Entwined by Destiny

Chapter Six

This chapter is dedicated to all those people suffering from sickle cell anaemia and depression.Some live their lives in misery & self-pity thinking they are just burden on others.We are all equal before Allah (S.W.T) except the ones who obey Him the most.

       Indeed life is never a bed of roses.One day it may serve you honey and the very next day hand you lemons.Just like how the otherwise happy family were thrown into jeopardy one fateful Saturday morning when Walida had to be rushed to the hospital in a critical condition.
     
The entire family were devastated and anxious for her dear life. They were used to seeing her usual hand and foot syndrome but this time around, the symptoms seem to be more complicated. She kept complaining of not just her hands and legs but also of one side of her stomach before her body started shaking and she eventually fell unconscious. Her parents rushed her to the Accident & Emergency (A& E) section of A.B.U.T.H Shika where she was given prompt attention.
       
Before long, every member of the Dikko family excluding the young kids showed up in the hospital, anxiety written all over their faces. On seeing her, all the ladies joined Prof Tukur in shedding tears.
It was Prof Naseer that saved the day, consoling everyone by saying it's not tears that she needs at this crucial moment but prayers.So, her parents, Ummi and Mahmud left the A&E area and went to the hospital mosque to perform nafila and du'a for Walida's speedy recovery.
     
The doctors diagnosed that apart from the usual foot and hand syndrome, she now suffers from splenic sequestration as well. It is a serious complication of sickle cell disease in which the patient's spleen gets enlarged. Luckily for her though, it is not so severe or else, she would have needed a complete blood transfusion. They reassured her loved ones that she'll recover but most likely, with a permanent limp to her left leg.
     
By God's merciful grace, Walida got much better within a short period of five days much to the amazement of the doctors themselves. In the morning when the group of resident doctors came to examine her, they told her family members that it's most likely when the consultant in charge of her case comes later in the day he'll discharge her.
     
On that same day, she was propped up against Iman on the hospital bed while the rest of their family surrounded them. She had asked Iman to braid her very long, silky fulani hair after complaining that it's too unkempt (ever the fashion-conscious babe!).
    
Two younger sisters of Prof Tukur came into the amenity ward, greeted everyone and expressed their great relief over seeing the great improvement in Walida's health.

Aunty Salima said, "You scared the hell out of us, my dear.Do you know your cousin Farida spent half of the night in the toilet with diarrhoea. So much for saying "zasuci gumba!" . (Millet gruel given as sadaqah when someone dies).
    
As everyone laughed at Walida's abokiyan wasa's plight, Walida turned to Mama and jokingly said, "It's your old husband who kept beckoning to me from his new, amazing and most comfortable abode to go to him musha aurenmu acan( get married over there) since you have claimed his namesake as your new maigida and forgotten about him.So I told him to exercise a little patience, I have to pray for my parents to have another child before I join him".
       
Talk about feeling ill at ease? Yeah, that was what everyone felt at this not-so-funny joke.

Mama quickly reversed the issue saying, "For where? You are too late baby cos you know the Hausas say 'da tsohuwar zuma ake magani' (synonymous to the older the better).As such, it's his old Nafeesah that will follow him not any new one.Better heed my advice--get your own husband and leave mine for me oo! .My hubby is mine and mine alone, even the hurul-ains in jannah sai dole! ". (except if I have no say).
      
This time around, everyone laughed wholeheartedly at the joke.To keep the bright mood going, Ummi played along with the joke.