An Unfathomable State of Trauma - A story of my father

An Unfathomaable State of Trauma 

 A story of my father...

The clock struck 7, the cool evening breeze set in, with the sun restlessly ducking, to hide away from what prevails. The bravest man I have ever seen, withered helplessly from that day. My father; a strong man, looked like no barrier could stop him, emotionally or physically from meticulously working or spending wholesome time with me. But then, one incident had etched its mark in my memory for eternity. The following 10 days, I witnessed a never-seen-before version of my father.

Crippling in pain due to severe arthritis at his feet, he succumbed to the ultimate destiny and fate, secluded in one room, unable to move his lower joints. I remember vividly the immense boredom and tension that would strike him like a wrecking ball at times, but he had no other choice but to face it upfront like any challenge he had endured previously. To my memory, this was his second attack, previously gripping him in Bhubaneshwar, with little to no moral support or assistance. My heart drooped down as I did all my best to help him and take care of him. I can’t forget the long times I would sit by him gazing at him, whilst he took small naps. Tears of solace frequently rolled down my cheek, as I watched the misery he faced.

Going for a pee and taking bath, was perhaps a long vision nightmare, but it became true. The simple task of walking a few feet, became so strenuous that he had refused to use the bathroom on a few occasions. The intense pain bewildered his and our senses. The restlessness of not being able to move caught hold of him, as he slept only for few hours a day, reluctantly moving his leg left and right. As I return from school every day, I would sit beside him and gently massage the inflamed areas with eucalyptus oil, bringing about a subtle smile across his face, brushing out the gloomy mood which lay before.

By god’s grace he recovered from this unbearable and unfathomable dire state within a week and half, back to what he was before. The same old, strong man, relentlessly fighting across obstacles in life, setting a role model for whosoever it was.