Brain Haemorrhage And After Poem by Daniel Trevelyn Joseph

I have had headaches before,
I would go for guru thailam in childhood
And for Tiger Balm of Singapore in college.

I did not like to take saridon etc
But would not mind a cup of coffee
Or a nice nap for an hour any time of the day.

And now the head starts aching
If I sit on the laptop for more than an hour
Of if I have to handle more than two or more things.

O I now get worried when the headache starts
Thinking maybe it is the bleeding inside:
After all, the same ache I had six months ago.

When I was talking on the maritime policy
In the FICCI and Infrastructure magazine conference
In Intercontinental The Lalit hotel at Sahar, Mumbai.

Lucky I was Khushru, Atul and Nikhil
Rushed me to the hospital within the hour
And the hospital had the doctors and the equipment.

For ten days after the episode, what happened
Has been wiped out from my memory,
Though at no point I went into a coma.

I remember speaking with headache,
Getting off the dais, saying not feeling well
But don’t trouble my wife or daughter.

They say that I threw up badly,
Was taken to a room, here the hotel doctor,
Came and advised shift to Seven Hills hospital.

I don’t remember how Iwas taken to the hospital,
Or any of the tests, even the lumbar puncture
Done the next day to reduce my headache

By putting the needle at the end of the spine,
And removing some cerebro spinal fluid
Along with some blood from my brain.

Wife and daughter tell me that I was bad as patient:
Hospital had to tie up my hands and legs,
I would keep pleading that I should be let loose.

Strange to think that ‘Seven Hills Hospital’ at Marol
Was inaugurated by President Pratiba Patil on 5th July,
And I am admitted on 26th August 2010.

In India, within less than two months
Any institution does not have more than
Table and chairs, and the excuse, “We have just opened! ”

But here there were able doctors,
Who diagnosed my brain haemorrhage fast, had
The willingness to explain to patients’ relatives.

And so when I get that special ache
Which affects the inside back of head,
I worry again it accompanies bleeding inside.

No coffee, no saridon I look for;
I slow down whatever I am doing,
And hasten to a place to lie down quietly.