One fine day last week, I fell ill. Horrendous headache that refused to die, eyes puffed up in pain all accompanied by unrelenting nausea. It had happened a few times before but it was never as bad as this time. And of all the days in a year, Dr. V was in Delhi for just one night and all of us had to meet up and show him a good time. And so, despite being almost blind with pain, I drove down to the mall where all of us were meeting.
It was over hot coffee at Starbucks that Dr. V looked deep into my eyes, which was strange since he is a very shy guy, and nudged Dr. A,"hey, I think she has Pterygium...or something. What do you think?"
Now Dr. A looked deep into my eyes,"it's quite possibly conjunctivitis."
I protested,"what's this 'Terri-jim?' Is that some fancy word for a squint?"
Dr.V, being ever helpful, explained the term to me and how I could lose my sight if left untreated and all due to an extra layer of skin growing on my eye balls. "Would I be able to blink my eyes sidewise?", was my concern. Dr. A quietly informed me that though he loved me dearly, I was not being funny and though he did not think it was anything serious, I should make an appointment with an ophthalmologist ASAP. That is what I did and that's how things went spiraling downward quickly.
After spending my entire Saturday with dilated pupils and the resulting blurred vision, the doctor told me to get an MRI done and to meet a neurologist soon to rule out Papilloedema. Shit just got serious. I rarely fall ill!
When I told Dr. A about what the ophthalmologist had written in his report, he pooh poohed the idea. "It's just conjuctivitis. I'll come with you for the MRI tomorrow and we'll clear this out, okay? There's nothing to worry about."
"You'll come with me for my MRI?"
"Yeah. I'll call Dr. Gupta and get your MRI done quickly and then we could go for lunch as well."
"Tomorrow? On a Sunday? You will take me for my MRI?"
"Yeah, tomorrow. What's the matter?"
"It's your day off! Your only day off in the week."
"So? This is important. I'll ensure that they know what to look out for."
I felt grateful.
Next day, at the hospital, he not only filled out my forms but had me listed as a priority patient. As we waited in the quiet VIP lounge, he asked,"had I not been here with you today, would you have come alone?"
"I would have had no choice but to come alone. Dad's busy with all that finalizing the house and all and mom needs help to move around, which makes me more tense and, hence, is of no help. Anyway, it's just an MRI."
He nodded quietly.
Something about saying it out loud really hit home. I was all alone in sickness. While I was being my parents' support during their illnesses, my parents were not always in the best position to help me even if they wanted to. I truly was alone. How often can one rely on friends to be there when you have fever and are probably too weak to function? What if you pass out at home and nobody knows. That time is approaching when my parents will move into their own house in a different city while I stay back. I shuddered a little thinking about it.
Then Dr. A said the most wonderful thing,"How about we buy a house together? You know, for investment purposes."
I relaxed knowing that he saw us being together for years to come. It is good to have friends like him when the world turns dark. Now if only I find a straight version of him, I could settle into marital bliss.
And, oh, the papilloedema? The MRI cleared that and a second ophthalmologist confirmed what Dr. A had diagnosed earlier...conjuctivitis.
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