Nobody Thought I Would Survive (1)

How it all started :

It was August 24, 2006 – a Thursday. The sky looked threateningly overcast from the sixth floor windows of Delta House. It seemed we were about to have another heavy shower.

The rainy season and a heavy shower no longer seemed romantic to us. We had had enough in the past ten days. Leaving office to hit the heavily waterlogged Council House Street, with all the garbage flowing in from all directions of Dalhousie, was an idea we had started hating.

A heavy downpour started around 5.30pm and by 6pm we got the news that the roads were already flooded. We decided to stay back till the water subsided. But it was not to be. Around 7-30pm, I left office with a few of my colleagues and found the water level on the road touching my chest. Somehow we managed to reach the BBD Bag Bus Depot and board our respective buses.

The hour-long journey from Dalhousie to Ballygunje Station half-dried the soaked clothes and shoes. After reaching home, I took a bath in lukewarm water to which I did add a few drops of Dettol in an attempt to ward off infections that logged water might bring in.

The next morning, I woke up with a severe headache. I soon discovered I had cold and fever and called up office to inform that I would not go for work. I was not feeling like having breakfast. But I had a medicine to take – the one that had been added to my routine since the past two weeks after I had been diagnosed with hypo-thyroidism.
(My TSH[thyroid stimulating hormone] at that point of time was 39, the normal maximum level being up to 7. The doctor who had done this investigation was alarmed to know that I was totally unaware of this condition and that I was able to lead a normal, active life without any medication.)

I had my breakfast, had Eltroxin (the thyroid medicine) and went to sleep. I slept the whole day.

I went to work the next day, feeling much better. I did not have much time to think about my health, at office that day.
I found myself a bit under the weather, the next morning, but did not think of taking another leave, Saturday already being a half-day for us.

By the time I headed for home on Saturday afternoon, the cold and headache were back. I had high fever by the time I reached home.

I spent my Sunday in bed, taking medicines for the cold and fever. I knew I had to be in office on Monday. It would be 28th of the month. My team would not be able to handle the month-end pressure, with the team-leader missing.

It was willpower that took me to office on Monday. I slogged the whole day and returned home quite late.

My mother did not like the look of me when I got home.
“Cant you take a leave?” – she asked.
“Let me complete the month, Maa – then I will take a leave for a few days.” – I assured her.

I did not know that I would take a much longer leave. Neither did I know that the month-end of August at the insurance department of Dewar’s Garage that year would have to do without me.