09 May 2021
By Sahana sundar
The thermometer shows 103 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature has risen by one more degree. Raghu coughs incessantly. Sudha is helpless, not able to arrive at any decision. She wouldn't know what to do. She too has been running temperature since yesterday. With great difficulty, she ambles to the kitchen and gets a glass of hot water. Raghu is unable to bear the cough. He whimpers and his palms grip his chest. In a jiffy he pushes,... the glass
Sudha dials 1029 immediately. She knows Raghu needs urgent hospitalization. She does not know where to leave her three-year-old daughter Renu. All three tested COVID-19 positive. She decides to take Renu along with her to the hospital. Raghu is still gasping for air... such as phone chimes. She listens. “Madam ambulance is waiting downstairs” " She supports Raghu and says, “Raghu get up slowly"
“No Sudha I can't” She tries twice thrice..not able to
Sudha rings the ambulance driver. The driver and paramedic come with the stretcher and carry Raghu towards the ambulance. Renu and Sudha get into the ambulance and it turns off... The ambulance ducks at Apollo Hospital. Even before getting the patient out the guard stops and says, “There is no bed, madam, you can try at Sagar Apollo.
At Sagar Apollo, what happens...it is the same old response again...” there is no bed”.
Sudha makes a call to her family physician. He says "Take him to the Lakeview Hospital. The ambulance vrooms to Lakeview. Two people come running to the driver, “Is he a covid patient”?
“Yes”.
“All beds are full try some other hospital”.
Oxygen too is not available in the ambulance. Raghu continues to cough and gasps for air...
Sudha weeps. Tears roll down her cheeks. She says, “Driver please do something. Speed up to the next hospital"
The ambulance visits 12 hospitals and gets the same answer....” there is no bed”. Sudha is tired...Her brain stops thinking and finally, she says, “Driver take us to the CM house
At CM's house, as all three tested positive the guard did not allow them to even step inside the gate. Sudha pleads, wails, screams...but all her screams vanish into thin air. There is nobody to hear her voice.
Raghu’s coughing stops and his head slides to one side... He is no more.
Pandemic, pandemic, pandemic...the world is going topsy turvy over this word... yes... the situation is turning graver and graver. what happens when the third wave hits? Vaccination is not the solution...people are dying due to vaccine-induced covid too.
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