Almost lost my baby-boy!

I

t was a gloomy day.  We started our journey from Mongar towards Thimphu at noon. We were leaving for the summer vacation. Well I was driving at a snail pace because the road had become darn muddy due to heavy shower. The unpredictable narrow-bends, further slowed my driving

There were four of us in the car. Me, my wife, my eight months old baby-boy and my mother-in-law. Every time the car’s tire slipped in the mud, I cursed myself of travelling in summer, that too in time of heavy monsoon.     

It was dusk, when we reached Thrumshngila. I stopped the car and got out to take in some fresh air. Suddenly, I sensed my wife panicking over my baby boy’s degraded health. He wasn’t too well from the start. I rushed and checked his temperature and to my shocking state, he was sweating like crazy and his body, flaming hot. For a moment we were dumbfounded. We didn’t know what to do? I mean, we were on one of the highest mountain in Bhutan. Where could we possibly get help from?

I just got in the car and slammed the accelerator speeding towards the Wangdichhoeling hospital. I didn’t want to cry but it was impossible to hold my tears. I could hear my boy groaning with pain. I still get goose bumps when I think of that moment.      

In my whole life, I didn’t cross the speed limit of 60 but on that day, I guess the adrenalin gave part in; I was doing 65. Well, what could I do? I needed to safe my dearest baby boy. There was every chance of us veering off the many cliffs, which we needed to cut through.  In between the breadth, I could hear my wife and mother-in-law sobbing.  You know, I promised myself that, if something happened to my boy, I was just gonna give up everything in life! And I meant that damn seriously!

After much of a dangerous driving over the high peaks and dense jungle, we could finally see the light bulbs of Chamkhar town shimmering amidst the thick fogs. For the whole arduous journey, I prayed, pneumonia to stay away from my baby boy. I feared it the most because it had got him once, when he was just two months old.         

(Wangdi Chhoeling Hospital)

Soon we were in Chamkhar town but didn’t have a clue, where the hospital could be located. So I rushed to the small make shift shop and asked the lady, ‘err excuse me, can you please give me the direction to the hospital?’   ‘Ahh… its opposite to the jakar Dzong. Go up and take left.’ Off I went but only to be lost because of the numerous junctions.

After asking several people about the direction to the hospital, finally we were there. The hospital didn't quite look like one because there wasn't a sign board anywhere there. Even the roofing looked too old, it was wooden plank, for crying out loud! 

Anyway I held my boy and rushed off to the emergency. There was a stout sister seated on the chair reading a book. She examined him and to my utter horror; she announced that it was the pneumonia! I dropped on the floor.

It took half a bucket of cold water rinsing to cool my boy’s temperature. The doctor arrived soon and medicated but he said that we had to halt for five days for the treatment. I wasn’t disappointed because we had to live in the hospital for five days but was aggravated for my sheer carelessness.      

The five days stay in the hospital was the most painful experience. I had to witness pains and grieving mourns of the different patients in the hospital. This is one reason, why I hate the hospital of all the places in the world.

It was Friday when the doctor finally let our baby boy to be discharged from the hospital. Well we were all happy that we could pull through that deep peril. Finally we were heading home towards Thimphu. I won’t ever forget that mere death experience!