A mosaic of light and shadows danced across the grey, concrete floor, which was lined with Parijata flowers. Gaurav’s footsteps echoed in the silence as he entered the building. The hallway overlooked a garden that exuded an air of uncertainty. An acrid smell of pain cut through the rhythmic hum of ‘Om’, the deep sound vibrating through his being. He walked with quick, measured steps, his mind buzzing with the thoughts of upcoming events.
Through a partially opened door, he saw a man wincing in discomfort, tubes snaking through his frail body. The man groaned as he shifted on the bed, even the slightest movement feeling like a battle. Gaurav’s feet faltered, his heart threatening to shatter the bony walls. His grasp around his file tightened, the plastic cutting into his skin. The tears in his eyes froze, the icicles stabbing him.
Echoes from over a decade ago resonated within him. His strength shattered, like a house of cards collapsing, his resilience crumbling into dust. His wobbly feet gave out, and he fell to the ground. He buried his face in his hands, his relentless tears streamed down, burning his cheeks.
He gasped as he remembered walking into the same hospice center with his parents more than a decade ago. His once broad-shouldered father, who had chiseled muscles, now hobbled with a frail form that pleaded for support.
“Be careful,” his mother said, guiding him to the ward.
The verity of his fate was undeniable; his bony frame sheathed in pallid skin was a stark testament to destiny’s game.
“The cancer has reached an advanced stage. It has invaded most of his organs and is on the brink of conquest.” The doctor said, his voice grim, his expression pensive.
Gaurav listened as the delicately woven words crippled his mind and numbed his senses.
“Our focus is now on palliative care. You can admit him to a hospice center. They will take care of the pain,” the doctor added.
Gaurav had witnessed his father contort in pain. He smelled of medicines and vomit, his eyes sought emancipation. The cancer hadn’t only trespassed his father’s body it had also violated his mind. With every distressing tear his father shed, Gaurav sank deeper into the quagmire of despair. The malignancy had ripped his family apart, leaving him feeling incapacitated.
“Dr. Gaurav, your office is on the opposite side.” A nurse jostled him back to the present.
From enduring loss and the grief that had broken him down, to attending endless therapy sessions to choosing to pursue psychiatry his journey had come full circle. Bringing peace to the afflicted became his life’s purpose. He chose to begin his journey at the very place it all started – the hospice center that had cared for his father. The monotone walls, once etched with his father’s sufferings would support him in his endeavor to provide solace to the ailing minds. In the process, he too shall attain peace.
Glossary
Hospice Centre – A centre that provides care to the terminally ill and have reached the end of their lives.
