The Miracle Child - Part 1

“When I think about miracles, I just look into my daughter’s sparkling eyes and realize the biggest miracle in my life…..Diya”

I sincerely dedicate this blog to the angels of God – The first & foremost being the high spirited Lt Col Jha , all family members and friends , all my colleagues from Aker Solutions (Some of them also held masses at the church , my bosses from Norway sent flowers and cards ), whose prayers blessed Diya with a maze of mystic magic rays. Reema who coaxed me to go back to this nightmare & vent it out , for my own peace .Thanks darling. Sometimes I strongly feel that since this happened on your birthday , your luck and blessings were also with her. Sudeep’s course mates at that time, did whatever they could , to support us - from keeping our dog Oscar to , arranging Sudeep’s journey from Delhi to Yol , and keeping everything ready at home before we reached and the not to mention the countless prayers for Diya.

My belief in Miracles could never be this strong !

This will be my toughest piece of writing , not because of the details entailed but because its woven from the blood of my soul !!

This is the story of my brave daughter Diya / Aahana .

I hope this story will encourage all of us to believe in the magic of miracles.

Trip to Dharamsala

Sept 2011 - Diya was 1.4 years old. My dad was to retire that year after serving in the Indian Army . He was posted in Pathankot and I was excited to attend his retirement function. I fortunately got a week off for this very important event . Sudeep’s leave was not approved so he could not join. I & Diya packed up & left for Pathankot , super excited. It’s always such a lovely feeling to go back home and hog on “Maa ke haath ka khana “. You also get the additional benefit of enjoying the time without worrying about household chores and your little toddler. I took complete advantage of that and just slept like a dead log.

One evening just 3 days before the retirement day , Maa suggested that we visit Dharamshala which was close by. Dharamshala has been my parents favourite place since my Mom conceived me there . She was all excited to show me their erstwhile home & the scenic beauty of the place. So the plan was made & next day morning we left for the hill station. The drive was mesmerizing with stunning curvy roads , the Himalayan view , crystal clear rivers under the blue sunny sky. As we started to approach Dharamshala , the breeze started to get chilly. I covered Diya up in her pink sweater . We reached the Army officers Mess , settled in our room and after a quick dinner , dozed off . We were exhausted after the long drive .

The next day we visited the famous Buddhist temple – McLeod Ganj . We spent good time over there and surprisingly Diya along with my dad , rung all the bells / bonsho around the temple . She insisted doing that. I just watched her amused. After spending , good 3 hours , we headed to the Tomb of James Bruce and another old church close to the officer’s Mess. Then we headed to see my parent’s home as promised by Maa. It was a long fun filled day . Diya slept off in the gypsy itself before we could reach the room.

The Heart Wrenching Accident

We were to leave the place next day , so I packed up and kept everything ready. We woke up early and dad went to clear off the dues. It was 21st Sept 2011. We locked the room and reached the main office around 10 am. It was then that Diya started crying and throwing tantrums to use the washroom in the room. I tried to convince her to use the one in the main office itself. But she was hell bent on going to the room again. The room was on first floor with a balcony . So , reluctantly Me & Maa again went back . Dad was taking a while , so we waited in the balcony of the room watching the imposing Himalayas trying to absorb the mystic beauty. Maa was sitting on the chair while I was standing holding Diya’s hands and enjoying the stunning view infront of me. Within minutes of standing there , I got the biggest shock of my life. One of the railings of the balcony came off and my little girl fell on to the ground in front of eyes. I felt as if the sky had fallen over me. I was completely blank for a minute or two. I & Maa rushed down.

Diya was lying flat on the cemented step . She always used to say “Dhuumpa “ (a Bong colloquial) every time she used to experience small falls , since the day she had started talking . At that dark hour also when I ran and held her , she said the same words – “ Maa , Dhumpa “ . I hugged her tight & sobbed uncontrollably. She had fallen on her right side . The entire right portion of her head & face had formed a clear depression. I was completely blank . An Army jawan came running towards us and before I realized he just picked up Diya in his arms and started running uphill. We both started following him . I couldn’t see him anymore and those 15 minutes till we reached the MI Room (Medical Inspection room ) were the most terrifying moments of my life. When I reached there the soldier was sitting on the chair with Diya on his lap & the doctor was examining her. Diya had started to fall unconscious by that time. I will never be able to describe the emotional crisis I faced at that point of time. The duty doctor said that it’s a major injury and she needs immediate medical attention .

Against The Clock

By that time my dad , who was in a state of shock called up nearly all his doc friends in Army seeking advice for prompt action in the remote hill station of Dharamshala. He called up the nearest Military Hospital in Yol to check the availability of a neurosurgeon.

Dharamshala did not have good medical facilities and hence no neurosurgeon. Also, the nearest Military Hospital in Yol was also at a distance of 23Kms. There was a small clinic in the town where we rushed to help her with some immediate treatment. Reaching there itself took us close to 20 minutes .Every moment was counting at that time. We reached the clinic & Diya was put on saline. The first reaction of a serious head injury is vomiting & that is what happened. To our horror Diya was vomiting blood . Even the thought of that image sends jitters down my spine till today. The doctor in the clinic couldn’t comprehend the seriousness and asked us to take her to a specialist for further check up. However , my dad himself being a doctor and have seen innumerable cases in the Army took the most crucial decision of getting her operating asap since the pressure which was building up due to internal bleeding would eventually lead to brain hemorrhage.

However the nearest neurosurgeon was available at Pathankot which would have taken at least 3 to 4 hours. Time was running. Although there was no neurosurgeon even at Military Hospital (MH), Yol, my father held his nerve and proceeded towards it being the only source of hope. My little girl was lying motionless on the stretcher in the ambulance.

Living God – A Doctor

I cant express my gratitude in words for Lt Col Manavendu Jha, then a Major, who was standing at the gates of the hospital in his OT scrubs. He was a surgeon, posted at Yol. He was already briefed about the case and he decided that since there was no other option than he attempting the surgery, he told my dad that he would do the surgery taking telephonic instructions from his seniors posted at R&R, Delhi – His first ever head surgery as a non-specialist. The moment we reached , he carried Diya in his arms straight to the OT. Everything was ready for the operation to begin. We waited frantically for over 2 hours counting every minute. Col Jha came out smiling and said “ Don’t worry , she is out of danger . She will be fine .” I broke down listening to this and thanked God again and again. We rushed inside the OT to see her.

She was crying sitting on the OT Table. I just hugged her tight . There was a drain pipe inserted into the right part of her head , where she was operated . There were IVs on five places in her body. Her right side was bandaged and her right eye had blended with the skin. Sudeep reached that night. He hugged me and kissed Diya. I didn’t see him crying, just heard him breakdown when he went out of the room to call his parents.

The Indian Army

We spent the next two days at the hospital . Lot of blood had drained out and she was getting weaker. Col Jha suggested to shift her to Command Hospital, Chandigarh , since she needed intense medical attention of a practicing neurosurgeon. The challenge now was the distance. Though theoretically it was only 241 km , but due to the hilly terrain the average time required to reach was approximately close to 6 hours . The doctor explicitly mentioned that such a long travel in this stage was a big risk to Diya.

That was the time when I witnessed the dynamism and prowess of the mighty Indian Army. Within an hour’s time , a chopper along with a nurse landed at the helipad near the hospital. I was not allowed to fly with Diya. Only Sudeep and my dad, still in service, were allowed. But Sudeep didn’t have his uniform and we were unsure if my dad could handle Diya alone for few hours. The Indian Army was magnanimous to allow Sudeep to hold Diya in his lap. With all the drain pipe, IVs and oxygen mask, Sudeep, Diya and the nurse left with two pilots. The men in olive green, however hard they look, are extremely soft by heart. The Officer Commanding MH, Yol along with few jawans were in tears when she was air-lifted. With the back drop of the beautiful snow-capped Himalayas , the olive green helicopter flew with a piece of my soul high up in the sky. I kneeled down , completely broken and sobbing uncontrollably , pleading to the higher power to save my child. Diya reached safely at the command hospital , Chandigarh and was immediately admitted to the ICU for observation. Sudeep said that when they reached, the co-pilot himself (a Major) helped the jawans to rush Diya to hospital.

Recovering at CH, Chandimandir

What followed for me , my mom and dad was our long drive from Yol to Chandigarh , praying all the way. Within two hours of few tests , the neurosurgeon added her name to “ DIL “ list (A parlance used to inform the serious condition of life - Danger to Life ) . Sudeep kept his calm and did not mention this to me. Her health was deteriorating due to the heavy blood loss. Her hands had turned black and blue due to constant pricking for inserting IV’s. Each day was a nightmare. She would howl at the sight of anyone in white overalls. We were there for around a month.

The most touching memory during her recovery was whenever Sudeep used to take her in his arms and walk in the corridors of the hospital , Diya would put the left side of her face on Sudeep’s shoulders and he would sing along “Maine tere Liye hi saath rang ke sapne chune” – an unforgettable song from movie Anand. Same song everyday and that was the only time when we could see peace in her eyes. The prayers of all family and friends did wonders. Sudeep’s mother and his pishomoshai (bong word for uncle) also flew down to visit her.

Homecoming

Diya’s drain pipe and IVs were removed to her relief. We went to Delhi by road and took a train back home since the docs advised not to travel by flight as the high pressure might be dangerous. Her reviews were scheduled at Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC), Pune and Command Hospital, Pune. She was cranky throughout the journey and we undoubtedly had a difficult time trying to motivate the 16 months old girl. After we reached our home – she smiled for the first time after the accident ……..when our pet dog Oscar jumped on her and started licking her.

Best Friends !!