The Miracle Child – Part 2

Iam back here again to complete the second part of the story.

After the first chapter , gathering the nerve to pen down the second took some time .

So , here I begin .

Post First Head Surgery

After the distressing experience Diya had, life seemed to settle down slowly. We continued with our prayers and kept a close watch on Diya. Since it was a neuro case, we all were quite tensed. We spoke to her continuously and kept an eye on all her activities. Diya seemed to get back to normal, of course with her bundle of joy – Oscar (Our pet dog ) always besides her with his confused and cute oppressed sort off looks. I was off from work for close to 2 months. Cant thank enough to my kind bosses & exemplary support of the organization. Diya had started recovering slowly. She started standing & walking on her own after 3 months of intensive care . Notwithstanding the progress and slowly dawning peace at home, she was terrified even with the mention of the word doctor.

The Fearful Discovery

Periodic reviews with the neuro surgeon was a routine. We used to visit Command Hospital, Pune quite often. The doctors used to look at the case papers & then look at her and state that they have never come across such a case. I even remember one of the neurosurgeons in AFMC , asking whether the paper’s were her’s or not.

Slowly time passed by & she started going to kindergarten.

After a year and half in 2013, Diya was 3 years old….. One fine afternoon , she was lying down on my lap & I was reading a story to her , while slowly stroking her hair. Somehow since the day of the surgery , I had unknowingly developed this habit of checking the scalp area where she had the stitches. I had never been able to get over that accident . So that particular day , I felt some vibrations over the stitches. I thought I was imagining things. I tried to feel the area again with more attention & this time I could clearly sense slow rhythmic vibrations. My heart was in my mouth. I shouted out to Sudeep & asked him to do the same. To my horror , even he felt those unnatural vibrations. That one minute , of we both looking at each other, completely blank ,was so terrifying. As usual I called my dad , who thank fully had chosen to settle down in Pune post retirement. He came home hurriedly & equally tensed. He also checked & confirmed the same.

So we decided to meet the neurosurgeon in CH, Pune , the very next day . I had to literally prepare Diya that night , for the review next day. Though the memory about her accident had faded in her mind, but she definitely repelled people in white overalls & specially when they wanted to examine her physically.

The next day we reached Command Hospital , Pune with our anxiety at peak. How clearly I remember that morning…..We sat across the neurosurgeon , showing Diya’s case papers and waiting for him to examine her. He reviewed the papers thoroughly and came forward to touch Diya’s scalp. Even before he reached out to her , she got so wild , screaming & shouting on top of her shrill voice. It was so difficult to control her. With great difficulty he examined her & explained us the situation. He said that the hole which was made in her head, in order to insert the drain pipe , used to drain out the blood , was supposed to cover up on its own as she grew. It was covered by stitches post surgery. Unfortunately, the bone under the scalp did not grow with time and as a result the drain pipe hole had expanded. In such a scenario , the doctors use artificial / synthetic material like silicone to seal the gap in case of an adult. However the same could not be done with a child since in a child’s case the head would grow and any artificial sealing could have unwarranted ramifications. So the only possible solution was to extract her own bone and seal the expanding gap, so that it blends naturally with the scalp whilst growing. The bone was needed to be extracted from the floating rib.

Split Rib Cranioplasty

This medical term not only sounded convoluted but scary, especially with whatever she went through just a few months back. I had lost the power of thinking at that point of time. I felt completely heart broken. I was in denial mode. I thought I did not hear the doctor correctly. I couldn’t utter a single word as a response to the horrifying fact he had revealed to us. I just looked at Sudeep & saw a mirror image of my feelings in him .We both were too shocked to say anything. The only one talking was my father , but I couldn’t hear anything that he was discussing with the neurosurgeon. I was staring blankly at Diya & wondering as to how would such a tiny soul undergo another critical surgery.

The doctor then referred us to a senior neurosurgeon Brigadier Sahoo , posted at AFMC , Pune. Then what followed was series of tests & MRI to ascertain Diya’s health status . Brigadier Sahoo was extremely good with children & luckily being an Oriya gelled instantly with Diya & gained her trust. This gave us some relief. He was absolutely confident & assured us that this would be a 100% successful surgery. What I can never forget is the day before she was going to get operated and the doctor saw us extremely tensed….He came and said “ In Army we have been doing umpteen head surgeries and treating life threatening cases, Trust God and these hands. I understand she’s your world and I will treat her just as I would treat my daughter”.

The Second Head Surgery

The date for the operation was decided & we both got admitted at the hospital a day before. It felt like , part of history was repeating and I was failing miserably in answering Diya’s questions. She kept asking me as to why were we staying in the hospital, why weren’t we going home. Each of her question was making me choke. Only Sudeep could make her have medicines and get her checked by the nurses….He used to convince her that she was brave and could endure anything and everything.

The next day morning , the surgery was scheduled at 10 am. We were waiting at the entrance of the OT. A nurse arrived to take Diya along . She was in no way ready to go. She kept howling like anything. The doctor came out and told me to change into the OT disposables immediately and carry Diya inside . I was made to sit with her on my lap & the team gave her anesthesia , while I tried to divert her mind with some stories. Those moments were one of the most toughest moments of my life. I held my nerves so that the team could work without any interruption. I was fighting back my tears , so that I could give courage to the little soul . The mother inside me, however, was dying every second, witnessing such a situation. Her hair was shaved and the previous injury marks on her scalp was absolutely conspicuous now.

Slowly Diya started to get sedated & I held her in my arms , praying .

After some time the nurse took her into the OT room. I was asked to wait there. Those two hours felt like two decades. Post surgery , Brigadier Sahoo met me & said everything is ok. I & Sudeep saw our little girl lying on the OT bed , teary eyed and thinking how much more will God test her and perhaps us. She had undergone inordinate pain & agony.

Post Surgery

She was shifted to ICU the next day & was under constant observation for a week.

The toughest part was finding an IV line for saline. She had been pricked black & blue all through her arms & legs. The state was so bad that the nurses were not able to find an IV by one prick . They had to keep trying at least 3 / 4 times to find one. Her shrieks are still so clear in my mind even now. Sudeep had to hold her tightly and keep kissing her, motivating her during those excruciating times.

I remember one instance so well. On one of those days when the doctors came over to find an IV line & Diya again started howling , I also broke down while trying to calm her. When the doctors went away , she wiped my tears with her small hands & said “ Maa , don’t worry . I will be fine “. Even while writing this I feel a shiver run down my spine. Her maturity & understanding at the tender age of 3 yrs , humbled me completely. We were admitted there for around 3 weeks. Again like last time , after coming back home , Oscar made her laugh like hell. Against my wishes for not wanting to visit those horrifying times ever, I clicked a pic of Oscar and Diya when we entered our home in Pune. I would never wish to see those pics, but, when I come across them inadvertently anytime the only feeling I have is gratitude. Gratitude towards The Lord Almighty, to begin with, and mine and Sudeep’s family (which includes both set of parents, uncles and aunties, siblings, cousins etc), Sudeep’s course mates, my friends and colleagues, The Indian Army….I cant even list down since almost everyone I and Sudeep knew and came across prayed for her. And last but not the least……The Hope, The Blessings and the Doctors , in whose services I witnessed God’s miracles….

Destiny

When I recollect these events, it gives me goosebumps even today. When I come across articles of people having undergone similar trauma and the results thereafter, I cant thank God enough. We were extremely privileged to meet our Guru Mohanji, who explained that everything happens for a purpose – and this too occurred for a purpose. He even mentioned looking at Diya that we should not worry for her. Her soul is 200 years older than ours and she has chosen us as her parents. Have faith in her journey, everything will be fine.

Before we left Pune, one of Sudeep’s course mate took him to their family priest who checked everything and explicitly stated that Diya had to undergo this and it was very clear since her birth that such an incident was impending. Nevertheless for whatever happened, which had to happen, we did heed to his advise and did certain puja’s. But what struck our attention was the picture – Sudeep holding Diya when she was one day old. She had a mark on the right side of the scalp….same shape….same curve…same dimension…..this was day one. And she has the exact same mark on her right side of the scalp now which has resulted because of her successive head surgeries. Life is a mystery. Everything comes back, perhaps to teach something. God only knows , the amount of gratitude my heart holds for all the prayers & blessings , which helped us sail through these tough times !!