10:30: My grandpa suddenly complained of severe rigor and was unable to breathe. I rushed down and got the oxygen cylinder ready. His breathing steadied a bit. I began to notice that his rigor kept getting worse. Finally, we decided to take him to the hospital. He kept gasping for breath even though we had the oxygen cylinder put to his mouth. I noticed that the cylinder was pretty near empty by the time we were midway to the hospital. I didn't tell him that because I was worried he would panic even more than what he already was. Being an asthmatic, I know what he felt like as he gasped. But, it was scary seeing it from the outside for the first time.
11:30: We're at the hospital. Hes been taken to the E.R. Almost as soon as he was put on the oxygen cylinder there, he began to feel better. Evidently, the little oxygen cylinder we had was not working as well as we had hoped it would. His rigor had subsided quite a bit. I felt a little relaxed knowing that he was better now.
12:00: Panic at the hospital as another patient was brought in. An old man in his sixties, his head hanging to one side and his hand almost falling off the stretcher. I feared the worst but I forced my mind to shut out those thoughts. The old lady and the young man accompanying her clung to eachother anxious to know what has happened. The doctor walked out, slowly and deliberately over to the duo and softly broke the news that the man was no more. It was scary. The womans' wails filled the tiny ER. It was the saddest thing I had ever seen.
01:00: Grandpa is moved in to the ICU. He seems to be fine. I stay back with him while the others leave for home. Grandpa jokes that he thought he was a goner this time. I smiled and told him that I had experienced this many-a-time and that I was still around. He smiled. Barely able to talk, he still found the energy to tell me how glad he was that everything worked out and that he was on his way to recovery. I sat with him for about two hours. You pull a few strings in India, and they even let you sit in the ICU. It was an odd sight. My grandpa lying there in the middle of all the wires and pipes with the machines making a steady and rhythmic tune. I don't want to ever see that again.
03:30: They offered an empty room to get some sleep in. I gladly accepted their offer. My night was slowly coming to an end. I slept deeply. Had a few disturbing dreams (I wont call them nightmares) but they weren't about grandpa. I guess I know that he'll recover and be fine soon. I hope he gets back home soon.
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