Another scintillating encounter with Life (or death). Being invited by the government to attend the meeting on ASAP, the prestigious skill training programme, I made use of it as a guise to be in Trivandrim 'on duty' to transact several other pending businesses.
Though my plan was to go by motorbike itself, I missed the alarm, got up late, and got ready only by 6.45 and found no other way but go non-stop to be decently present for the meeting. Managed to cover 200 kms in 4 hours, the remaining 8 to 10 kms took more time. However, a stop over, change of dress, all those put together, I was at the meeting by their tea break, say around 11 am.
After sitting through the meeting and getting acquainted with the participant colleges, managed to get away and began to go around businesses with various offices. A joint Secretary was benevolent enough to accompany me on the motorbike to some of the offices - thanks to the personal rapport developed over the years. To agricultural minister's office, Directorate of Collegiate Education, Higher Education department, Science and Technology for CRZ clearance, To Pattom Kudumbasree directorate to meet the Director... Rather thrilled to have accomplished so many meetings in one go... Bit enthused. Had a song on my lips... thought of treating myself well at Kollam or so... perhaps watch a movie and then go on... Started off bravely around 7.15 pm. Slow progress - but didn't bother. It was all going fine. Then, something like the milkmaid's dream - a sudden flash from the opposite direction, encroaching into my side, perhaps, quick application of brake... I lose balance, and lo, I fall down... I am moving with bike on me... I can vaguely recall, head hitting the ground, but not so bad... smiling that I am not able to get up, on account of the weight of bike on me... Though it's a lonely area, there is no 'dearth of people of good will'... they come, a young man lifts the bike. I am helped to, or on my own, stand up - there is pain! Was that excruciating.... I don't know.
However, I really felt pain. But I sensed that no bone was broken - as previous experience with a fracture tells me that it is kind of unbearable pain, and you will not be able to manage to do something else without redressing that. The small, goodly crowd that gathered wanted to help, take me to hospital... but to me, it all seemed a big line of nuisance - hospital, the formalities, the medicines, then the bike etc. I checked if the bike would start. And it did. Apparently, no visible damage other than the scratches on the headlight from 3 previous falls, got deepened into gashes now; and the crash guard on the left side, got almost crushed inside. But that was okay. Light was steady, no mirror broken. something was dangling from my dress - Oh it was mobile phone with the earphone. - apparently unscratched (with only the already existing scratches). They advised me to go to the government hospital at Paripally, 3 kms away. Somebody would lead etc.. As pain was persistent, a thought occurred to me to call up the monastery, ask someone to come by car and ease me. But then the thought that someone will have to take the bike and at least, two, if not three, would have to be disturbed... I thought, I will try out. Still a fear of brain injury sustained. Stories of accident victims walking bravely, and then collapsing to death, came across. I felt kind of nauseated - the taste of queer mix of the peanuts eaten and the lemon tea drunk, now started creating a vomitting sensation, though not so strong. However, once seated on the bike, I felt less pain on the legs. Shoulder and neck were hurting. I was finding it stressful to keep the neck free, and something had definitely happened to it. From the joints of the vertebrae of the neck region the kind of sensation of cracking the knuckles was emerging repeatedly, which was a consolation; however, the strain did not abate. In between, there was a strange sensation - as if lightning (minnal) was going through my left knee. (This has not stopped even today).
After almost twenty kilometers of ride, I pulled up, and with faltering steps went to a medical store and got a spray. I requested their help to get it sprayed, especially at the neck. They were helpful, (without asking for it, gave a Rs. 5.00 reduction on the MRP of the spray!) and were a little alarmed by the blood oozing from my hands, from the scratches. There was a fairly deep gash in the left palm. The advice was to go to the government Hospital or to Kottiyam Hospital, which was just 3 kms away. I did have an impulse to go to Kottiyam hospital and get some relief. But when the turn to Kottiyam arrived, I didn't feel like stopping went ahead, slow - steady 50 to 60 kms per hour.
On nearing Alappuzha, I was further tempted to rest and relax and get some human consolation - There was our Punnapra monastery (long time since I had visited it), there was Palackappilly Babichan near Semetheri Bridge (Savakkotta Palam), there was Niya's home near the bus stand. Niya's place would give the best publicity, without having to write all this. Ideally, we should stick to the monastery. Or to continue with the bravado, I should go on to Thevara. Finally, as the gate of Punnapra institutions was sighted, I stopped over. Told the guard the need to go to monastery. He was initially hesitant - past 11 pm, strange looks, on a motor bike, a priest - rare chance. However, when I told him the names of a few fathers and my being the Principal of SH, it clicked with him, and he opened the gate.
I found it difficult to locate the monastery in the drastically transformed campus with new engineering college and international school etc. Then the watchman sensed something amiss, came looking for me, and in a tone of reprieve (still sounding not very convinced of my credentials), indicated the monastery sign board. - the same old monastery, only that some refined furnishings have come up - tiles etc. All were in their rooms - The one available was Fr. Siji, junior to me, and we didn't know each other. However, on my introduction, he extended the expected CMI hospitality, gave me room, asked me to have food, instructed me to have a hot water bath, and insisted that I be taken to the medical college near by. The watchman, Sharma, a Nepali and known to our watchman Sharma, also became very pro-active and insisted that I go to the hospital, rest and go in the morning.
I complied with only the hot water bath part of the suggestions. Perhaps, for the first time, while being in India, I made use of the geyser and got some hot water for a bath. Water on the wounds on both legs, knees, and both hands, was not soothing, but rather causing the sensation of chilly powder being applied on wounds. However, I managed to have a quick bath, which appeared to have comforted me. Got back into the dress, and put on the raincoat in addition to the jacket. It was kind of chilly. When I insisted on departing, as mature adults, they did not object. And I was on the road.
I was finding it a struggle to pull the clutch, as the left wrist was hurting rather badly. I manoeuvered it with my right hand, adding to the risk. But the road being now less busy it was okay. In spite of that, gave a lift to 3 guys on the way. Finally, was back around 1.15 am at the monastery. That means, instead of the typical 4 to 4 and a half hours, 6 hours. But that was quite okay. The next day, thanks to my reporting and sharing with the students when I met them as a group. My fear was that something regarding brain injury might emerge. On being threatened with the likelihood of Tetanus (Dr. Moolayil was authoritatively describing how I would have none to carry the casket. Boy, I didn't want that - Not that I was bothered about having no people to carry the pallet; rather, I was so keen to donate my body for future experiments or medical learning, and I didn't want that not to happen, just because I did not take an anti-tetanus shot!) I called up Dr. Rosamma (our good old, Dr. Rosamma Vincent Njavally, who has been there from my childhood times) and got a shot of anti-tetanus vaccine - TT? It had to be taken within 24 hours, and it was not yet 24 hours. (Dr. Rosamma refused to be paid, but on insistence, assured that it would be given in the composite bill to the monastery. I reminded Fr. Prior regarding this, and he assured me that payment will be made during the Easter feast.) I plan to do the whole course - next shot after 6 weeks, and a third one after six months, which is said to cover one for 5 years!! Bindaaz! Implies that I am determined to get injured again? Not really, but in all likelihood, it would happen.
The nurse, in addition, also did some cleaning of the bruises and applied 'murivenna' on them! I was a bit surprised, but had no objection. Refused dressing, and the prescription of any analgesic. Till now, my experience is that wounds get healed, rather quickly and without any medication. Hope that the status would prevail. That also means, no diabetes!! May God sustain me like that! I had become much better off, so that from the hurtful movement and difficulty in climbing down the steps in the morning, I was feeling okay to walk around and bicycled to her clinic and back.
The very next day, that is, yesterday, I rode my sports cycle up to Ayyappankavu for attending a meeting on wet land conservation. I had no great difficulty with that, in spite of the sun (scorching for many). However, at night I got panicked. I slept around 11.30 pm. And at sharp 1200, there was some rumbling in my right ear, followed by excruciating pain - the kind of pain that I suffer sometimes during flights (esp. the ones to Delhi, more so with indigo). The sound was that of some foam or liquid moving in the ear. I feared whether some insect - a cockroach or ant had entered the ear - which means, likely to enter the brain!! (Aside: My rooms are generally infested with ants - as they merrily feed on the tid-bits that lie around after my consuming some sweets or peanuts, that come by may once a while. But we used to have a real understanding not to disturb each other. Even when I lie down, they go their way, without harming me, focusing on their job. But things could change!) Or was the impact of the fall? Pain didn't get abated and the rumbling sound also persisted. It was a first time experience. I thought of waking up someone and going to a hospital... However, did some twists and turns, and exercising the jaws - opening wide... The sound seemed to stop. And the pain also ceased. Feared whether I could get sleep again. Then I thought I would sit up and read, and see if there was need to go to hospital. I felt it was safer to do so, as it was a matter of hearing and brain etc... All the same, I lay down, rather awake. But in no time dozed off again, only to wake up in the morning around 5.30.
So that was my tryst with the fifth of bike related encounters. First one - a fall from the show room as I purchased a new bike (Bajaj KB 100) and got out, the fall was some 6 feet down, resulting in a deep cut on the palm - but the bike still in tact; the second enroute Bangalore, at Coimbatore at night, hitting behind a container truck lying on road, with no reflectors behind, that was again ok. I could get up, in spite of hurting my wrist and palm, could reach my destination as planned. The third was a minor skidding near Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium at the turn, on account of loose sand and gravel there, only scratches on the headlight; the fourth was a narrow escape, en route to Kothamangalam after Kolenchery, when in the rain during night time, a car overtaking us, hit us while it got to the left-hand side after overtaking. There was severe injury to my shoulder and knees, but still managed without hospital and medication, and completed the trip. And this was the fifth in the series. I am grateful - that no bone is broken, that I could complete the trip, that I didn't have to take rest till now, that the bike is still okay - though the crash guard (rod) near the left pedal is broken and I am still alive.
All this appear still fine, when compared with the gusti (khushti - hindi) I have to do with the small group of rebellious students who are bent on creating some nuisance on a daily basis. That is something like the Our Father, it is becoming part of the daily bread!! O Lord, deliver us from evil! Amen! The other lesson is that bike is a jolly good fellow - a real toughie, and if you have health to manage it, the best bet for travel in this terrain. I love that. The Honda Unicorn I use now, has completed almost 73000 kms. If I could complete 100000, now, I am not averse to having a good bullet, and as soon as I am relieved of this job, to go around the country for a long exploratory trip! By the way, if there is a sponsor for the new bike - WELCOME!!
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