April 28:
Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai:
I landed the Mumbai airport hoping for the best ( i.e. she is still alive) but prepared for the worst. Whats App informed me that she was still there in ICU. The news of anyone being in ICU never felt so good.
I came to India after three years and Mumbai airport has transformed into a modern facility. My grey hair along with calm OLD look got me ahead of long lines of Hajis so fast that Amit had to gobble up his breakfast at Starbucks and find me at the arrival terminal. He told me that Bina Mousi was in ICU and stable. Roads in Mumbai never looked so clean, quiet and beautiful.
At home at 5 am, the tea and biscuits were ready, Renu and Kukki were waiting and my brother Kukki was waiting. We took the Rickshaw ( open air taxi) to get to the hospital and in in ICU using smuggled passes and some charm of old gray hair and " just came from USA Mantra".
Bina greeted me with a smile and went on to complain about everyone. How she hated where she was, how "they" got her in all this trouble, " how it was all noisy and dark" and 'how no one was telling her anything". A very long list of complains never sounded so sweet. I never thought I will be delighted and tear up with joy listening to all the complains.
When I came out to tell the family about the "complains" everyone seems relieved and happy. After what they went through, this was a relief. Bina was in coma due to CO2 poising ( lungs not functioning) when I started my 22 hour journey home. They had to make hard and quick decisions about , " no ventilator" and a dose of "Chemo" where the doctor informed them that the patient may die due to her physical condition. Once the chemo was given, the heart decided to start giving up on her. She got through artificial revival and here she was 12 hours later complaining about the conditions in ICU.
When I told the doctor about the complains, she smiled and said , " this is a good sign" and added who likes ICU? She is right. SO, first day was very gratifying. Your good wishes , her karma, families good luck, brave decisions. doctor's skills and risk taking or above all family's trust on each other, unity and being there...of just a miracle, what ever it was we were extremely grateful to take it.
So, there were nine of us, sitting out side the ICU hoping that the guard let us in , one by one just for few minutes. I will try to point out the differences in the Indian and American systems in later post but at this point, just want to say how tired and thankful I am about the family and friends in India and in USA and how lucky we are that she is continuously improving. She was not not out of the woods , the CO2 level is still high but she is not in COMA and is talking off and on.
Dinner after all day at the hospital...
Outside ICU ...waiting...
Roof garden outside ICU
Waiting outside ICU..relieved and cautiously happy
Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai:
I landed the Mumbai airport hoping for the best ( i.e. she is still alive) but prepared for the worst. Whats App informed me that she was still there in ICU. The news of anyone being in ICU never felt so good.
I came to India after three years and Mumbai airport has transformed into a modern facility. My grey hair along with calm OLD look got me ahead of long lines of Hajis so fast that Amit had to gobble up his breakfast at Starbucks and find me at the arrival terminal. He told me that Bina Mousi was in ICU and stable. Roads in Mumbai never looked so clean, quiet and beautiful.
At home at 5 am, the tea and biscuits were ready, Renu and Kukki were waiting and my brother Kukki was waiting. We took the Rickshaw ( open air taxi) to get to the hospital and in in ICU using smuggled passes and some charm of old gray hair and " just came from USA Mantra".
Bina greeted me with a smile and went on to complain about everyone. How she hated where she was, how "they" got her in all this trouble, " how it was all noisy and dark" and 'how no one was telling her anything". A very long list of complains never sounded so sweet. I never thought I will be delighted and tear up with joy listening to all the complains.
When I came out to tell the family about the "complains" everyone seems relieved and happy. After what they went through, this was a relief. Bina was in coma due to CO2 poising ( lungs not functioning) when I started my 22 hour journey home. They had to make hard and quick decisions about , " no ventilator" and a dose of "Chemo" where the doctor informed them that the patient may die due to her physical condition. Once the chemo was given, the heart decided to start giving up on her. She got through artificial revival and here she was 12 hours later complaining about the conditions in ICU.
When I told the doctor about the complains, she smiled and said , " this is a good sign" and added who likes ICU? She is right. SO, first day was very gratifying. Your good wishes , her karma, families good luck, brave decisions. doctor's skills and risk taking or above all family's trust on each other, unity and being there...of just a miracle, what ever it was we were extremely grateful to take it.
So, there were nine of us, sitting out side the ICU hoping that the guard let us in , one by one just for few minutes. I will try to point out the differences in the Indian and American systems in later post but at this point, just want to say how tired and thankful I am about the family and friends in India and in USA and how lucky we are that she is continuously improving. She was not not out of the woods , the CO2 level is still high but she is not in COMA and is talking off and on.
Waiting outside ICU..relieved and cautiously happy
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