OXYGEN UNHEARD

  

A group of doctors WAS having a worried conversation. As the daughter’s tear filled eyes looked at them, one of them said, “We are not able to control her oxygen level which is steadily falling in spite of our continuous oxygen supply. We are not able to diagnose her virus and no medicine seems to be working. I am afraid, her condition is deaerating every moment.”

The nurse standing near the patient looked worried stiff, as the oxygen level monitor was falling very slowly, but steadily. As Swetha started texting close relation, Sneha, the second daughter, came and stood near her mother. With all this struggle, the mother’s face was still bright, and she held the daughter’s hand and said, “Don’t worry” and smiled. Sneha thought about the impossible strength of her mother, how she had fought so many battles in the past, for the oppressed women etc, and today, is she losing her own battle?

The specialist doctors moved to another corner for discussing. The curtain in front of the patient’s cabin, was left open as the doctors had just moved. From her bed, Priya could see the opposite ICU cabin, where a cancer patient was admitted, and the curtain of that was also open. Near the patient’s bed two sisters were discussing, some medication of the patient. As Priya struggling with her breathing watched, one of the securities who generally stands at the entrance of the ICU. walked near the nurses, and started talking something to one of the nurses.

Priya could not hear what they were talking, but from their body languages, she could make out that the guard was talking something rough to the nurse, and the nurse, the young girl, seemed to be pleading.

Priya wondered, “Just a security of the hospital, first instead of doing his duty of guarding the entrance, had come inside the ward. What could be the matter that he could have an upper hand, and the nurse seems to be almost pleading.”

To her horror, the security suddenly caught one arm of the nurse, and forcibly bend it to her back, twisting it, and the girl winced in pain. There was some begging from the young Nurse, and the security left her hand. He then started coming out.

Priya talked though her mask and said, “Sister please call that security here” Though it looked a bit odd for the nurse, who was constantly looking at the monitors and hence, did not see anything which happened at the opposite cabin. She called the security, who was now busy talking with another sister.

The security came in and with broad smile asked, “Yes Madam, you want to order something from canteen?”

Priya now removed the oxygen mask from her face, and as the Nurse tried to prevent her, signalled that she should wait for just 2 minutes. Priya now looked at the security and asked, “What was going on in that cabin? Why were you arguing with the nurse?”

The panicked nurse looked on, wondering what is this dying patient to want from a security. But the security understood that his action was noticed, gave a sheepish grin and said, “Oh, nothing serious madam! We were having some playful conversation. That is all. She is my daughter you know”

The nurse with the mask in hand forgot her duty now, and started watching the scene with interest. Three more nurses and doctors, hearing Priya’s voice came rushing back to the cabin.

Priya asked. “Is that sister really your daughter?”

The security now became uncomfortable and started sweating heavily, noticing the few doctors who had gathered there. He said in a meek voice, “No MAM, not the real daughter! But she is almost like my daughter, and we two move like friendly in that manner only”

Priya’s voice was becoming harder now as she hissed now,” She is not your real daughter! You are just a security, and she is your senior, and is in a responsible position of a nurse, and you had the guts to hold her hand and twist it right here, when she is on her duty?”

The security was drenched in sweat and he stammered. “Oh! That was just fun MAM, nothing….”

Priya now sprang up, and sat on her bed, to the horror of the doctors. They rushed in, and holding her shoulder tried to put her back to sleeping position, and begged her, “MAM Please, please! Don’t talk, your oxygen level is already very low. Please”

Priya looked at the doctor and said, “Doctor, It is OK if I die, by exposing a devil like this security”. Then, turning to the shivering security she said, “Even if that nurse was your own daughter, you have no right, to twist her hand to hurt her. No female can be hurt like this, even at home. You have to pay the penalty as punishment, and all these doctors are witness for your action.” Exhausted she collapsed on the bed.

The security was dragged by another security who was called and was suspended from that very moment.

The nurse feeling so nervous now, put the oxygen mask back on the face pf Priya. As everyone looked at the monitor, with sinking heart, to all their surprise, the oxygen level started showing a steady increase. Shocked and spell bound doctors just stared at the monitor not able to believe their eyes.

This lady who was in such low level of oxygen, and on the top of it exhausted herself by shouting at the security, the oxygen is increasing in her blood. How did this miracle happen?

They turned to the worried daughters and said, “We are happy, we think your mother had turned the corner. She will improve now”

The girls hugged each other with their eyes welled. Swetha bend down near her mother’s face and said, “Ma, even at the moment when your breath was struggling, your blood shot up, when you saw a female being hurt. You are divine ma”

The doctors still standing there, watching the girls, said with a smile. “Today we have discovered a new type of Oxygen never heard before. The heart needs its loving tonic, its inspiration. In your mother’s case it was a help for a nurse” Priya smiled, as her oxygen short up rapidly.