₹500/- and some luck saved a life

Date: February 14, 2020 .

57 years traveller became unwell and started spluttering blood in a distant city.  Somebody landed him in a nearby shanty hospital and informed his family.  His brother picked up all the money at home and all plastic cards he could muster and took a flight to the ailing traveller.  Seeing the hospital he knew in an instant that his brother wouldn’t survive. He wanted to return to Delhi where something could possibly be done for the ailing traveller- his brother.

Off to the local airport they went, he bought the tickets and started to board.  Alarmed at the sight of an ailing traveller who was hobbling up the steps with blood smeared across his face, the stewards off loaded them asking them to get a medical certificate i.e. ‘fitness to fly’.  Now they hobbled across to the airport doctor chamber, who declined the required certificate. After much pleading, a bribe of ₹ 500/- and a quick cleanup they were allowed to board.

The brothers sat in the last seat quietly coughing and spluttering into a towel (when nobody was watching) lest the plane be forced to make an emergency landing.  Brother knew that the traveller was getting cold and drowsy as the flight progressed and kept his hand busy comforting the elder sibling.  Soon they landed in Delhi and cleverly asked for quick evacuation from the plane and took a taxi to hospital.

Which hospital? Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, the top heart hospital in Delhi, because that was the first name that came to his mind.  At 8 pm the duo were at the hospital emergency, a minute later the traveller had flat lined.

This just means that his heart had stopped. Dr. Sujay Shad, the top heart surgeon in Delhi, treated the patient. After a long period of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, his heart resumed some function. Shortly he went through a lifesaving bypass operation and went home alive and well.  He continues his travels 11 years from the day and ritually calls to wish me on his operation anniversary.

₹ 500/- allowed him to board a flight to Delhi. Luck got him to hospital in time for a cardiac arrest.

One can get assistance from the best bypass surgeon in Delhi, Dr. Sujay Shad, at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital for any heart condition.