Page 65 - Till the Last Breath . . .

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GKL Hospital

Three boxes and most of them were books. Pihu had finished packing her

life into boxes labelled ‘FRAGILE’. Her parents were waiting outside, their
eyes hollow and devoid of hope. They held hands. Occasionally, a teardrop

streaked down their cheeks. For the last two months they had been the
happiest they could have ever been. They had watched helplessly as their

daughter almost died lying on her bed, and then saw her gain her strength
back. Now, they were scared she would go back to her previous condition.
The drugs, after the initial promise, had stopped showing combative

properties against the disease. As a result, all the symptoms were back in
the case of a large chunk of clinical-trial patients in New Delhi. Dr Arman

had asked them to admit Pihu into the hospital too.
‘Let’s go?’ Pihu said and held out her hand. Her mom held it with both
her hands and caressed it. She could see the pain in her mother’s eyes and

false hope in her dad’s. They got into the car they had hired to take them to
Delhi. Her father had taken a transfer to Delhi. His boss, for the first time,

was sympathetic.
The taxi reached Delhi at eight in the morning. They went straight to the

hospital instead of the apartment they had rented. Dr Arman had scheduled
some tests for her. By mid-afternoon, they were done. She also selected a

room which she would move into later that night. Her parents wanted her
days in the hospital to be comfortable, but she still chose a double-bed
room.

‘Beta, why don’t you take a single room? It will be much more
comfortable,’ her mom suggested.

‘Mom, I don’t need a single room. Plus, it’s very expensive, Maa.’