Page 89 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

“Really?” I said, turning to Choki. “You heard it? Don’t worry.”
In the afternoon the next day, the nurse said, “You can take the baby home now.”
“But he didn’t take milk, nurse,” I said.
“He looks fine,” she said. “Bring him back if he doesn’t take milk at home.”
Back home, the baby groaned the entire day.
I rocked him around. “Gosh, what could be wrong with you, dear?” I tucked up his shirt and looked at his
stomach. “Abdomen distended? What’s here? Oh, no! Nerves are proliferated over his belly.”
“What’s the matter?” said Choki.
“Look here,” I said, pointing at the tummy. “His abdomen is distended.”
“It’s nothing,” she said. “He is plump.”
“No, look at the veins. I think I should show him to the nurse.”
“Should I go with you?”
“I can manage. You may rest.”
The other nurse had shifted in for evening duty. I showed her the baby.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “That’s because the baby is chubby.”
“But he cried all day, nurse,” I said. “I think something is wrong with him.”
“The baby looks fine. Bring him back if he keeps crying.”
The next morning, a shaman exorcised him, but the baby didn’t stop crying. So, I took him to the BHU again in
the evening.
“He is groaning harder now,” I said.
The nurse checked on him and said, “I think we should refer the baby to Samdrup Jongkhar Referral Hospital.”
I sighed. “Oh, no!”
She filled up the referral form and said, “Get ready to take the baby, please.”
Choki wobbled after us on her mom’s support. “What’s the matter?”
“She is referring the baby to Samdrup Jongkhar Referral Hospital,” I said. “We must get ready.”
She gasped. “Why?”
“The baby seems bit serious,” said the nurse
“We are taking him to a better hospital, Ama,” I said. “Don’t worry.” I turned to the nurse. “What about the
ambulance?”
“Sorry, it’s in the workshop. You must arrange your transport.”
Right away, I phoned Tshering Zangmo’s hubby, Pema Dremey to arrange transport.
“I will ask Lotay,” he said.
“Do it fast, please,” I said.
The nurse handed me the referral form and said, “I’ll ask Samdrup Jongkhar hospital to send an ambulance.”
After the conversation, she said, “The ambulance is coming till halfway. Get everything ready. Meanwhile, I’ll
arrange a medic for you.”
After ten minutes, Pema Dremey called me. “Ata Lotay agreed to give us a lift, but you must fill some gas.”
“Okay. Hurry, we are getting late.”
Lotay picked us from BHU minutes later. On the way, the baby groaned, and the medic drained out the bile from
a nasal tube.
We waited for the ambulance on the highway, but it wouldn’t come. My mind raced a mile a minute. I peeped
through the glass and said, “What could be delaying it?”
“Relax, please,” said the medic. “It would arrive soon.”
I got out and paced to the other side of the road and peered at the headlights coming from SJ road. Half an hour
passed. So, I returned to see my baby. He groaned harder.
“I think we should continue,” said Lotay. “The baby won’t make it if we wait for the ambulance.” He switched
the ignition on. “Get in, sir. Let’s move on.”
“I don’t know how I should thank you,” I said. “Thank you so much.”
After miles, the ambulance zoomed past us, flashing its beacon.
Lotay honked. “Ambulance!”
It stopped meters away and made a U-turn. The medics conversed for a while and told us to shift the baby and
mother to the ambulance. I waved to Lotay and Pema Dremey.
After lying Choki on the gurney, I cradled the baby in my arms and peeped through the glass. “Thank you, Ata
Lotay and Pema Dremey.”
“Take care!” they said.
The journey seemed to be taking ages. So, I chanted prayers, often checking the baby’s abdomen.
The medic drained out the fluid every half an hour.

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