"Fracture" Diaries - Entry 3

Created on the hospital bed from my mobile Jan 4th, 9 pm

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Just when my cousin, who had heard of my accident and come to see me, was leaving, a barber entered. He said he needed to give me a shave. Granted, I wasn't looking in the best of shape, but did I need to look handsome for a surgery or was I expected to kiss the nurse?

I asked him the name of the patient, just to confirm that he had come to the correct patient, and he had. He took me to a closed room and gave me the strangest shave ever - naval downwards. I hadn't, till then, ever imagined that I would leave my private parts in the hands of someone I had never met before, especially a guy.

Just as I was preparing to sleep, I got a call from a family friend, who had just returned from the States. Although he is about 60 yrs elder to me, we are comfortable in talking to each other. It took about 15 min for our discussion to turn towards bike accidents and hospitals, and I revealed to him the condition and location of my self.

To cheer me up, the old man then told me a joke, not quite a joke but something that served the purpose -

One day a doctor was walking down the corridor of a hospital when he recognized the man being taken into the ICU to be his old friend. So he went up to him and asked, "Hello David, how are you?" and David replied, "Am fine, thank you."

If you ask me now how I'm, as already have a long list of people, that would be my answer too, "Am fine, thank you."

A frame I found in the hospital (truly cute, ain't it?)

My lunch. Idly? No. Two balls of rice (and it tastes better than it looks)

"Fracture" Diaries - Entry 2

Created on the hospital bed from my mobile Jan 4th, 4 pm

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It's past noon now... and I'm waiting in my room.

The appointment with the doctor went well. A Digital X-ray was taken and the analysis was "3 fractures and 1 dislocated toe in the right foot".

X-Ray (Can you spot the damage?)

While dressing up my foot, the junior doctor pulled my little-toe hard, to, as he called it, "relocate" it. I shrieked in pain.

Surgery was inevitable for the remaining 3 toes, and has been scheduled for tomorrow morning. Unable to even touch the ground with my right foot, I sat confined to a wheel chair in the Waiting Lounge, while, dad and brother-in-law completed the formalities to get me admitted. You wouldn’t believe, but going to the restroom seems an ordeal too.

Have to survive like this till tomorrow morning, it's only 4 hrs past noon still.

Learning to use the Walker (seen speaking to my cousin)

"Fracture" Diaries - Entry 1

Created on my bed from my mobile Jan 3rd, 11.30 pm

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I'm crying now... Not because my leg is hurting but with the thought that how could I have been so irresponsible, so casual and take-it-for-granted about everything. And that I also risked the life of a close friend.

About 7 hrs before, shivering as if I was standing naked in Antarctica, I looked on as my friends tried to lift my bike lying some 8-9 ft below road level. We both had just been pulled up from where we were lying - about 6-7 ft below the road level. Just 30 sec earlier we were happily chatting on the bike and the trip seemed a very memorable one. I was driving very slow, on the extreme left and had both my hands on the handle. Yet the trip became memorable, for regrettable actions on my part and we ended up visiting the local Mission Hospital (which obviously wasn't part of the plan).

I still remember those 10 sec when I felt close to death. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. But luckily, the other one wasn't hurt badly. Infact, as per my friend even I wasn't hurt much, "tu bach gaya bey, just 3 fractures" (you are saved, just 3 fractures).

Not willing to be operated in Vikarabad I told my dad everything and he came to pick me up. In the meantime lots of calls were made. Someone from my uncle's paper working in Vikarabad arrived within minutes. The best orthopadecians and contacts were listed and my brother-in-law's far-relative in Kamineni Hospirtal was finalized.

I'm now at home waiting (in pain) for tomorrow's appointment. Have taken two Paracetamol tablets - would doze off soon.

My Hand

The (Fractured) Leg

This is how I spent the entire night

Advaith II

Advaith's younger brother was born today (Dec 31st) at 8.26pm. Below is the new born's pic taken when he was just 2 hrs old and below that is a video of Advaith (obviously very excited to meet his little brother).

And this is how we celebrated New Year (in the hospital).

Volkswagen Beetle... in India

Have you heard the news? Volkswagen Beetle to be launched in India, with a price tag of Rs. 20.45 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Would you buy this little (pun definitely intended) piece of metal that looks like 3 semi-circles (discounting the two black full-circles, otherwise called tyres) welded together so beautifully that it could easily the "Cutest car ever" award, if there was one, while also making everyone, men and women alike, fall in love with it, for little over 20 lakhs? I wouldn't. Obviously, 'coz I don't have, in my account, even that "little over" over 20 lakhs.

But what I meant is, (if a fairy came and put Rs. 20.45 lakhs beneath your pillow with a note reading,

Use this money wisely to buy a car (it's a paradox but spare me) and I would return tomorrow to give you more.

Love,

Gossamer Moonglow

(or whatever your fairy is called. I found mine here.) would you?

Granted, it's not exactly 'People's Car' at 20 lakhs. Or maybe that's how the Germans classify(-ied) 'People's Car' as -

No taking your dog for drives. Or bringing laundry back home. Wear your finest suit, take your kids for a drive on Sunday and clean it yourself in your garage the rest of the week. You can't even trust your chauffeur with it.

But jokes apart, if you wanted to spend Rs. 20.45 lakhs, then this car could very well be your wisest choice:

1) It comes with 72-yrs of history, history that every soul on the planet has definitely heard of, if not know it. Now, that's EXACTLY what we want, don't we?

2) You would also be living Hitler's dream (even if only a fraction of it), if you like that perspective. Another vehicle that owes its popularity and development to Hitler (and WWII) would be the Tank. Bug is definitely wiser, wouldn't you think?

3) Small is beautiful. Whereas, other companies only try to punish you for spending 20 lakhs by giving you huge, over-sized boxes, when all you wanted was 4-wheels with a roof.

4) It should be more eco-friendly (compared to the other vehicles you get for 20 lakhs) - smaller, lighter and only a 2L engine.

5) It's a sure head-turner. It's simply so pleasant to look at, that it will make you turn your head, even if you were driving one yourself.

Besides all this, the Beetle will infect everyone with a smile, which is what fairies want - spread happiness (according to my nephew's story book).

CONCLUSION - If your fairy found you, the BEETLE is your car. And I'm going to leave a chocolate under my pillow tonight (just in case fairies love chocolates). Ms. (or Mrs.?) Moonglow, are you reading?