It rains in Chennai too

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Being a doctor’s lad I always have had a special bond with hospitals. The odour which makes people ailing doesn’t even bother me, exams used to startle me more. To me all nurses are of course ‘sisters’ and but I feel doctors as my distant cousins too.

Like my first post “Tears for sale” this post is again based on a hospital, only difference this time its Chennai, the city which always frightened me. Ten years ago when me and my pals went down to Marina beach, we were almost dead if we were few meters away from shore or few more seconds late. But God saved us to be engineers, not sure what contribution we have made to this world except writing this blog and scanning other people’s Facebook.

This time Chennai was special, after ten long years I was here again, the first stroke of sun welcomed me with a day long headache. Apollo is a big hospital and you will find more number of Bengali patient here than native. Most of the staff here knows bangla and the language got place in hospital sign boards too, outlandish for a place where people don’t speak Hindi.

The Ganesha idol at ground floor, Mother Mary in 2^nd floor and Kuran’s letters in 3^rd floor would be always a place where some one would be praying for someone own. Since I arrived I saw people bending down at these spots. I stopped talking to my gods since few months so I saved sometime for myself and went straight to the lift.

The lift was full and she stood still on the little space between me and one more lady. Practically I seized any movement of my body in case it touches her. I could only see her hair, straight long black hair on the background white and red colour sari. When few people unloaded the lift in second floor we all had a little space to feel cozy and then I saw her face. She was astonishingly beautiful, at least to me and there was something more, still id don’t know what was that.

I stood numb until the lift reached fourth floor, I didn’t even notice that I had forgotten to get down on third. As we all came out of the lift she went straight and a man who was also with us in the life joined her. It looked he was her husband, he was carrying her purse.

For next two days I was busy with my routines and then again I saw the man alone near the Ganesha statue. I was on phone updating maa about things going on there. Being a Sunday there was nothing much to do, most of the doctors were on leave and no tests were to be done too. I thought why not chat with someone. May be Mr. Roy had same thing in his mind. As he completed his prayers and looked back I gave him a smile.

I was never bad continuing a talk if I sustain first five minutes with anyone. Soon we were holding coffee cups on road side stall beside hospital campus. They originated from Orissa and had come to Chennai for his wife’s treatment. I didn’t ask and he didn’t tell what problem his wife was suffering.

Here Men think very different than women, we men don’t discuss our problem to anyone who we don’t think can solve it. I am not a doctor so he better thought to keep it with himself. Though he was only one year older to me he was married for last three years. Later when alone I saw myself on the men’s room mirror, am I getting old  and loosing the credit of most eligible bachelor ? 28 in few months, Hmm..

Doctors had given their verdicts, It was time to say good bye to Chennai but I decided to meet Mr Roy once, I had couple of hours to spare.  “Room no B4967” the receptionist said me. Five minutes later I was sitting on the attendant bed of that room, Mr Roy by my side. Really world seems very different when you are not on the bed. I smiled without any visible sign.

Women likes to share, I have learned the art of listing lately and the practice really worked. Next three hours I lived a different life. The life of Rihana and Subho Roy. That’s a different story, Inter Religion Marriage, that’s a fascinating story. I shall write that in parts sometime. But Every fairy tell doesn’t end happily, sometime you have to sing “Remember When” alone.

Rihana was diagnosed with carcinoma a month back and came to Apollo for her surgery which was to be held soon. Doctors told there was still a chance so they opted for the operation. She told me some facts about breast cancer that I never heard before. Over the course of a lifetime, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. And if only she would knew this one year ago chances of getting fine again have been close to 90 %.

This is one topic we ‘cultured’ Indian try to avoid but would that stop the cancer from spreading? I had many questions but it was dark outside.

I saw my watch, It was my time to say them good bye, While I raised to shake hands with Rihana tears started rolling from her eyes. I am always bad dealing such moments; I took my backpack and left the room.

On way back I stopped at the Ganesha statue unknowingly, when I realised it, I bended my head down for a while and came out and spoke to god briefly.  It started raining sooner I stepped out of the hospital. It continued to rain for next six hours.

I realized why it rained at Chennai that night.

P.S: Don’t search my Facebook with her name, I have changed the names, I know some of my friends would do the research.

On Average I get 300-350 Hits on my each post out of which 100-125 are Unique visitors per post. If 40 % of them are girls then I think At least 50 of you shall check the links below for more information about Breast Cancer. If Rihana’s story can save at least one life, or helps someone to detect it in early stage, her pains would be adjusted with your happiness.

Link 1   Link 2   Link3    Link4

What happened to Rihana? – I shall update this space when I hear back .

A blog can change life too is you share it.

- Pritam  -