Sorrow sought no permission or made any advance announcement when it entered
Rashee’s life. Of course it is inherent nature of sorrow to be sudden and devastating as we had seen in case of
Yelling for Yasmin. And it indeed devastated
Rashee’s life. It was this day last year; fate gifted him a
Judy Jade in his family. About three months before that he was one day morning woken up to a phone call from
josha informing about an operation she had to undergo later in the week. Of course, it was not totally unexpected or surprising. She had been under some kind of medical treatment for about a decade or so and hospital visits were regular. On the day she underwent operation, she spoke to
Rashee in rather cheerful manner saying that she is returning home within a week. And she did. Mean while her husband.
shashi has hinted some impending health challenge, although very subtly.
Rashee’s and his mother went to specialist to seek further medical advice and there waited sorrow to make a sudden entry. All that doctor told was “there is no hope in this case, just let her live as she wishes”. This was very upsetting and troubling news to all:
Rashee, his parents. That night, no one could sleep at all in
Rashee’s home.
Josha was in her husband’s house and was not informed about her dreaded medical condition: she was being gradually conquered by cancer. Most optimistic guesses gave her not more than 3 months of life. Not able to get sleep at all
Rashee’s mother got up at around 3 in the morning and told in a very depressive mood “is it right on our part to keep
josha in dark about her medical condition, she is just 40 years, and may have something to say about her thinking on her 16 year old daughter,” but this can happen if and only if she is told about her impending end. But should it be told to her at all and if so who should tell this to her. After all, conventional thinking urges you against that. Finally it was
Rashee who was chosen to tell this.
Next day,
Rashee went to
Josha’s house, she was still sleeping. He talked to her 16year old daughter and her father and informed about his decision to “tell the fact to
Josha”. Once he entered
Josha room, he spoke many other things and finally said “see
josha, you have been diagnosed with cancer. But it is in initial stages. Please tell any of your last wishes”. Surprisingly
Josha did not react at all. However, she did list 3 of her wishes to be carried out. But in the afternoon when
Rashee went to meet her again she asked “
Rashee, how serious is my medical condition”. Next three months were the most difficult days for
Rashee and his family. Hospital stay was a hell. It was this day last year, 7
th October around 4 am,
Rashee heard
Josha becoming breathless over phone, and later took a train to see her mortal remains and took part in last her rites.
Incidentally,
Rashee is none other than me and
Josha was my sister who died of cancer at a very young age of 41 on 7.10.2008. Sorry for sharing such a sorrow story.
PS: I had almost forgotten this. But the job of evaluating “creative writing” paper contest held as part of Fiesta surfaced this back into my conscious. The topic given for creative writing was “Today is the last day of my life “and of the 42 papers I read, most of the deaths in those paper were due to cancer. Thanks organizers for choosing me to be a judge.