Another step in life

Parenthood is another dimension that life takes you into. 26th of February, 2009 was the day, when life decided it was time for me to step into that dimension.

Sandhya was due for delivering our twins into this world sometime during the first week of March. This was supposed to be confirmed by a scan to be done on 2nd of March, 2009. But life had other plans.

She messaged me a good night as usual at about 10:30pm and I fell into a deep sleep after that. Next I heard was my Dad at my door saying Sandhya has been admitted to hospital. All my sleep flew out of window, I was wide awake and ready to do anything, but what was to be my next option? My Dad told me that, Sandhya had called on her way that she was being admitted. I looked at my cell phone and got the detail of the proceedings after I had fallen asleep. She was unable to sleep at all and tried to sleep and not wake her mother up until 02:00am, after which she woke her mother up and got herself a cup of coffee.

But there was to be no respite and she called a family friend Raghavendra Agari, who immediately sent his brand new Swift with his driver (which is also the first time somebody else handled his car). His driver normally drives around transport vehicles and supposedly drove the car also similarly. During the drive,, she first called me, but I was in dreamland and did not hear a ring after which she called the residence number. After the agonizing drive, Sandhya reached Mangalore Nursing Home by 04:30am and I had just woken up around the same time.

Now was the time for logistics, how could I get there as soon as possible? Driving will take a minimum of 6 to 7 hours and those were the days of amazing roads on Shiradi Ghats. Knowing my style of driving, that option was strictly negated by my parents. Flight remains the only other option. By now I was resigned to the fact that the kids would be born (safely with all three mother and kids in good health) before I reach, so I checked when the next flight was. It was about 05:00am and Jet Airways said they have a flight at 07:50am.

With nothing to lose, I called Vikram (my brother in law) and asked him if he could book the ticket for me and gave him my credit card number. He said the flight was rescheduled to 08:50am, but he was unable to book on my credit card, so he gave me their phone banking number. I had in the meanwhile assuming the flight to be at 07:50am, had called for a cab, which arrived at 05:45am. I thought that instead of getting frustrated here, let me wait at the airport and book the ticket on my way.

Once inside the cab, I made the call to Jet Airways and to my surprise, the flight was at 07:50am and the reschedule had not been affected. For once I thought "fortunes are favouring me this time", because, on a normal day, I would have left late for a delayed flight. Before boarding the flight I called my mother in law to check on the status at the hospital. Sandhya was having delivery pain and at any moment the delivery was due. With more nerves, I boarded the flight and switched off the cell phone. The short journey of 45 minutes seemed so long.

I landed at the airport, switched my cell phone on immediately and called my mother in law. She told me that delivery had not yet happened and might happen anytime. I went in for a de-route from Bajpe Airport to Surathkal (where my father in law had gone back to get some more stuff) and then to planned to go to the hospital. Mom in law called in a few minutes saying the delivery may take time as a normal delivery had not happened after waiting for more than 6 hours and that a Cesarean will be performed, and that it would be better if I could come straight. The taxi driver took another route and drove like mad to get me to the hospital. Ran into the maternity section and checked with my mother in law. The operation was still in process. I sat down nervously. In five minutes the nurse called me in and I was greeted by Dr. Murali Keshava, Paediatrician, congratulating me on becoming a father of two boys. Both were on weighing scales, the elder (recognized by a band on his right arm) weighed 2.40 Kgs, while the younger one weighed 2.15 Kgs (which is supposedly very good weight for twins). I next checked on Sandhya's status and was told that they were still stitching her up after the operation.

I am now a proud Papa of two boys...