I was just few months old, fully depending on Ma, impatient baby, crying enough to get her up without delay from very early mornings sleep.
Those days again, Papa’s left leg pain recurred severely. Failing all tiring massages and local treatment, Maa, mostly alone that time, with all took him to Kurji Hospital, Patna, with all her courage, limited money and jewellery . There he needed Mylogram of spinal cord. Its a very painful and expensive process. Once Mylogram was done, doctors declared that there is tumour in the spinal cord’s specific vein, hence the pain in connecting leg, hence only operation is the only alternative.
He could not be admitted to Kurji Hospital, as that was out of our financial reach. The only option remained was govt hospital , PMCH. But with a baby of 2 months, general ward was a painful option for her and operation will require at least 3 months of stay.
There used to be cabin type rooms in hospitals, but the place of Bihar’s capital, Patna and availablity of cabin for common poeple was almost impossible, and those cabin gets booked in advance. Somehow she got the information that some cabin no. — is vacant. But the respective official denied any vacancy altogether.
She reconfirmed about the vacancy again, from the less imporant persons of hospital – the peons, and returned to Kurzi to feed me, cook food for themselves.
I must had seen all the things from their laps with my little open eyes !
Next day was Friday, again her constant want for answer with destiny and the Almighty, she left room in very morning after puja, and went directly to the residence of health minister of Bihar. A simple saree clad young woman, waiting for Health minister in morning. The other persons told her to take an appointment with his PA, and get slip. She kept silent and waited another hour.
As health minister came out of house and hurried to white ambassador, she walked from side and stood in front of her, folding her palms in the gesture of pranaam. Seeing a young married woman in this gesture, his humanity speak out, ” Beti kya pareshani hai tumhe”.
“Sir mere husband ka spinal cord ka operation PMCH mein hona hai, aur saath mein 2 mahine ka beta hain humara. Suna hai cabin no … khali hai. Agar aapki kripa ho to aap mujhe woh dilwa sakte hain. Badi kripa hoti”. Without delay, he ordered his PA to call hospital authorities and book the cabin”
White Ambassador started off. And carried the infinite blessings of a lone woman.
She came back Kurzi and took prasad and did all mother’s and wife’s duties. What she took, I am not sure. She hurried off to the Hospital again.
She was standing and waiting for busy authorities’ attention, again for a cabin request. The officer saw her standing again. Now he was out of control. He fired back on her shouting ,” Mam, after repeatedly saying, why don’t you understand that the room is not vacant. You people never understand. See today Health Minister’s own people are coming. The room is booked for them. “
“You wouldn’t believe, see its booked in the name of M.P.Das” – he showed her the register.
She took out her paper calmly, that was given by health minister’s PA in my father’s name. Seeing the same name and the confidence of lone lady, he was dumb-struck. He called the peon and chairs, tea was being ordered, now useless to her.
He got admitted and got cured well (miraculously with both legs sound) after months of stay.
I learnt to take turns, crawl on hospital cabin floors. May be so, I have been dedicated to do something for hospitals. With the growth, my tooth grew one day , suddenly Ma observed. My annaprashana function could not be done.
Before growing teeth, Annaprashan is the function when Mama ji gives the first cereal to the baby as kheer prasadam. After that only the baby can be given whole cereals. And Ma did a small homely puja at hospital cabin and thought to give me cereals.
At the time there was one caretaker girl, brought from home, Bimla (didi). She disclosed the fact that she used to feed me milk and rice since many days before as I seemed to ask from her daily.
Maa was looking into her eyes and smiled at young girl Bimla didi and her care for me.