The family is worried and nobody knows what to do next. I feel bad to be such a burden to everyone. I’ve heard that just before your death, you see flashbacks of your life. I have been lucky enough to be see my end coming, I now reminiscent about my life; not just momentarily. And i don't have any regrets.
They think I don’t hear them but in reality I can hear them talking to each other in the other room as if I were present there, and they talk about me. On occasions they have some conversations about the movie they saw, the weather, the stock market, Politics, the incompetence of the government, but I know as well as them that in the back of their mind they are merely waiting for the bad news.
I open my eyes but that is all I can do, my body fails me now. I had been just admitted to the ICU again.
“It’s just a matter of ‘when’, and not ‘if’. In such times all we can do is pray. We have been doing what we can, but there is nothing much we can do anymore, we’re losing him”
“We can always keep trying; we want him to go on his own terms.”
“Well it’s the choice of the family and this is hard for me to say but you must know there is no chance of him coming back. It’s too late; the damage to the brain is too severe. If by any chance he does regain consciousness, only 10% his brain will function. I know it’s a hard decision but you and your family must think about letting him go.”
“Ok doctor.” I have always admired the strength my son displays. Being the eldest, he never had the attention he deserves.
I hate hospitals, and I am sure majority of the population do. But there are always those fortunate enough to go home, there are some who get their life back and there those like me who gets stuck in between; not always by choice. The doctors keep mentioning about how I seem to have lost the will to fight, they would too if they had gone through what I have the past 3years; bedridden, unable to walk, unable to sit up, unable to talk, dependent on people for everything, I have had enough.
The family agreed that pulling the plug was something they could never do and the topic was never to be brought up. This is the first time I have seen the family together in 13yrs, I would have preferred a merrier occasion. They agreed that God knew best and was the only one that could do anything, and everything be entrusted in his hands. The only thing they asked for was to give the family the strength; they however, will not stop with my treatment. My father was a strong Christian, and I am thankful my wife shares the same believe as him.
After a week, the doctors could see improvements. They were amazed at the sudden change of situation. My health was improving and the seizures had almost gone, although not completely, but it had reduced from 3 to 4 times a day to about 1 in 2 days. The medicines were doing their part and I was responding to the treatment. The fact remained however, I would never walk again, but after the sudden change of the situation everyone started to believe anything could happen.
“Well this is quite unexpected, and these kinds of thing do not happen very often. God must really love him.” The doctor said to my son.
“I believe so. When do you suppose we can go home? We’ve been in the hospital for 90days now.”
“Let’s see and keep him in ICU for few more days and we shall decide what to do next. If the improvements are any indication, you should be able to go home in few days. He will need a lot of Physiotherapy afterwards.”
After a week, the family decided that everyone had had enough of the hospital, and it was about time. I haven’t had a seizure in 5 days, and I was responding to them calling out my name, I could even move my fingers, everyone was elated. With the doctor’s approval, we were going home.
I built my house with my own bare hands. It is a small squat house; it took me over a year to build it with the help of my sons and friends; and over a year’s savings. The family has been through some hard times along with some good times, all in this house. This house has been through some hard times too, the locality we lived in is prone to floods and hail storms. Numerous storms and floods have come and gone, countless new houses and buildings have sprouted but my house still stands as proud as it did, when I built it. They say home is where your heart is, this is my home. When God asks me what my greatest achievement is, I will tell Him it is the home I built. I am prouder of my family than any accolade I have received. When I breathed my last, this was where I want to be.
I looked around the room and saw the familiar things, but everything seemed new. All my children were present, and some well wishers and neighbors had come to welcome me home. It is amazing what love can achieve, and what a little faith can achieve. The celebration went on for awhile but some neighbors stayed back to keep company.
The wall clock struck 11; someone had been taking care of my favorite wooden wall clock. It was late and I was tired. “I normally never stay up this late, but today is special!” I thought to myself as I drift off to sleep. I could faintly hear their voices planning a coming home party.
“Tomorrow?”
“Yeah why not, it’s the 26th, it’s a general holiday… “
“Yeah why not, it’s the 26th, it’s a general holiday… “
"le.. dooo.... then... .."
In the peaceful night of 25th Jan 2040, our beloved Kahoryao, at the age of 60, finally succumbed to his sickness to be with his heavenly father. Always the stubborn and lazy person, he ‘postponed’ his death until he was able to accept his fate. Even on this fateful day he would have wanted us not to mourn the lost but to celebrate his life, and be thankful for all the blessings.
So let us remember him as that happy, cheerful, loving person whose heart was made of Gold.
For being a man, a not too obedient son, a lovely colleague, wonderful father, great uncle, and a good friend… we thank you and will always miss you... REST IN PEACE....
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Yes, I think you have achieved an autobiographical story.
ReplyDeleteI like the way it begins with the bit about diabetes. I like the way it ends with the obituary.
The narrative flows. There could have been more tension brought into the story through two central plot points:
1. The struggle to not pull the plug or to pull the plug.
2. The issue of whether or not God actually intervenes in such cases.
This is where you have to move from the idea of story to plot. Plot is constructed.
You should ask yourself the question:
What is the climax of this story?
His returning home? The strength of faith in getting him out of hospital and back home?
Satisfactory end product.
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