Survivor

My father, a polio survivor, had an earnest and burning passion that I remember from my childhood years. My dad loved driving, especially when it came to motorbikes.

When I was in 9th grade, my dad became entangled in a major road accident and had his hip shattered into pieces. After his initial treatment, his doctor informed our family that it was not possible for my dad to walk again without a hip replacement. Given my dad’s background with polio and several other health conditions, this would not be easy.

My sister and I were still teenagers, terrified of seeing our dad in such a treacherous situation. But my mom, she was a warrior. She never looked lost in any situation, the courage that she possessed could not be simply explained in words. She not only gave us hope but relentlessly advocated for my dad, taking him to many sophisticated hospitals.

Those days were unforgettable, unexplainable and miserable ones. My dad was unable to even sit in an erect position. My mom had to take care of him like a baby. She had to assist him in all his routines, from bathing to feeding, cleaning him to dressing him up.  

My mom assisted my dad for years. Amidst all this, our biggest challenge was to deal with his depression. He would scream at Amma (the Tamil word for mom) for trivial things. After the endless hard work, in spite of the love and care she rendered, all she got back was yelling and shouting. 

Our home was full of frustration from every direction. Our mom didn’t even have time to spend with us. Despite the many obstacles, she continued to carry out all her work with a tenacious temperament and unconditional love.

Soon, God answered all of our selfless prayers. We met a famous orthopedist, Dr. M. Subramaniam. He gave us some hope and agreed to operate on my dad, but the success rate was only 40% and the huge cost scared us. My mom was insistent that my dad should undergo this operation and said that she would bring the sky down to make my dad walk again. It's her determination that made everything possible. My dad was the first polio survivor to undergo a total hip replacement surgery in India. 

It took 3 months for the doctor to prepare dad’s body for the surgery. His pre-existing ailments like diabetes and pressure were brought under control. He also had previous records of heart attack and jaundice, so preparing him for the surgery itself was a big challenge.

“My mom was insistent that my dad should undergo this operation and said that she would bring the sky down to make my dad walk again.”

On December 11, my dad underwent a six-hour-long surgery. The surgery was successful and after a month of physiotherapy sessions, my dad took his first step. My mom appeared like a Jhansi Rani ( an Indian historical warrior princess) to me. Now, my dad is able to walk and take care of all his daily activities. Even after 20 years, my mom and dad visit Dr. Subramaniam every year on December 11 to thank him with sweets. We still see him as Lord Murugan, a Tamil God.

Today, when I see my 5-year-old boxing with his grandpa , my emotions are beyond descriptions. It all seems like a dream come true and nothing less than a fairytale ending.

Vithya Loganathan

is a teacher, blogger, passionate cook and a mother of boys who lives in Fortmill, SC.