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Time was ticking. The prediction of the palmist continued haunting me. It was really disturbing. Anything could happen any time, I said to myself. Years rolled by. Life moved on as usual. With its ups and downs of course, but nothing disastrous.
Five years elapsed since I turned 55 and joyfully I completed sixty years on this planet in the year 2009. It so happened that I was destined to complete sixty years with my friends and their families, my wife standing by my side at a function in Guruvayoor temple organised by my friends, not to celebrate my birthday but something more spiritual (only me and my wife were aware of my age). Anyhow it turned out to be a real birthday treat with the blessings of the Lord and a sumptuous lunch.
Memory of the meeting with the palmist started fading with the passage of time. I could not visualise what was in store for me.
22nd June 2009, the day dawned as usual. After the routine morning chores I drove to work. Around half past three that afternoon a colleague of mine came to me and asked "Hey are you retiring in December this year?. I heard so as this topic is spreading around", he continued. I was totally numb unable to react as I have never ever thought of retirement upto that moment. And I was not mentally or financially prepared to call it a day. It was a sudden shock and it gave me a severe jolt. I felt totally depressed and dejected. I could feel the impact of this shock all over my body.
On reaching home I went straight to the bedroom and sat on the couch. Suddenly I started shivering uncontrollably and shouted for help. My wife and nephew took me to the hospital where I was administered necessary first aid and then allowed to go home. I was back to normal.
On 23rd June 2009 around six in the evening the symptoms reappeared. This time it was a bit severe and I could not balance my body and I kept swaying. I was rushed to the hospital and taken to the emergency unit for a diagnosis. I was eventually moved to the ICU and blood samples were taken. I was finding it difficult to breathe. The doctor on duty observed that I was not responding to the medicines. A team of doctors was busy discussing the seriousness of the situation. They kept on trying different types of medicines and finally came to the conclusion that it was a case of blood infection. As the breathing problem persisted I was put on ventilator.
I was lying down staring at the ceiling constantly praying in silence. I knew that my wife was waiting in the hospital premises without food or sleep the whole night and frequently checking with the nursing staff on my condition as she did not have free access to the ICU. Later in the night the attending doctors told my wife that the chances of survival are dim as the vital organs have started failing one by one. I realized this (as a flashback) only after I was discharged from the hospital. They asked my wife to inform my children.
I went into a deep slumber. I dreamt that a supernatural force was consoling me, with the words that two angels will take care of me, one being my wife and the other my cousin's daughter, a doctor herself. Without my knowledge, my health status was being monitored at regular intervals. My condition remained the same till next morning. My kidneys stopped functioning. It was then decided to transfer me to the renal section for a possible dialysis. I was put under the care of an Iraqi doctor who decided to delay the dialysis (This doctor later revealed that he used to be the personal physician of Saddam Hussain before he moved to Dubai).
Then the miracle happened. I started passing urine and I could hear the doctor say "Thank God, he is out of danger and dialysis will not be necessary".
Around nine 'o' clock on the third day of my hospitalisation I saw my daughter standing near my bed, tears rolling down her eyes. She presented an artificial smile hiding her worries and handed me a picture of Sai Baba of Shirdi. The very sight of the picture suddenly brought a ray of hope and I indulged in silent prayers.
On being informed by my wife, my son rushed to Dubai crossing the seven seas just to have a glimpse of me. He was looking sad and jet-lagged. I smiled at him and whispered, I am OK. Then there was a flow of visitors and well wishers.
The doctors finally diagnosed the disease as Septicaemia but they could not investigate the source so they vaguely concluded that it could be food poisoning, blood transfusion or a deep and sudden shock. It is common knowledge that the chances of survival is nil in most of the Septicaemia cases.
For me it was nearly fatal. It would have been disastrous as the palmist predicted years ago, but for the divine hands and the God-sent angels.
I heard a few years back that Professor Kutty passed away, passing the mantle to his son. I feel like shouting at the top of my voice "Professor Kutty, you are really marvelous but you are no match to the prowess of the all pervading phenomenon. That unseen force, unknown power can change anything and everything, even the fate line on your palm".
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