The carousel never stops!

Before I pen down my thoughts, I would like to dedicate this article to my bravest and most heartening cousin Ajay. The very reminiscence of this incident makes me fell dreadful and takes me to the darkest of all my memories put together. But also it gives me immense courage and plenty of learning from it.

Let’s go back a year exactly. I was in Chennai busy thinking what I should be eating after my day’s fasting and that’s when I received a call that my first cousin has met with an accident. The conversation with my grandpa from my hometown was very brief coz he was already running in panic not knowing what to do next. I felt as if my world stood still that moment as I knew from the very tone of my grandpa that something was serious over there. After few phone calls to other folks in my hometown and to my mom, I was able to get hold of what the issue really was.

My cousin who just joined in his Masters in Engineering in one of the reputed colleges in my home town was staying with my grandparents in their place. He had the advantage of setting up his own room in their home with all the luxuries he needed just to do his Masters’ peacefully. I still remember my Patti (grandmother) saying how he used to get ready for college, put on his coolers, his shoes and eating breakfast in a hurry and hop into his pulsar and fly away!!

Never would he have thought nor us that day could turn out to be the black day for our family. He had half a day at college and was returning home in his pulsar. Just 100 feet away from home the demon in the form of a sand truck greeted him and his friend who was accompanying him a big demonic smile. Within fraction of seconds things got out of hand. 

Good people out there rushed those two boys to a nearby hospital and the first aid was been taken care. By the time my folks got the message and rushed to the hospital, the docs advised to take them to Coimbatore to a bigger and a better hospital as things were very serious by then. An ambulance was called in and they put him in there and brought him in an hours’ time which is commendable thinking of the distance.

People in the accident spot kept talking about how my brother called his mother when he was surrounded in a pool of blood. Phew! I can’t imagine that boy’s guts!

So after the procedures, the doctors declared that all the bones in his left ankle were crushed and they had to amputate it immediately just to save his life because it was stopping the blood flow. My family had to take the call and though this was like a bolt of lightning on all our heads we had to make the call. So it was made and they took him to the operation theatre. After 2 hours of waiting, palpitating, crying, grieving, praying they brought our boy after amputating his left leg little above the ankle. Whom to curse or what to think about then? Nothing. It’s over and we were all left to grieve over this.

Then came another big bolt of lightning. His right thighs were crushed so badly that it was stopping the blood flow to his entire right legs. It came to a point where the leg would never function and be a dead one and in turn might take his life in due course or else we could amputate till his knee so we could at least make it function. So again the family had to make this tough call one more time making all our hearts cold. So we decided to save his life and the surgery was done. Our boy came out with his right leg amputated slightly below the knee. We were all in awe not knowing whom to convince by saying what.

Saying all this, before the second surgery the doctors had a chance to have a word with my cousin. During which he has told them: Happened is happened. I believe and trust in you doctors so much and whatever you do, just promise to bring me back alive because “I want to live and show life how it’s to be challenged”. The doctors were highly impressed with his will power, courage and optimism. So were we. They promised and kept their word too. The doctors later told our parents that this surgery had been a 100% success with Ajay’s co-operation 50%. How amazing is that!!

Followed by days of grieving, pain and anger he started to get better each day only because he wanted to get better. He stayed so optimistic, even giving us all hopes when we tried to console him. Actually it was him who consoled us all. That was the ever biggest life lesson one could ever teach me. I learnt how to perceive, endure, tolerate, being optimistic and above all to “Never lose hope” in life. He is my HERO!

We all have heroes in our lives who would have inspired us, taught us, moved us or made our lives better. Salute them and live your life accordingly and tell the tale...

Today we are blessed enough to see him practice walking with his prosthetic legs. It gives us all a feeling how a baby starts to learn walking. How things happen are way beyond our control sometimes, but how we handle is all in our hands, right in front of us. He is a dreamer and an achiever and as always he never stopped where he was and he works in one of the Corporates now, lifting his heads high and teaching each and every one who cribs and skulks over life that “Life is beautiful and to Live it with the same pride and dignity as always”.

How was he able to do this? Only because he never bogged down, never put himself down nor did he give up on life. Instead he stood for himself, pulled in all the confidence left of him and perceived he would win over this. And eventually he did :)

Our lives are like the carousels. It just keeps running and we get to see both happy and the worst memories. But the carousel never stops turning and so as we. Just remember: whatever happens “Life has to move on…”

Thank you so much Ajay for being such an inspiration to me in all possible ways. I owe you one to have made me realize how beautiful my life is and nothing is going to change with my cribbing and pessimism. EVER! But with all that optimism, will power, tolerance and hope I can change any bad situation into a lovely one!!

I've taken the liberty to post a picture of the brave heart here. This is for you all to show life is short and beautiful and to smile at it and to LIVE IT.

And I definitely bet a lot of people out there would be much inspired and I wish your prayers are there for him always....