Page 165 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

We carried the baby to the pediatric ward on the seventh floor right away. The general ward was next to
the triage and the single cabin far at the end.
“This is the bed,” a tall dark nurse said.
I glanced at the empty cabin and said, “Can we book the cabin?”
“The cabin is a bit expensive.”
“And how much for a cabin?”
“Eleven hundred.”
“And how much for this bed?”
“Nine hundred.”
“Shift my baby to the cabin.”
“I can’t. Your LO won’t pay for the cabin.”
“Don’t worry. I will pay rest.”
“Ask the LO.”
I talked to the LO over the phone. He consented and briefed me on the referral guidelines and the
entitlement of a patient.
“Please shift my baby to the cabin,’ I said. “The LO agreed.”
“Paka?” she said.
“Double Paka.”
Diarrhea subsided with each passing day. A week later, Dr. Jacob visited the baby with a team of
surgeons. There were five, all budding geniuses. Dr. Sampath Karl led the team. All the team members
wore amicable smiles on their faces. I got a tremendous sense of camaraderie as Dr. Jacob grinned and
spoke to me politely.
“How is the baby doing?” he asked.
“He is doing well, doctor. Diarrhea has subsided.”
“Good. We’ll have one more test before the surgery, okay?”
I nodded. “What kind of test is that?”
“We will use a tube to see what’s inside his rectum. The test tube has a camera attached. You must get
the baby to the minor OT tomorrow morning.”
“We will, doctor,” I said.
The next morning, the on-duty nurse led us to the minor OT. It was next to the general ward. Surgeons
were busy setting up the instruments. Dr. Sampath Karl had a long metal tube in his hand.
“We must anesthetize him for this procedure,” said the other young surgeon. “But nothing to worry
about. You can wait outside, please.”
Choki and I sat on the bench beside the door. Often, I peeped through the door. The baby flinched as
Dr. Sampath Karl inserted the tube into his rectum. Other surgeons peeped in through the tube.
I sat down and whispered, “Oh, no! They’re inserting a metal tube into his rectum.”
“Relax,” said Choki, mumbling prayers. “Nothing would happen.”
But my mind wouldn’t quieten. I paced the corridor and shuffled to the ward and back to the bench.
Again, I peeped in. They were busy.
“Sit,” said Choki.
I sat beside her, tapping my feet on the floor.
Two hours later, Doctor Jacob came out. “It’s not clear.”
“Oh, really?” I said. “What next?”
“We will conduct another test tomorrow.”
“Same test?”
“A different test. We must take the baby to the OT.”

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