"You will not survive."
A locally renowned cardiologist said to a 20-year-old girl.
"What do you mean Doc. Even after those costly tests and you tell me my situation is this serious now. You are telling me Paa is going to lose his daughter the same way he lost his wife even after he sold Mom's jewelry just to pay the hospital bill for these tests that told nothing about my disease"
Dr.Suketu replied "I am sorry but we couldn't identify that you had congestive heart failure with our equipment present here. Also, your mother suffered from the same disease, since it is hereditary we suppose you got it from your mother. This disease is common among the females and no cure for it has been found. But we know of treatments to manage the condition."
The girl Annanya replied " You know I can not afford that treatment of yours. It already is costly enough for these lab tests and imaging, where will I get enough money for the treatment. My brother has reached 6th grade and how the hell my father is going to afford all of it. You tell me another affordable treatment or hide the fact from my father." *cough**cough**cough*
"Calm down young lady, I don't want you to complicate your already critical health. I am sorry but I don't run this hospital, so I am unable to provide any other solution. With our equipment, this is the best we can offer. Why am I even having this conversation with you, can you please call your father." Dr.Suketu said.
"Ah, what time is it, shit! memory loss and feeling of disorientation are the least of my worries, how to tell Dad. Doc you know that right I am from a lower-middle-class family and I have a sibling" *breathes* The girl Annanya is feeling tired and has an increasing pain near her chest. *cough**cough* "Hey Doc, let me call up my father." Annanya picks up her Nokia 3360 and calls her Dad.
"Papa, Doc called you for a meeting. Come as soon as you can."
Her Dad asked her with concern "Is everything OK 'baby'? You know what I bought you the pink embroidered silk Salwar that you were eyeing in the shop. And don't worry it was not that costly. Today, we will celebrate at the home of you finally being released from those bitter meds. Maybe today we can bring something exotic for our dinner, Ah! I have to go through the Doctor if you can make a change in the dinner, you know high pressure and all, don't worry today we will celebrate if Doctor approves."
*heavy breathing* "Ok Paa."
When speaking with her father Annanya suddenly collapses.
Dr.Suketu "NURSE!!!! WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY!!"
Her father hears the doctor shouting and panicking asks "IS MY DAUGHTER ALRIGHT. HELLO!!! DOCTOR!!!HELLO!!!"*beep* The phone gets cut off. He rushes towards the hospital without caring for anything "Please not again"
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Annanya - 'Whenever I sleep I always think of one specific day. Ahh!! the day I quarreled with my mom. Shit!! Puberty or I was an Asshole, I don't know but for some stupid reason, I don't know why I had to tell my mom to stop.
I was angry at her for her always asking me to massage her back for the constant pain she was suffering. She would ask me even if it didn't relieve her pain, as she would say my massage was the only thing that would relieve her from her pain for some time. I was like come on what can I do if meds even cant cure her. At that time during our quarrel, I don't know where I got the nerve to question my mother if I was even her daughter.
So, like every other day, it was all same except that my mom and I fought. So, mom visited the doctor with Paa as scheduled. After coming back from the visit she didn't ask anything from me. She talked normally and oh so I wished if she scolded or beat the shit out of me like my younger days. '
*beep*-----------*beep*-------*beep*----*beep*
Nurse "Dr.Suketu her heartbeat is increasing at an increasing rate."
Dr.Suketu "Use the beta-blockers to slow her irregular heart rate. Call her father immediately. We need the treatment on her now or she will not survive."
Nurse " On it, Sir."
Annanya - 'I always thought of myself I am one of those normal guys as normal you can get. I thought my life would go on as usual with a loving family. My academics were also normal for an Indian family as I would keep my marks above 80 out of 100 in each of my subjects. Come on it is not hard to score if you just read and understand the topics or just prepare previous year questions. I scored a CGPA of 9.6 at my 10th Board Exams. Not good nor bad, all parents expect their girl to be a genius. I suppose in an Asian family it didn't matter whether you are a boy or a girl. My fickle mind.
10th of July 2017, the day I quarreled with mom also that day my cousins visited us for lunch. After the Doctor's visit, My mom was so happy to know of them visiting, she cooked her best dish 'The Sahi Paneer' and for some reason, I don't know where she learned a regional Mexican dish Nachos for me. Come on who can be angry with such a considerate woman for so long. My cousins told me how my mother took care of them in their childhood and how she was their go-to when Aunty was angry with them. We laughed and joked and it was such a light-hearted mood in our home after such a long time.'
*beep*----------*beep*----------*beep*
Nurse "Doctor her erratic heartbeat has come down."
Dr.Suketu "Good. Has the patient's father arrived?"
Nurse "Yes Sir, he is waiting for you in your cabin."
Dr.Suketu "Can you please appoint someone to keep a check on the patient's vitals."
Nurse "Ok, Sir."
Annanya - 'After my cousins left, we had our afternoon sleep and everything was going all ok when suddenly my mom had a sudden increase in chest pain. It was at 6 p.m. and she told us that pain is only increasing. My father and I began to massage her, bought her the hot water bag to relieve some pain. it was not working as I could tell that when she began to cry. It was shocking to me to see her cry as I saw her take care of 60 girls daily and their problems when she was working as a matron at a private hostel. She once raised hell as she beat the ever-living shit out of a bunch of college delinquents who were stalking the girls of the hostel. She once told me that she wanted to be an IPS officer but my grandparents or rather my grandfather's elder brother considered it unnecessary for further education and anything related to police a taboo. At that time it was considered education for girls unnecessary and girls doing jobs is considered an embarrassing subject. Wow, Mom and Nana(grandma) were something to have their graduation degree at such times. but sadly my Mom couldn't fulfill her dreams but she made sure I had joined martial arts classes to better protect myself as she always considered my will rather weak. Now, that strong-willed woman began crying telling me to study well, take care of my Paa and Lil Bro as they were rather the impulsive type. I just shrug it off as pain was making her say it until she began to shake and then suddenly stopped moving.'
*beep*----*beep*----*beep*
Nurse "Doctor come here quick beta-blockers are not working. The patient may have heart failure."
Dr.Suketu "Move her to specialized ICU immediately."
Dad "Will she be Okay Doctor. I have already lost my wife, now I can't lose my daughter I will die still being alive."
Dr.Suketu "I will do everything I can. I just hope GOD is not unkind to her struggle."
Annanya - 'I thought I am the miss average so I don't need to have any reasons for struggles to prove in my life to be something great. So nothing is going to happen to Mom or so I thought or maybe I was just deluding myself. When Paa cried and told me she died, I just thought 'how' since when did a generic character need a sad backstory and I laughed at such useless buildup of my character, so I refused to look at her dead body. When Paa and my Lil bro were about to leave with her body for the pyre and at that, I broke down. I refused to let them take her away. I cried and they had to pull me back. My thoughts were and still are Why I didn't say sorry at that time.
After that day, I thought of killing myself but couldn't dare due to my little brother, Paa, and my pet parrot named Phenu. As time heals worst of the wounds, we also moved on with only her memories remaining. I refused to part with things she bought me and even refused when my Lil Bro asked to borrow the pen she gifted back them. Ok, maybe I am an asshole.
Then, when everything was turning for the better I was hit with the news that I am dying only after it was very serious. Doc didn't know about my disease or was he lying to get more money, I don't know. Shit, it is getting difficult to breathe. I don't want to leave Paa and Lil bro alone but it seems that God is very cruel."
Nurse "We are losing her, Vitals are in disarray."
Dr.Suketu "Her organs are failing, NURSE BRING THE STABILIZERS"
Nurse "On it Sir."
Dad "BABYY, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME"
Annanya "Paa is that you?"
As tears slid through her cheeks she coughs and tries to form words through all that pain,
Annanya "Paa take care of Lil Bro and please don't follow me soon."*cough*
Dad "Baby don't say anything. I will listen to whatever you have to say once you recovered."
Annanya "Don't stop me, Paa. I love you and listen to me. *cough* You know the old saying right Dad that when the dead misses those that they are once loved then that is called to heaven.*cough**cough**cough* You know how Mom loved me so much, and I was such a coward that could even kill myself to join her. So, think of me as going to live with her. So, take care Dad."
*beep*--*beep*--*beeeeeeeeep*----------------------
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Annanya "what! Who! How! wow! I am alive. *looks around* Or maybe not."
In a Golden throne sitting on the high pedestal with 108 golden stairs going down towards the platform where the girl stood. On that throne sat leisurely a Man wearing traditional golden Armour shown in Indian Epics with a golden mace adorned with Jewels tilted on the armrest looking down at her. He was wearing a traditional or rather mythological full-body golden armor with his right hand sitting on the armrest with a golden buffalo head design with a golden mace tilted on it, and the left hand on the other armrest looked down at her with a happy smile.
The Man "Hello child, I am King Yama a son of Vivasvata, an impartial judge whose laws are timeless and meant to be eternally applied in society. Welcome to the Yamlok in the lower heavens adjoining Earth (lies in between heaven and earth)."