Twelve years ago, aboard the Rajdhani Express, on the way to Mumbai, he had his first tryst with that terrible angina pain. A by-pass surgery followed and all was well for a couple of years. Then the pains returned leading to an angioplasty which opened up two clogged arteries with the help of stents. What has followed over the next few years has perplexed everyone, doctors included.
There have been a total of five angioplasties. After the first three, the pain receded for a few months and then made a gradual come back, increasing in frequency and intensity till a trip to the hospital was made necessary and another angio happened. Results of the fourth angio lasted hardly a month. The pain returned, once in 10 days at first, then it became a daily feature, gradually rising to twice or thrice a day. It was unbearable most of the time and left him totally drained and weak. The doctors were perplexed.. They began groping in the dark. Maybe the pain was caused by other factors, so a gastroenterologist was consulted. Maybe the electrical impulses to the heart were getting weak, so a pacemaker was implanted. Alternate medicines were tried, but ultimately he had to return to the hospital at the dead of the night amid wailing sirens of the ambulance.
A fifth angioplasty. Three days in the ICU. Fourth day, the pain was back. 10 o'clock at night and at 4 o'clock the next morning. The cardiologist could not explain. Heart - all clear. Call an expert gastroenterologist. An endoscopy is done - all clear.
Mr. Srivastava, you are discharged from the hospital. You have as healthy a heart as any 75 year old man can have. Your stomach, intestines etc are all fine.
So doc, what is causing the pain ? The doctor looks heavenward and shrugs his shoulders.
And doctor , what do I do when the pain becomes unbearable?
.......................................
no response !
This is the story of my Chacha, who has also been my father ever since I lost mine. He has been back from the hospital two days now, and the pain continues to torment him. We feel so helpless, not knowing what should be done , other than taking second, third and fourth opinions. Not that it has not been done before.
Meanwhile, Chacha suffers stoically, waiting for medical science to come up with a miracle cure.
There have been a total of five angioplasties. After the first three, the pain receded for a few months and then made a gradual come back, increasing in frequency and intensity till a trip to the hospital was made necessary and another angio happened. Results of the fourth angio lasted hardly a month. The pain returned, once in 10 days at first, then it became a daily feature, gradually rising to twice or thrice a day. It was unbearable most of the time and left him totally drained and weak. The doctors were perplexed.. They began groping in the dark. Maybe the pain was caused by other factors, so a gastroenterologist was consulted. Maybe the electrical impulses to the heart were getting weak, so a pacemaker was implanted. Alternate medicines were tried, but ultimately he had to return to the hospital at the dead of the night amid wailing sirens of the ambulance.
A fifth angioplasty. Three days in the ICU. Fourth day, the pain was back. 10 o'clock at night and at 4 o'clock the next morning. The cardiologist could not explain. Heart - all clear. Call an expert gastroenterologist. An endoscopy is done - all clear.
Mr. Srivastava, you are discharged from the hospital. You have as healthy a heart as any 75 year old man can have. Your stomach, intestines etc are all fine.
So doc, what is causing the pain ? The doctor looks heavenward and shrugs his shoulders.
And doctor , what do I do when the pain becomes unbearable?
.......................................
no response !
This is the story of my Chacha, who has also been my father ever since I lost mine. He has been back from the hospital two days now, and the pain continues to torment him. We feel so helpless, not knowing what should be done , other than taking second, third and fourth opinions. Not that it has not been done before.
Meanwhile, Chacha suffers stoically, waiting for medical science to come up with a miracle cure.
I'm actually at a loss of words right now.
ReplyDeleteAw :( hope he gets better. Take care.
ReplyDelete