Ecstasy of Heart

Part 9 - The Hospital

After resting in the jungle for sometime Sanjana woke up. She saw the sky and realized if they don't start again now, it will be late as they sky would start to get dark. She turned on her side to wake Viraj up. She called out his name but there was no response, so then she tried shaking him. She touched and was shocked he has got high fever, he body was burning. She feared this would happen if his infection wouldn't be treated. She tried hard to wake him but he would just mumble some gibberish words. There was no water or food to give him, they were alone with nothing to help. Tears started to flow on their own accord, she checked his body and found 1 gun and 2 pocket knife. She took one pocket knife and kept with her then she started pulling Viraj towards a big tree, she tried to lay him down there carefully. It killed her from inside to leave him alone in this condition and go but she knew she had no other option. 

She walked and walked for very long the sky was getting it was getting difficult to find the path out. She feared she won't remember where she has left Viraj, the thought that she will be late to go back with help scared her alot. To her luck she saw few light from somewhere afar, she started shouting loudly for help and 3 men came towards her in an army jeep. Her happiness knew no bounds, she explained them her situation. The soldiers asked her to get inside the jeep and show her the direction, they offered her water but all she could think was about Viraj. The soldiers were on patrolling as after the attack on campsite lot of soldiers have been hurt and also took shelter in the forest. So they were the search teams to see if anyone is alive. It was late until they finally reached the place Viraj was there, he has still not woken up and his temperature has risen much more. Sanjana sat with Viraj's head on her lap on the backside. His heartbeat was slow, Sanjana couldn't stop her tears after seeing him. She had brought help but only god know if the help would be of any help or not. She felt helpless, she felt ashamed of not being able to help even though she was a doctor.

After almost an hour they reached the hospital, the nurses rushed to the ICU and they took Sanjana to emergency. Sanjana had not realised in her tension that she was also hurt at many places, the wild plants and their branches has injured her alot. She didn't feel any pain as she was just concentrating on Viraj and his health. After the doctor took care of her wounds Sanjana rushed towards the ICU, the nurses their informed her that Viraj was taken to operation theatre as the infection was reaching towards his vital organs. 6 hours of his operation Sanjana sat intron of the OT even though everyone asked her to rest but she was not ready to leave even for a moment, she wanted to know that he was safe.

After what felt like ages the doctor came out,

"Doctor how is Viraj?"

"He is out of danger at the moment but nothing more can be said until he comes into consciousness"

 "When will he wake up?"

 "His body has been through alot, I tried my best but the bullet wound has done lot of harm. The infection has started spreading in his body, I was able to stop it but still until he wakes up the danger continuous."

 "How much time do you think everything will take?"

 "If he doesn't wake up in 24 - 48 hours then he might slip into coma. He should have been brought to hospital earlier"

 "Can I go see him?"

"Yes but try not to disturb him much, by the way i forgot to ask who are you to him?"

 "I.. i.. am..."

 " We need signatures on some form about the operation" before Sanjana could reply an army general came and said he would take care of it. 

Sanjana entered the room with heavy heart she was partially blaming herself for his condition, she was a doctor she should have taken care of him. He took the best care for her and did his best to protect her and she couldn't even look after a wound. She sat beside him, he was covered in bandages and oxygen mask. She could feel her heart breaking into pieces seeing gather a lot of courage she moved her hand and took hold of his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Viraj, you have to wake up soon... please .... for me". Her body was breaking down, she needed rest but her heart needed Viraj to be fine. She kept her head on their intertwined fingers and tears started to fall, slowly the weakness took toll on her and she slept. 

Sanjana woke up after few hours , Viraj was still unconscious. She went to cafeteria brought coffee and sandwich for her and again came to the room and sat near him.

She switched on her mobile and called her father,
"Hello dad"

" Sanju beta how are you I was so worried"

" I am fine dad" listening to her voice her father started crying,

"I was so worried beta, I thought.. i lost you. I called the army base even they have no news about you from a week. I prayed so much. Please come back beta your old dad will die without you"

" I will come back soon. I will let you know as soon as I reach delhi and from there I will finish some formalities and come back home to you"

" I am counting days my child and please talk to Rudr also he was going crazy about getting no news about you" her father replied and cut the call.

It has been almost 38 hours after Viraj's operation, Sanjana was asked to go back to the Delhi's base but she insisted in staying till Viraj was fine. She was going to the doctor's room when she saw some nurses and doctor rushing to Viraj's room and she followed them. Viraj's heart beat was dropping, they started giving him injections and checking vitals and all the machinery. Sanjana was a doctor but her mind stopped working she went numb seeing the condition infront of her. Fear gripped her heart and she couldn't react what seemed like hours but was only 20 mins. Viraj vitals got regular and he slowly opened his eyes, the doctors rushed to take him for a few test.

Sanjana stood in the room with few other army personnel, the doctor was giving them update about Viraj.

" He has gained conscious and that is good sign but there has been a lot of nerve damage in his legs. We will have to keep him under observation for few more days before we decide on the next step. He has lost lot of blood and is very weak. For know we are letting him rest."

The doctor informs to them and moves out of the room one of Viraj friends follows the doctor to have answers to some more questions.

Sanjana sits on the chair outside Viraj's room when Viraj's friend comes and sits beside her.

" Hi, I am Rahul. A very good friend of Viraj, maybe best friend. I was with him since the army training but recently when he was posted in Kashmir I was posted else where. I came as soon as I could"

"Oh, thats good to know. Viraj never mentioned about you." 

"He is a man of very few words and lesser emotions" rahul says with a chuckle.

"That he is but he is a great person"

"I know, I know but how do you know him what is your story. General was telling you are the one who bought him to the hospital and has not left his side."

" I am an Army doctor I was posted also posted in Kashmir with him.  Though I properly met him after he was injured by the attack. It is a long story."

"Okay, they were telling me you insisted on staying even though your duty has ended her and you called back at the Delhi base"

"I guess I will leave now. Was waiting for him to be out of danger. I will go check if he woke up."

"Okay, I am going down to get a coffee from the cafeteria, Do you need one?"

"Yeah sure." Sanjana replied and walk in Viraj's room.

.......

Hello everyone ,

I hope you are enjoying reading because I enjoyed writing. I am really trying to take out time from my busy schedule but it is not as easy as it seems!!

And I am not a doctor and have no idea about anything related to medicine. Everything I am mentioning is completely fictional.

It would mean alot if you guys would share the story among your friends.

Happy Reading and Stay Safe 🥰