The Power of Faith and Love797 words)

 

The Chief cardiologist sent for Sevanthi’s brother, Gaurav, in the morning after her rounds. When he met her, she said “I am sorry. I have no heart to tell her husband Sharath. that Sevanthi is not making it. It is ten days since she is on ventilator support. There has been no improvement. I intend to remove it tomorrow and she may in all probability collapse immediately. You can inform your close relatives. But be careful with Sharath. He is a doting husband, I can see. You must break the news gently to him.” 

Sharath was shattered when he was informed and became very quiet. After a long pause, he told Gaurav “Tomorrow is our wedding anniversary. Would it not be possible to request her to allow Sevanthi to be on the ventilator for one more day? I am praying to all Gods incessantly. I hope a miracle can happen in the intervening period through His grace.”

“OK. I will meet her immediately and make a request though I am not sure what she would do,” said Gaurav

The chief cardiologist said” I don’t know. I will have a word with the Chief anaesthetist. Frankly, I feel she has lost the will to survive this time. On the earlier two occasions, she fought the disease with determination and survived the crisis.”

The next day morning Sharath entered the ICU.  The nurses knew the couple and had taken kindly to them. He had a big bouquet in his hand beside some packet. He gave the bouquet to the nurse and said “Today is our wedding anniversary. Please place the bouquet in a prominent place where she can see.”

The nurses who knew the seriousness of her condition wiped their tears unknown to him and kept the flowers by her side after showing it to her. She was in no position to move her head with her mouth and nose attached to several tubes. They withdrew discreetly to the sides leaving the couple alone.

Sharath waved a big greeting card one foot long in pink colour before her and smiled at her saying “Sevanthi, can you see this? Today is our thirty-eighth wedding day.” He signalled with his hands the tying of the nuptial knot around her neck. “

There was a perceptible movement in her eyes and he saw her blinking her eyes twice as if in acknowledgement with a trace of a faint smile. He then unwrapped a packet showing her a gorgeous Mysore silk sari in blue colour with a zari border. She had a fancy for the blue colour and wanted one in Mysore silk. He could see her smile a little more. He clasped both his palms tightly and said ”You will be fine very soon and wear this sari after you reach home. You are getting better and I expect you to come home very soon.” He could hardly suppress the tears flowing from his eyes.

The nurse came near him and told him softly “Enough for today. She should not get excited. You may please leave now. Doctors are expected any time”

The Chief anaesthetist also pleaded successfully with the Chief cardiologist independently unaware of the developments that she be allowed to remain in the ventilator for a day more and that he would gradually withdraw the support the next day watching her ability to manage with reduced support. The doctors did not fail to notice the shining flowers by her side.

It was a great surprise to both the Chief cardiologist and Chief anaesthetist to see her come out of the crisis without any adverse effects as the ventilator support was withdrawn gradually. In a couple of days, she had shown remarkable recovery and was soon discharged home.

Two instances stood out in her case though it could not be said with certainty which one or both helped her overcome the crisis. One of the nurses had gifted Aunty Sevanthi with a copy of the Bible which the latter had requested be placed under her pillow for His grace.

It is beyond our understanding, whether the thoughtful act of the nurse in placing the bible under Sevanthi's pillow at a critical time or the loving gesture of her husband in bringing flowers, a big greeting card and a sari in colour she liked, brought about a will to live in her which the doctor had earlier felt she had lost.

Be that as it may, many things are beyond the ken of human understanding that can bring about a miracle like abiding faith in God, the prayers of the dear and the power of love expressed and demonstrated in apt time. But suffice it to say that Sevanthi lived long after the incident and wore the blue sari she liked best.