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Friday, June 27, 2008 (Visit No 10)
Savithri came on June 25 (Wednesday) by 9-30PM by bus from Hosur. Ramesh received her at Guindy and brought her here. Ramesh left after meals. June 26 was our Amma's Sraththam day.
On Friday, June 27, Savithri, Vijaya, and I packed our clothes and other things and left house in a call taxi by 8-30AM. At Saveetha Hospital we met Dr Ashwin; he got Savithri a new Medical OP card and he took us to the Gen Physician Dr Syed Ameen Ahmed. BP reading was taken 130 / 80. Dr Ahmed wanted a ECHOCARDIOGRAM taken.
(An echocardiogram (also called an echo) is a type of ultrasound test that uses high-pitched sound waves that are sent through a device called a transducer. The device picks up echoes of the sound waves as they bounce off the different parts of your heart. These echoes are turned into moving pictures of your heart that can be seen on a video screen.)
The echo was to be taken at the nearby Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Hospital (SRM) at Ayyappanthangal. We went there in an auto, and waited in the queue for the test. The charges were Rs 1200.00. Savithri's turn came after nearly two hours and the Report given to us at 1PM. We came back to Saveetha in an auto and showed the Report to Dr Ahmed. He had given 2 PM as the deadline to show him the report, or else the admission would be postpones to tomorrow he had warned us! Fortunately we made it and he signed the Admission Note.
Since it was lunch time then, we sat in the reception area itself and ate lemon Sevai, and Thayir Sadam that we brought from home. Later, we got Savithri admitted by 2-15PM. She was given a corner bed in a dormitory (hall) on the third floor (303). Savithri and Vijaya slept from 3 to 4-30 PM but I just dozed only. Ramesh came by 5-30 PM and he was in the hospital till 9 PM. It was raining heavily for an hour.
I left with Ramesh to his hotel (Ashok Residency in Ayyappanthangal) and had dinner (Chapatti and Paneer butter masala) and slept. Vijaya slept in Saveetha itself on an empty bed meant for patients.
Savithri's BP reading in the night was 130 / 90.
This is the FIRST DAY at Saveetha Hospital for us and Savithri.
Saturday, JUNE 28, 2008 (2nd Day as In-patient)
I got up at 6-45 at the hotel, took bath. We purchased dosa- vada for breakfast and left for Saveetha. There, Savithi had taken bath. Her BP was 130 / 88 in the morning. All the four of us took breakfast. Ramesh left for duty.
We two left Saveetha by 8-45 AM, took a share-auto to Kumananchavadi, a km away, and took the direct bus 54F to Mandaveli at 0915. Travel time to Mandaveli was around 75 - 90 minutes and fare Rs 5.50 only!
Yesterday (June 27) we made a plan that - (a) we would leave for our house on Saturday morning (b) Jayaraman would come on Saturday with lunch and will be there till evening when Ramesh would relieve him, (c) Ramesh will be with Savithri for the night, (d) Sugavanam would bring meals on Sunday and he will be in the hospital till evening when Ramesh will relieve him, (e) we would come on Monday morning with meals and stay for the night as the Surgery has been posted for Tuesday (July 1st).
Thus, Jayaraman came to Saveetha with Kalyani by 11-15 AM and brought a lot of food and milk. They were with Savithri till 5 PM and then left. Ramesh took over from 6-30 PM. Savithri and Ramesh ate the leftover portions of lunch. Ramesh stayed at the hospital for the night.
The BP reading in the night was 130 / 70.
Sunday, June 29, 2008 (3rd day as in-patient)
Ramesh left hospital by 7-30 AM for a marriage. The BP reading was not taken this morning. Sugavanam came by bus by 10 AM with idly and meals. He left at 5PM and Ramesh took over. We two were in Karpagam Avenue for the entire day.
Monday. June 30, 2008 (4th Day as In-patient)
At Karpagam Avenue, we prepared food, packed and left for Saveetha Hospital. Savithri is fine there. Dr Ashwin met us and asked for Rs 4000/- for medicine and surgery expenses. He took a mould of Savithri's inner mouth, where the affected portion would be covered with this mould after the surgery. He said the skin from her thigh would be taken and grafted in the affected portion in the mouth - Savithri's scare increased with this fresh news.
We three took lunch in the adjoining hall and then dozed off for a while. The thigh portion was "prepared" (hair removed) for tomorrow's grafting. No food for Savithri after 10 PM toninght, not even a drop of water.
Myself and Ramesh slept in the hotel and Savithri and Vijaya in Saveetha Hospital.
Tomorrow, 1 July, is the DAY.
Tuesday, JULY 1, 2008 (5th Day as In-patient at Saveetha) AND AT SRMC
Oh what a day it turned out to be! After bath at the hotel, I and Ramesh reached Saveetha by 7-15 AM; he has taken leave today. Ganesh has arrived in Bangalore last night by 11-30PM and expected here tomorrow night.
At Saveetha, Savithri and Vijaya had taken bath and were ready. Savithri was walked to the Operation Theatre (OT) in the 2nd floor (203) by Dr Ashwin at 8-45 AM. Preparations for the surgery started; they took a couple of signatures from Ramesh for accepting the "risks in the surgery." My signature was again taken for accepting "the risk because of the high BP" of Savithri. Dr Ashwin told us the preparations for Anasthesia would commence by 10 AM.Meanwhile, Saroja and athimber came at 10 AM with lunch for all of us.
Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but suddenly at 1015 Dr Ashwin started asking us to go and purchase this medicine, that injection. Myself and Vijaya were the only two persons available and we rushed to the Pharmacy in the first floor (ie one floor down) to get these medicines. The frequency and the urgency of asking for fresh medicines started increasing. Each time, we were urged "RUN Sir, RUN Madam" and we both RAN literally to get the medicines. On a couple of occasions the Doctor phoned the Pharmacy for the medicine and we were asked to RUN at a faster pace to get these. "RUN, RUN !" they were frantically telling. Something was totally wrong. We felt scared.
By 1130 AM, many of the HODs had gathered inside the OT and started discussions. Then the doctors came out, called me and Ramesh inside and broke a bombshell - complications arose as Anasthesia was about to be started, Savithri's BP and pulse rate had plummetted to a very low level (nearly 30) making Savithri's condition highly critical. The anasthesia and the surgery were immediately abandoned and medicines were given to bring the pulse rate to a decent level. The doctors were all, without exception, ashen-faced, very much worried. Savithri was "almost gone."
Dr Ashwin told us that Savithri has to be urgently shifted to SRI RAMACHANDRA MEDICAL COLLEGE & HOSPITAL (SRMC) in Porur, 4 km away. He called for an ambulance from SRMC. We were speechless, numb with fear, unable to even cry. White-faced and grief-sticken, Vijaya started collecting our things from Room 303 and waited for the ambulance. Ramesh and I phoned all our relatives to give this sudden, totally unexpected turn of events. I asked Jayraman and Sugavanam to rush to SRMC with cash.
The ambulance from SRMC came by 12-45 PM and Savithri was taken in a stretcher to the ambulance and rushed to Emergency Ward at SRMC. Dr Ashwin and Ramesh went in the ambulance, and myself, Vijaya, Saroja and Athimber followed in an autoricksha. At the Emergency Ward, she was put on urgent medication and by 1-15 PM the pulse rate rose to a "safe" level.
Jayaraman arrived first with 20000.00, followed by Sugavanam with 25000.00. Savithri was being monitored continuosly but she was "still not out of woods" according to SRMC doctor. By this time, the entire GRS family knew about Savithri's condition and all were worried. Ganesh changed his plans and started from bangalore by flight and reached SRMC by 8 PM. Mangalam, Gopi, Lalitha, Kumar came to SRMC to enquire about Savithri.
Savithri's condition became "stable" and she was shifted to ICU at the ground floor by 6-45 PM. We two, Ramesh, Sugavanam were the only persons in SRMC; later at 8 PM Ganesh joined us.
Savithri's condition being stable, we two and Ganesh left at 9-30 PM for the hotel; earlier Sugavanam had left. We took 10 to 12 pieces of luggage with us. At 10 PM, there was a call from Ramesh asking Ganesh to come back to SRMC because Savithri was to be shifted to another ICU (Cardiac ICU in the 5th floor). She was "conscious" and wanted to talk to Ganesh. He went to SRMC and we stayed back in the hotel.
Savithri was shifted to the ICU 5th floor by 1115 PM. She was crying and weeping "I would die, die" Ramesh and Ganesh did not sleep a wink tonight.
What an unexpected and sudden blow today ! What was thought to be a "simple, 30-minutes" procedure turned out to be a nightmare. Oh God.
Rajappa
18:40 on 13 July 2008
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