June 5, 2011
May 2000
He’s trying hard to open his eyes. He has the will but he doesn’t have the strength. He tries again, and this time he succeeds. He rolls his eyes around to see his surroundings. He is trying hard to remember where he is.
At that instance, the door opens and a nurse walks in. She has a beautiful smile, he thinks. And he quickly realizes that she’s there to check on him and finds her staring at his arm. Wonder why she is so fascinated about it. He looks down to see what got her staring at his arm. He is shocked. His arm has countless marks of punctures and blood clot beneath the skin right where he was jabbed with needles. There is not a single clean spot to pierce again. He tries to move his arm, and a jolt of stabbing pain hits him. He slowly relaxes back. Suddenly he gets the urge to know what date it is. He tries to speak but no sound comes out of his throat. He is just lying there looking at the nurse walk out the door and then his gaze moves to the ceiling and his thoughts start rolling back....
His name is Melwyn Lobo, a very bright and good guy. He did his BE in NITK, Suratkal. Those days it was a big thing to get a seat in that college. But he was intelligent and deserved to be there. It was like heaven for him to be in college, with his new friends. He enjoyed his college life to the core. As soon as he graduated, he got a good job with a handsome pay in a software firm in Chennai. He was very excited about it and was looking forward to begin his career. He was from a middle class Catholic family, his dad being an agriculturist was trying his best to provide good education to his four children. Melwyn, being the second child was well aware of his responsibilities. Elder one was Emi, third one Alwyn, youngest was the spoilt one, Veena.
Melwyn was supposed to join the company in September 1999 but due to some reason it got postponed and he was asked to join on April 12, 2000. He didn’t want to waste his time, so he took up some computer certification courses.
On April 2, 2000, Melwyn was admitted to hospital as he was ailing from indigestion. He was vomiting continuously. The doctors failed to diagnose his disease. He underwent scanning, and yet they couldn’t find the cause. Melwyn’s condition was not good and he knew it. He wanted to help his dad financially, so he couldn’t delay or give up the job. On April 9, he got his offer letter from the company. His father begged him to stay back and undergo treatment. But Melwyn wouldn’t hear of it and was determined to leave for the job. He packed his bags and left. At the railway station, his dad begged him again not to leave till he was all fine, but Melwyn did not change his decision.
As planned, Melwyn joined the company on April 12. He was happy but he was still ill. He knew something was wrong. But he kept it to himself, not wanting to worry his family. He worked for a week with all the strength and enthusiasm he could muster. After one week his condition worsened. He was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai. His colleagues called his dad and informed him of Melwyn’s condition. As soon as he got the message, his dad left to Chennai along with Alwyn.
On reaching the hospital, his dad found his son lying on the bed. He was furious and wanted to shout at him for not listening to him. But looking at his condition, all he could do was hold back his tears. The doctors were treating him but his condition was deteriorating rather than improving. Alwyn being the third in family cared about his elder brother and always looked up to him. Never in his life had he dreamt of seeing his elder brother in this state. He remembered the good old childhood days when they used to play, running around fields, both strong and physically fit. He just couldn’t watch his brother lying there fighting for his life.
April 20
Melwyn spoke to his mom and his two dear sisters, not knowing that it would be the last time they would be listening to him talk.
May 10, 2000
Seeing Melwyn's critical condition, the doctor asked his dad to shift him to a renowned hospital in Chennai. His condition had so deteriorated that he was not able to stand or walk. On reaching CMC hospital, he was made to sit on a bench. Infact he spent the whole night on that bench as the initial formalities were not complete. Some hospitals give more importance to money and paperwork and then comes the patient, and needless to say this was one of them. His dad’s heart was weeping for his son. But he was helpless.
The very next day Melwyn was moved to ICU. The doctors said that he had a kidney problem. His dad was heartbroken. He had already spent a lot of money on Melwyn’s treatment, but he still wanted to do all that he could to save his son. He didn’t care about money. As their relatives and dear ones came to know about this, they started helping him monetarily and he was very grateful to them.
Melwyn’s aunt and uncle came to Chennai to see him. His dearest aunt could not control her tears, looking at the sight in front of her. His nephew had lost so much weight. She had carried him in her arms when he was a chubby child. The same Melwyn was lying there very weak. He could not even sit. She stayed with him for one week and then she left for Managlore praying and hoping she would see him back home soon.
May 21, 2000
Melwyn was only able to sense and feel. The doctors were trying their best to do something. Melwyn’s Mom, and youngest sister Veena came to Chennai to see him. Words aren't enough to describe what his mom went through seeing her child there. The moment Veena set foot in the ICU she started crying. Her sweet, smart, macho elder brother was there in front of her eyes fighting for his life. She just couldn’t stop her tears. Melwyn lifted his finger and signaled her to stop crying. But the sobbing did not stop.
Again, Melwyn underwent an intestine operation for the second time. His condition was critical. It looked like God had already made plans to call his dear son back home. The doctors said he needed blood. His blood group was O negative. His dad and Alwyn had already given blood so they couldn't this time. Since they weren’t in Mangalore it was very difficult to arrange for a rare blood group with all strangers around. Veena was under age and his mom’s haemoglobin content was low. They say when bad time comes it will uproot you from base. At last Alwyn’s friend agreed to come to Chennai from Mysore to donate blood.
Melwyn was still lying on the bed. He couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk. If he wanted to tell something he would scribble on a paper. Many a time he asked his mom to sit beside him and read out from the Bible. She would read the Bible in a steady tone controlling her emotions and he used to drift off to sleep.
Now they had bandaged his eyes as the medicines had side effects. They also tied his hands to the headboard of the bed. He had tried to remove the oxygen pipe from his mouth. His dad was losing hope. He knew that his son's time had come near. But still he didn’t let the others know. He was broken from inside. He was asking endless questions to God.
June 5, 2000
Melwyn closed his eyes for the final time. He was 23 years old when he passed away. It was an age when he ought to be enjoying life, building his career, committing mistakes and learning from them, but he spent it fighting his illness and suffering all the pain and at last losing the battle. His ambitions, his love, his interests and dreams were lost forever. He had planned his life, so much so that he had already decided the name for his child too. How unfortunate is it to die so young, leaving your family and loved ones behind. Emi, his sister was so unfortunate that she didn’t even get a chance to see her brother.
He was finally home to Mangalore but lifeless. He was buried in his hometown. His family was mourning for him. It was such a sorrowful day.
But this was not the end. Something more was in store for his family that was still in mourning. Veena went to school after a week when one of her friends asked her, "Your brother died because he was taking drugs?" She was baffled. She went home and told Alwyn and her aunt about the same. Then they realized, half the town was gossiping about Melwyn taking drugs. Very soon Melwyn’s dad came to know about the baseless gossip. He was furious because he knew the truth and the truth was that God has taken away his beloved son.
A few days passed and people openly started talking about these rumours. Fish mongers, strangers, acquaintances, even relatives and known people, which was unbearable. Then one Sunday, during the mass an announcement was made - "If anybody wants to check Melwyn’s medical reports, feel free to come and do so but please do not gossip behind our back."
A young man dies and people weave a story of their own around the death and start spreading it. They don’t care or bother to think what the deceased one’s family will feel. Isn’t the pain of the person’s death not great enough that they have to torment you with false stories about the dear one who is lost?
A decade has passed since Melwyn’s death. He is often remembered by his family. When they hear his name tears gently roll down their cheeks and a prayer reaches the heavens to rest his soul in peace.
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