My Lockdown Diary
2020 a year of nationwide lockdown brought the bubbling acts of life to a grinding halt as Covid scare gripped the entire populace. Imagine meeting with an accident during such times! Yes, my 29 year old son met with a grievous bike mishap which was unbelievable. On April 21st destiny was too harsh on my lad when he left home around 9.30 pm to meet one of his friends residing close by.
I was reclining while viewing my favourite telecast ‘Ramayan’ in Doordarshan. No sooner the curtains were drawn for the serial; my husband hurried from his workstation & informed that our son was lying injured on the flyover, barely two kms from my residence. I asked him ‘Who told you?’ A tensed father responded ‘an unknown person gave a call, don’t waste time; come, let’s go.’ Without giving me a chance for further queries, he removed his car from garage & drove to the accident zone within ten minutes. I saw a few passers-by already gathered & also had called an ambulance. I was absolutely void on seeing my impaired son & couldn’t utter a word except for shedding tears. It was then I became aware of my son riding on his killer bike KTM, had hit the divider of the road due to poor visibility. The impact was so horrid that he was thrown to the other side which eventually led his left shoulder & left leg with multiple fractures. Fortunately the helmet was his life saviour, hence was conscious though profusely bleeding in his leg. Nonetheless he was alert in making the bystander to remove his mobile from trouser pocket & call his Dad as well as one of his physiotherapy friends who arrived in no time.
The scene of the good Samaritans at the accident zone, supporting his back & offering water touched my heart. Social distancing & Covid scare was forgotten at the moment & humanity reigned supreme. No sooner the ambulance arrived, the kind men gently lifted him onto the stretcher. I folded my two hands in Namaste gesture & thanked them as the vehicle moved on. Thoughts like-“Do hospitals allow my son during lockdown?” “Do doctors check him?” were nesting my mind. God’s grace! The physiotherapist, an alumnus at Ramaiah Medical College knew the Orthopeadician & procedures began instantly.
Help was offered from all quarters in the form of blood donation & attending my son at intervals during hospitalisation since everyone stayed at home. Throughout his six surgeries my brothers’ in-law & the physiotherapist managed the arduous circumstances eliciting less burden to me & my husband. Perhaps the Healing prayers, the undaunted service by the physiotherapist, family members, & Covid warriors enabled my son to recover speedily & ushered in a new life for him. Besides the moral support extended by my Principal at St. Claret PU College, through his visits to my home brought grit & tenacity to the wounded soul. While many envisioned lockdown as a curse I preferred to look at it as a boon since it welcomed kith & kin closer & made me reflect – ‘God does not exist anywhere but dwells in the hearts of good people’.
Annapoorna. B. Lecturer, St. Claret PU College.
