I am not going to write about how I love my mother or how she had been there for me all through my growing years and what a beautiful relationship we share...
I am going to write about that day.. that one fleeting moment.. which made the earth below me slip .. which shook the daylights out of our family.. and gave us a rude reminder that we are ever so vulnerable...
I remember that day .. when mom and dad were making hurried discussions in the bedroom.I was watching TV with my sister .. but I was slightly aware of what was going on in the bedroom.
"Have they gotten into a fight... I just hope not..."
They came out after a few minutes. I saw my mom's face.. it was ashen pale . We immediately knew she was crying, but was trying to hide that fact.
"We are going out for a couple of minutes...Will be back in 30 minutes.The food is ready.Take care of Grandma"
And then she set off to get ready.I went inside and confronted her gently.
"What happened ma.I know you have been crying.Now dont hide anything.Did you guys have a fight ? Where are you going now ?"
Just then dad came..."Nothing beta.. we didn't fight.. we are just going out to meet somebody"
"Dad .. please.. tell me whats going on.." .They realised I was not going to give in.
Mom broke into tears.Dad took me closer.. hugged me tight.
"Wh...What .. happened ??" There was a look of fear on my face.My heart beat faster.
"We are going to the hospital.Mom has a lump in her chest.And we got to get it tested"
"Wha.. Whatt.... Mom.. you didnt tell me before... when did this happen .. is this..this.. serious..."
"I talked to Dr.Anjali.. and Teja mami... when I first told them about the lump, the first question they asked was if my family had a history of cancer.."
And I knew what this meant.My grandfather, my mom's dad, had died of cancer.We looked at each other in silence and that's when the ground beneath me gave way...
We all hugged tightly.. as if braving to fight off the evil that was trying to shatter our lives.We didnt want my sister and grandma to know any of this..one was too small to take this and one was too old.
We three went to the hospital - Vijaya diagnostic center.My mom was trembling.She went in to take her mammography test, while we waited outside.
My dad had been strong all along.Not a drop of tear.He held us strong.
I was praying hard. She was the most wonderful mom..wonderful wife and the most wonderful daughter-in-law and that's the last thing she should be getting in return.My dad's entire family loved her..treated her like their own daughter. The neighbours respected her..came to her for advice whenever they had a problem.
She used to teach in a school years back, and there are still some students who wish her good morning when they bump into her on the roads.. there are still some parents who greet her as teacher.. there are still some students who send us some Sheer Khurma on every Ramzan...
That's the kind of person she is. So lovable.. so respected.So happy.
And now this . I prayed hard.We need her, dear God.
And then we came back home.The test results will be out the next day.We didn't sleep all night.We just wanted the wait to be over.
The next evening, mom didnt have the courage to see the results herself.So, dad and I went.
We didnt say a word to each other..but we both knew each was praying hard for the most important lady of their lives.
As we collected the reports, my heart was thumping loudly.Then I saw.. my dad's hands trembling.We immediately went to the seating area, and tore open the reports .Thats when we saw the word
"Non-malignant"
My dad wept like a baby.I wept like a baby.We hugged tight.Everybody was looking at us.. but they didnt know what we had been through.They didnt know that my mom was just re-born ...
We went out to the bike..called Mangala ajji.. our family doctor, my dad's aunt.
"Its non-malignant... Dr saab.. Its its....non-malignant ..she is fine...oh I am soo happy .. " My dad was still crying. I just wonderered how he had held all this while.
Mom was sitting on the sofa.. waiting anxiously.Wishing she would hear exactly what she wanted to hear.She was afraid. She looked at my sister..and grandma.. who were busy reading a book, unaware of what was going on .. She thought of me and dad..
"I want to be here..for them.." I need them.They need me.
When we finally reached home, mom instantly got up and ran into my father's arms.Grandma was shocked..Sahu was shocked.
They came rushing to us... Dad hugged everybody together.. and cried "She is alright .. yahoo !"
There was no dearth to tears of happiness that day. Amidst crying.. hiccups and what not.. we told grandma and sahu the whole story.They hugged her tighter still and that's when we realised - " Mom was a great gift to us.And a greater gift was God just made us realise how much we loved her and how much we needed her".
I am going to write about that day.. that one fleeting moment.. which made the earth below me slip .. which shook the daylights out of our family.. and gave us a rude reminder that we are ever so vulnerable...
I remember that day .. when mom and dad were making hurried discussions in the bedroom.I was watching TV with my sister .. but I was slightly aware of what was going on in the bedroom.
"Have they gotten into a fight... I just hope not..."
They came out after a few minutes. I saw my mom's face.. it was ashen pale . We immediately knew she was crying, but was trying to hide that fact.
"We are going out for a couple of minutes...Will be back in 30 minutes.The food is ready.Take care of Grandma"
And then she set off to get ready.I went inside and confronted her gently.
"What happened ma.I know you have been crying.Now dont hide anything.Did you guys have a fight ? Where are you going now ?"
Just then dad came..."Nothing beta.. we didn't fight.. we are just going out to meet somebody"
"Dad .. please.. tell me whats going on.." .They realised I was not going to give in.
Mom broke into tears.Dad took me closer.. hugged me tight.
"Wh...What .. happened ??" There was a look of fear on my face.My heart beat faster.
"We are going to the hospital.Mom has a lump in her chest.And we got to get it tested"
"Wha.. Whatt.... Mom.. you didnt tell me before... when did this happen .. is this..this.. serious..."
"I talked to Dr.Anjali.. and Teja mami... when I first told them about the lump, the first question they asked was if my family had a history of cancer.."
And I knew what this meant.My grandfather, my mom's dad, had died of cancer.We looked at each other in silence and that's when the ground beneath me gave way...
We all hugged tightly.. as if braving to fight off the evil that was trying to shatter our lives.We didnt want my sister and grandma to know any of this..one was too small to take this and one was too old.
We three went to the hospital - Vijaya diagnostic center.My mom was trembling.She went in to take her mammography test, while we waited outside.
My dad had been strong all along.Not a drop of tear.He held us strong.
I was praying hard. She was the most wonderful mom..wonderful wife and the most wonderful daughter-in-law and that's the last thing she should be getting in return.My dad's entire family loved her..treated her like their own daughter. The neighbours respected her..came to her for advice whenever they had a problem.
She used to teach in a school years back, and there are still some students who wish her good morning when they bump into her on the roads.. there are still some parents who greet her as teacher.. there are still some students who send us some Sheer Khurma on every Ramzan...
That's the kind of person she is. So lovable.. so respected.So happy.
And now this . I prayed hard.We need her, dear God.
And then we came back home.The test results will be out the next day.We didn't sleep all night.We just wanted the wait to be over.
The next evening, mom didnt have the courage to see the results herself.So, dad and I went.
We didnt say a word to each other..but we both knew each was praying hard for the most important lady of their lives.
As we collected the reports, my heart was thumping loudly.Then I saw.. my dad's hands trembling.We immediately went to the seating area, and tore open the reports .Thats when we saw the word
"Non-malignant"
My dad wept like a baby.I wept like a baby.We hugged tight.Everybody was looking at us.. but they didnt know what we had been through.They didnt know that my mom was just re-born ...
We went out to the bike..called Mangala ajji.. our family doctor, my dad's aunt.
"Its non-malignant... Dr saab.. Its its....non-malignant ..she is fine...oh I am soo happy .. " My dad was still crying. I just wonderered how he had held all this while.
Mom was sitting on the sofa.. waiting anxiously.Wishing she would hear exactly what she wanted to hear.She was afraid. She looked at my sister..and grandma.. who were busy reading a book, unaware of what was going on .. She thought of me and dad..
"I want to be here..for them.." I need them.They need me.
When we finally reached home, mom instantly got up and ran into my father's arms.Grandma was shocked..Sahu was shocked.
They came rushing to us... Dad hugged everybody together.. and cried "She is alright .. yahoo !"
There was no dearth to tears of happiness that day. Amidst crying.. hiccups and what not.. we told grandma and sahu the whole story.They hugged her tighter still and that's when we realised - " Mom was a great gift to us.And a greater gift was God just made us realise how much we loved her and how much we needed her".
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| Mom and dad singing at their 25th anniversary ! Just love them! |