Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters and places mentioned. All the places are fictional and any resemblance is a mere coincidence.
"Aap be fikar rahain sir… humara school pury Mumbai mai best hai… aapky bhai ko yahan koi takleef nahi hogi… humary teachers specially trained hain… or humary school mai infirmary bhi hai jis mai hr emergency ko tackle krny ki puri salahiyat hai… iss k ilawa hum apny students ko different skills sikhaty hain taa k bach'cho k hath mai koi hunar aa sky… (the man signaled towards the child who was painting on a paper who was deformed) aap nishchint ho kr apny bhai ka admission kara dain yahan…" said the principal of the school.
Abhijeet silently listened to him. Disha looked at him as if asking for his opinion about the school. Actually, they had visited more than 7 schools but had rejected them for one reason or another. Abhijeet gave a slight nod to his head indicating his approval. Disha also nodded.
Abhijeet: theek hai sir aap formalities complete kr lain, please…
In June they admitted him to the school for special children. His timings were 9 to 5 pm. Disha took responsibility for his pick and drop.
Days were passing. Daya was going to school. He would spend the whole day there. Teachers were specialists, they treated all the special children efficiently. They made sure children didn't feel uncomfortable. Teachers would help them with various activities some children liked to do poetry while some loved painting. But Daya didn't find something he could do or love. Daya wasn't able to find a place for himself in the school. He wasn't disabled and he wasn't special; he was just ill, seriously ill.
He soon got fed up with the school as the teachers and staff treated him as disabled. They would help him write while clutching his hand. His hand would pain afterward due to the extreme dexterity. They tried to enforce him to do things other special children do. They thought he couldn't read or write. Also, it was the teachers' responsibility to help their students in finding what they were capable of doing. He felt ill-treated.
One day, a teacher was trying to help him in doing painting: beta brush ko esy pakro… (Daya's hands were trembling badly also he couldn't hold the brush properly due to dystonia. At last, he threw the brush hardly on the floor whilst demanding to go home. The teacher tried to calm him down but he was insistent on going home. At last, the teacher agreed and called his mother who came to pick him up.)
Disha, in the car: kya hua tha beta? Teacher ny bataya aap hyper ho gaye thy…
Daya was sitting with closed eyes and a frown. He didn't respond. Disha shook her head in no understanding that her son is not in the mood to answer her right now…
Daya didn't discuss anything until night as his mood was awful. It was one of the days when he was so irritated that no one disturbed him. At night, after dinner, Abhijeet asked him the issue that made him so much frustrated.
Daya typed: mjhe uss school nahi jaana…
Abhijeet exchanged a glance with his mother and raised an eyebrow: or kyun nahi jana uss school?
Daya again typed: bs mjhe nahi jaana… acha nahi lagta wahan pr…
Abhijeet again tried to persuade him to tell: lekin bach'chy baat kya hai akhir? Kyun acha nahi lagta tujhe… hmmm… kya hua Gudday ko?
Daya sobbed. He with shivery hands typed: bhai mai maazoor to nahi hun na…?
Abhijeet looked at him in shock. Daya again typed: mai to sirf beemaar hun na… jaldi theek ho jaunga na? Humesha esy to nahi rahunga na…
Abhijeet nodded and took him in a side hug: bilkul… jaldi mera dumbo bilkul theek ho jaye ga… (asking him) kisi ny kuch kaha hai kya mere dodo ko? Hmmm… bhai ko batao…
Daya shook his head in no and typed: bs wo mjhe esy treat krty hain jesy ab mai kabhi theek nahi honga… humesha esy hi rahunga… pakka na bhai mai theek ho jaunga na…
Abhijeet tightened his grip: bilkul… or tjhe pata hai na tera bhai jhoot nahi bolta kabhi… (Daya nodded in yes)
Disha took Daya's hands and weaved in his hair: agar mere bety ko wahan acha nahi lagta to koi baat nahi… kl sy Daya koi school nahi jaye ga… (looked in his eyes) or Daya ko pareshan hony ki bhi zaroorat nahi hai… Daya theek or khush rahy ga to Mumma bhi theek or khush rahain gi… (Daya asked for assurance from his eyes) Sachi… (she grabbed her Adam's apple to swear to bring a stiff smile on Daya's face) mera beta kabhi bhi mere liye burden nahi ho skta… (she pointed at his heart) tu meri jaan hai beta… apny dil sy sb fazool baatain nikaal dy… (asked him) nikal dy ga na… hmmm
Daya gave her reply in the form of a grunt. Disha ruffled the hair of her both sons.
Abhijeet spoke to lighten the mood: or aaj mai Daya k liye uski favorite chocolate laaya hun… (he gave Daya a small piece of chocolate. Daya's face sparkled sending soothe inside his loved ones' heart. Trio enjoyed the chocolate.)
"Hummy pata hai sir… aapki taraf sy koi problem nahi hai… teachers bhi sb achy hain… lekin Daya ab continue nahi krna chahta… please aap samjhiye…"
The principal sighed: theek hai agar aap yahi chahty hain to… (he completed the formalities)
Abhijeet thanked him: Thank you sir… (shook hands with him)
The principal responded: no problem sir…
Days passed, Daya's condition was deteriorating rapidly. Disha was very worried about his health.
"Jeet, beta mjhe bht fikar ho rhi hai… Daya ki tbiet roz bigarti hi jaa rhi hai… kuch karo na tum… mjhe bht ghabrahat ho rhi hai… " Disha said in worry-laced tone.
Abhijeet ran a hand through his hair: hmmm… maine bhi notice kiya hai… mai wese bhi soch raha tha k Rahul sy aik baar dubara baat karun… mai kl jaata hun usky pass… aap tension naa lain… Disha nodded…
"Rahul, kya kuch or nahi ho skta? Koi or treatment yaa koi or medicine… saat mahiny ho gaye hain chotu ka treatment shuru huye… lekin uski condition to din ba din bigarti hi jaa rhi hai…"
Rahul said: nahi yaar… Daya ka treatment theek ho raha hai… (he was lost in thoughts) chalo mai dekhta hun kuch agar ho pata hai to… Dr Abhinav sy baat krta hun…
Abhijeet sighed: theek hai…
Rahul oat his shoulder: kya Abhijeet kyun pareshan ho raha hai yaar… mai keh raha hun naa k mai dekhta hun kuch agar possible hai to… cheer up buddy… (Abhijeet gave him a small-forced smile.)
Abhijeet was fidgeting with his fingers listening to Rahul: yaar wo Dr. Abhinav hain na unky senior doctor America gaye huye thy apni research k liye… wo India wapis aa rhy hain next week… Dr. Abhinav bata rhy thy k unki research Wilson's disease pr hi hai…
Abhijeet looked at him with hopeful eyes: tum please unsy appointment ly lo…
Rahul comforted him: haan yaar maine Dr. Abhinav sy baat ki hai… wo bhi yahi keh rhy hain k hum aik dafa Dr Yash sy consult kr lain to behtar hoga…
Abhijeet felt his eyes stinging: Thank you Yaar…
Rahul encouraged Abhijeet: kya yaar… maine tjhy kaha hai na k jb tk mai hun… mai kuch nahi hony dunga Daya ko… or tu mjhe thanks na kaha kr… mai jo kuch krta hun apny chotu k liye krta hun… taa k wo jaldi sy theek ho jaye… (Abhijeet gave him a dry smile)
"Maa aap jaldi kr lain please, dair ho rhi hai… humaari appointment 8 bjy hai or 7 already baj chuky hain…" Abhijeet was saying while going in his room to fetch his wallet.
"Haan beta, chalo sb ho gaya hai…" Disha said while helping Daya in sitting on the wheelchair.
"yeh hain Dr. Yash, mere senior or bht hi achy dost…" said Dr. Abhinav.
Dr. Yash gave them a "nice to meet you smile".
Dr Abhinav introduced Daya to him: yeh hai Daya… mera bht hi piyara sa dost… (Daya also gave him a small smile) or Daya ki reports or medication k bary mai aapko pehly hi brief kr chuka hun…
Dr. Yash stood up from his seat and sat in front of Daya: hmmm… to aap hain Daya… bht suna hai bhai aapky baary mai… (he was side by side checking his vitals, eyes, BP and all) yaahan to sb hi aapky fan hain… bht tareefain suni hain aapki… (Daya smiled shyly) arey aapki to smile bhi bht piyaari hai… (everyone had a smile on their faces after seeing Daya happy)
After the check-up, he wrote something on the paper and forwarded it to Abhijeet: ab aap trientine band karo or yeh corticosteroids lo… chaar din baad phir sy check up k liye aana hai aap ny… phir aagy ga dekhain k kya krna hai… theek hai…
Abhijeet stood up: G, Thanks, doctor…
Dr. Yash shook hands with him: no need to thank gentleman, it is my job… (he patted Daya's shoulder) abhi to Daya ko theek krna hai hummy… thanks tb k liye bacha k rakho aap…
On his next visit, Dr. Yash again reintroduced penicillamine in a lesser dose gradually increasing with steroids. It had side effects but Daya's body accepted it with steroids. After six weeks, they again had an appointment with Dr. Yash.
Dr. Yash started: mai chahta hun k hum Daya ka treatment BAL sy yani dimercaprol sy karain… (Rahul and Dr. Abhinav didn't interrupt him as they had already discussed the pros and cons of it.)
Abhijeet, being a layman in medicine asked him freely about the medication as Daya was in the laboratory section giving samples for tests accompanied by Disha.
Abhijeet: wo kya hai?
Dr. Yash explained to him: BAL world war II mai use hui thi bullet wounds or metal poisoning k liye… bht sy logon ne research ki hai BAL ko wilson's disease mai use kr k… uss sy recovery k 60% chances hain… (serious tone) mai aap sy seedhi baat kahun ga… Daya's case has worsened… Daya's brain damage is almost irreversible right now… (Abhijeet was shocked he almost forgot to blink… it was as if all his blood had been soaked out of him) BAL is the best option for now… 60% chances hain… Daya k brain damage reverse hony ky… otherwise he would have to live like this his whole life…
Rahul squeezed his shoulder to bring him back from shock: Jeet… please…
Abhijeet gave him a teary glance and again tried to concentrate: hmmm… I'm okay…
Dr. Yash continued seeing him calm: dekho yeh is waqt best option hai… 60% hi sahi Daya ki recovery ka chance hai… hmmm…
Abhijeet inhaled a deep breath: G doctor… I understand… aap please procedure batain…
Dr. Yash nodded: Haan, dimercaprol aik Intramuscular injection hai… deep injections k through inject ki jaati hai medicine body… isky courses hoty hain… mai abhi to nahi bata skta Daya k liye hum kesa course set karain gy, aaj tests ki reports aa jayein to hum Daya ka course start karain gy… (asking Abhijeet) aap yeh batayein k Daya ko peanuts sy allergy to nahi hai…
Abhijeet nodded in yes: hai to lekin bht mild si… sirf coughing or mild fever hota hai usay peanuts sy…
Dr. Yash gave a momentary nod: hmmm… theek hai… actually, dimercaprol mai peanut oil hota hai to it's better k hummy pata ho allergies ka to hum waqt pr treat kr skain…
Abhijeet was trying to contain as much as possible information as he can: hmmm… mai aik baar Maa sy baat kr lun… (Dr. Yash nodded in yes) (he asked him in a bit of painful tone) ussy dard to nahi hoga na… (Rahul squeezed his hands tightly while telling him everything through his eyes. Abhijeet's inner alarmed him about the pain his brother will go through)
Dr. Yash tried to make them comfortable with the treatment saying: agar treatment successful ho jaata hai to Daya will live his life like before… he will be fit… beta aap bright side dekho… hmmm… hope for good… ho jayega aapka bhai theek… talk with your mother… or Daya ko bhi agar aap pehly sy bata dain gy to wo zyada achy tarhan sy cooperate kr payega… hmmm
Abhijeet nodded and thanked the doctor humbly.
"Maa ab aap batayein kya karain…"
Disha caressed Daya's hair softly: mai tyar hun… jesa doctor keh rhy hai wahi hoga… agar thori si bhi umeed hai to theek hai…
Abhijeet put a hand on her hand which was Daya's head: theek hai phir hum parson chalain gy doctor k pass… kl mai Daya sy bhi baat kr lunga… (he released a cold sigh) doctor keh rahy thy k injections ka course hai… or aapko to pata hai na ussy injections sy liye raazi krna kitna mushkil kaam hai…
Disha said looking at her little one's face: hmmm… bs ab meri yahi dua hai k ab bs mera bach'cha theek ho jaye… bht sehen kiya hai meri jaan ny…
Both looked at the center of their world lost in the world of thoughts.
A new hope sparked inside their hearts. A hope to see Daya fit and fine. Will it happen? Will Daya be OK? Will they have their happy little family back?
"There is hope after despair and many sons after darkness."~ Rumi
A/N:
Some replies to the questions you asked in the review section.
Mahi: Jay will come soon, he is just putting up with Daya's wish to not to see him. Hope I have cleared your confusion.
Rosemarry1: Dear, about the feeding pipe Abhijeet sir had completely denied the use of it as it is very painful... they are giving Daya completely liquid diet so he doesn't choke... Also they feed him under their own supervison...
I have decided to complete this story first. It has some chapters left, I can't say how many... Those who are asking if Daya will recover or not, you guys have to wait for it...
A big thanks to all those who read and reviewed the last chapter. Also, a big sorry for not updating on saturday, I was not at home just came back.
Next update will be soon...
Take care...
See you soon.