eyes as he remembered that his son was in the hospital. He saw Avinash’s mother approach him.

Vimal asked, “Do you know where Anand is?

Avinash’s mother nodded and said, “He has been admitted in Global hospital. We are going there. You can come with us.

Vimal got up slowly and followed her.