She was searching for some document, through the pile of wanted and unwanted papers. She was running late to the office, which was a part of her daily routine. Lately, she was having trouble sleeping. She was also getting forgetful. She had almost turned anorexic. But, she thought it was normal given her work-pressure. She had turned her room upside down in search of that document. She did find it eventually. Just as when she was closing the folder, her eyes fell on a paper. She pulled it out of the folder and flipped it around while she tried to shake her memory up as to how she got hold of that paper. The paper read Pledge Form in big bold letters.
It was an incident that had happened a year back, when a Blood Donation Camp, from a well-known hospital, was organised in her office. Although she couldn't donate blood since she was under-weight, she was there to accompany a friend.
She stood in a corner while she saw a nurse prick a needle into a vein on her friend's arm. Seconds later, she saw blood flowing into the collection tube.
Suddenly, she felt weak. She felt sick. She could feel her head wobble, just looking at all that blood.
She shifted her gaze as she couldn't take it any more. She saw a bunch of people gathered around a table. A few appeared as though they were inquiring about something with a nurse sitting at the table and a few others were signing up some kind of form. Just then, a well-dressed man, maybe in his forties, his face as-though aglow with wisdom approached her. She noticed that a man had a few forms in his hand.
She stood in a corner while she saw a nurse prick a needle into a vein on her friend's arm. Seconds later, she saw blood flowing into the collection tube.
Suddenly, she felt weak. She felt sick. She could feel her head wobble, just looking at all that blood.
She shifted her gaze as she couldn't take it any more. She saw a bunch of people gathered around a table. A few appeared as though they were inquiring about something with a nurse sitting at the table and a few others were signing up some kind of form. Just then, a well-dressed man, maybe in his forties, his face as-though aglow with wisdom approached her. She noticed that a man had a few forms in his hand.
He said, "I really appreciate you helping out mam."
"Oh well, I am not donating blood. My friend is." said she.
He said "Ah. Very well mam. We have set up a booth.Would you care to donate your organs, mam?"
There was a long awkward pause.
It wasn't that she was ignorant. She had read about Organ Donation. The thought of becoming a donor had never crossed her mind. Like any other person, she had her doubts about it. But, the man had caught her completely off-guard.
It was high time she broke her silence, thought she. The man, after-all was expecting an answer. All she could come up with was "I need to think about it."
It wasn't that she was ignorant. She had read about Organ Donation. The thought of becoming a donor had never crossed her mind. Like any other person, she had her doubts about it. But, the man had caught her completely off-guard.
It was high time she broke her silence, thought she. The man, after-all was expecting an answer. All she could come up with was "I need to think about it."
"Donate my organs? What am I gonna get buried a skeleton?" thought her mind.
"Sure mam. Think all you want. But mam, you are not going to take them with you when you die, you know." said he.
She took the forms from him while she thought again "Donate my organs? What if it disfigures my body and what if I can't have an open casket funeral? What if all this is a big racket?". That and many other thoughts that raced through her mind as she waved goodbye.
Maybe they were all true or maybe not. But she didn't bother to get them cleared. The slightest idea of someone even remotely cutting her body open, even if she was dead didn't go well with her; let alone donating organs after death.
Maybe they were all true or maybe not. But she didn't bother to get them cleared. The slightest idea of someone even remotely cutting her body open, even if she was dead didn't go well with her; let alone donating organs after death.
That was that. She had forgotten all about it, until now.
She put the papers back in the folder and left in a hurry.
The night had fallen. She came back home at 9, got freshened up. Dinner was ready. Her parents were already seated at the table and were waiting for her.
She had had a long day in office and she didn't want to engage herself in small talk. While her parents were chatting, she started to feel a strong pain in her lower abdomen. She started coughing to the point where she couldn't eat anymore. Minutes later, her pain grew severe. She was immediately rushed to the hospital.
She had had a long day in office and she didn't want to engage herself in small talk. While her parents were chatting, she started to feel a strong pain in her lower abdomen. She started coughing to the point where she couldn't eat anymore. Minutes later, her pain grew severe. She was immediately rushed to the hospital.
She lay on the hospital bed with a dozen wires connected to her body. She was under heavy medication and a lot of pain, her heart filled with fear.
She heard the doctor talk to her father, "We are very sorry. We are unable to find a match for your daughter's liver". Her liver was 80% damaged. A liver transplant was the only tiny little hope the doctors had.
She heard the doctor talk to her father, "We are very sorry. We are unable to find a match for your daughter's liver". Her liver was 80% damaged. A liver transplant was the only tiny little hope the doctors had.
They say that when you are breathing your last, you see your life come back in flashes, all of it. You see your loved ones. It was none of that for her. All she could see was a face. It was the face of the man she had met at the Blood Donation Camp. She then fell unconscious.
A little later, she could feel her body getting lighter and lighter as though she was floating in air. She could hear a voice; a voice far away; that was shouting her name. She could feel the voice growing closer and closer. It was time.
"WAKE UP. You are getting late, AGAIN" shouted her mom. That night she was so tired that she hit the sack without even having dinner and dozed off as if she hadn't slept in ages.
She opened her eyes. Everything seemed hazy as though she was just out of a trance. She woke up, sat on her bed, trying to re-collect the dream.
She knew what she wanted to do and she was at peace with her decision.
She got up from the bed, walked to the drawer, pulled out those forms and signed them.
She was wide awake now.
She was wide awake now.
2 comments:
Cha, I was expecting her to die, or someone donate her the liver. That's a lot of pessimism. My head is getting messy. Glad it wasn't like I expected. :-)
Err.Um..So I'm guessing you liked it..!?
Post a Comment