....Homecoming of Sihi......

.... I asked Sandhya 'Isn't she cute?'... 'When did I see her? they just told me it's a girl, I was unconscious so couldn't see'....

.... I had to explain her the baby's features, weight, complexion (she was worried the baby would have my complexion! Dark!!:))... The most difficult part was to lie to her on the baby's health....

That was the start to hectic days and weeks for us.... Sandhya in one building Sihi in the other.... the doctors and nurses calling me to get the medications.... Convincing the security guards that we ought to see the patients.... I hate when someone referred to either of them as 'Patient'..... I got used to it finally....

Sandhya was in the PITU... (Pediatric Intensive Treatment Unit)... surrounded by lot of kids... irony was they were all bound by wires, tubes, prods and what not.... The grit with which they were fighting to be back on their heels running around was applaudable..... Applause also goes out to the attending nurses who gave them a home away from home.... In all of these Sandhya was an exception.... she was both a patient and care taker for the neighbour, a 8 year old kid from West Bengal... Smile was the only mode of communication between us... I used to talk(can we call that talk...?? no communicate is a better word) more with that kid than Sandhya..

Sihi was soooo small.... connected with so many pipes.. I desperately wanted to take a picture... to show it to Sandhya... but no.. not with all these pipes... Sihi fought back quite well.. within a few hours she was breathing like us.... When she opened her eyes or cried (feebly)... I felt she is calling out for her mother.. I kept telling her... "Momma will see you in a day or two.... She is as brave as you... she too is fighting to get better fast to come and see you...."...When the nurse was handling the baby for feeding or for cleaning.. I used to say.... 'careful, careful'.. though not loud... They used to handle her sooo easily even though She was so tiny.. my mom and mom-in-law were worried about taking care of her once she is back home... they had taken care of lot of babies... none were as small as Sihi...

After 3 days.... that day came.. when Sandhya was getting shifted to a ward two floors below Sihi's ward...and would get to see Sihi.... When we went to see her.... the security guards did not stop us at all... by now I knew each of them and they recognised my face... too... Sandhya held my hand tightly when she was gazing at the baby... and wanted to know why each of the pipes were connected......The following day our tough days started again... Mother's milk was to be expressed and fed in a spoon/tube to the baby.... every two hours... I used to run up and down with empty and filled beakers...

Everyone who saw Sihi kept saying she looks like Sandhya.. I wanted her to be a replica of Sandhya... still I felt if only some one said one part in her resembles me... :)...

After two weeks of these hectic shuttles.... and after Sandhya became confident of feeding the baby on her own...we were given a go ahead for discharge...

Fifteen weeks have passed since Sihi is born... and 4 weeks since we stopped the weekly visit's to the doctors....

A fighter Sihi is..... is trying very hard to turn and lie on her Tummy.. at Yelajith, my in-laws place... I am here sitting in office typing this blog..

Chao!!