I wrote this on Nov 24th, 2016

Sushila..

Shivcharan and Sushila, a shy couple came to Delhi in 1990 or so from a small village in purvanchal ( eastern UP is yet to be named so). Belonging to a poor SC family they had a small house left by his father which went into dispute between him and his Chacha's family. The migration was for the similar reasons for which I migrated back in late seventies to the dream city called Bombay... A better life.

Not sure if they had skills of a Dhobi back home or not but after coming to Delhi they decided to work as " ironwallas ".. Ironing clothes for neighbourhood people. Around the time when we shifted to our home in Mayur Vihar back in early nineties lots of apartments were being built in this part of the city and middle class people who could not afford a place in the elite south Delhi were shifting here among them lots of professionals such as journalists, lawyers, teachers, retired bureaucrats et al .

With a foresight for making a living in the city Shivcharan and Sushila decided to set up their shop in the apartment block we live when there were just a couple of dozen families lived. Since this is an essential service for residents they were interviewed and allowed to work from an area near porch in one of the buildings. They both must have been in later twenties or early thirties at that time, almost "newly married" with one son and a daughter both in arms.

Over the years they survived the grit of such monstrous city by their dedication for work. They earned just enough to support two square meals for the family that added two more children over the years that followed. Our apartment society was generous enough and their children integrated well with other children in the society, that was such a bright side of co- operative living. Some people at have had reservations but by and large all these children used to play together in the lawn and around the complex my children included. The social difference never came on the way for after school play.. Children being children.. They were rather encouraged to integrate whether it was cricket or football or Piththoo/ Sitolia. Their children went to government schools and knowing their levels other children as well as ours used to help them in their homework and teach them spoken English.

The only time their shop would be shut was when they used to visit their ancestral home. Else without fail all days in a week they would start work at 9.00am and finish at 9.00pm. Their children when they were old enough world also help the younger one would often come to our place in arms with his mom and be happy to be here and return with mom who would be carrying the clothes for iron and he having his favourite fruit - banana. Don't remember when the girls got married and boys went to college to study. There too, though bright and deserving the elder boy was dissuaded by a DU college not to take good course on the name " you won't be able to study that hard" and was changed to study for a common course. Any way he graduated and found work. In between before he was placed full time he would often assist Arnav Joshi with logistics for his " At Rise Productions" plays whenever they happened. Diligent and desire to learn the boy would be an asset to organisation.

The younger boy ( banana boy) had a flare for football and became a good player and after his school time would also play with some professional and got interested in studying further that would lead him to some sports management opportunities.

Sushila has been unwell since past few months and used to feel exhausted and found it difficult even to climb stairs ( we have all of 52 of them with no lift). But she would be there assisting her husband Shivcharan. Over last couple of weeks they started some treatment for her with a local doctor ( a qualified gynecologist) but it did not help. She had lot of blood loss and with low haemoglobin, low blood pressure etc.

Last evening after work she was cooking meals and fainted and was taken to the local neighborhood small hospital who on examination suggested she be taken to MAX in Patparganj.

We got a call at 11.00pm last night from her son who seemed concerned and lost with the requirements of these bog corporate hospitals and rushed there. Upon reaching we learnt that she was fighting for her life in the Emergency and all her parameters were alarming. The attending doctor spoken to also mentioned that she had had a cardiac arrest too and they are trying to revive her. In the meanwhile the billing section was insisting that she be taken to some other hospital as the estimated expenses once she is taken to ICU would be over Rs 1.25 L per day. An impossible situation even for us forget about for these people whose monthly family income is between Rs 10000 - Rs 15000. We were told to shift her immediately to some other hospital and we started making enquiries about other hospitals and found none where she could be treated with her condition without "knowing" anyone, we were also told that in her condition she can't even be moved till the ventilator is removed... Thank god for the mercy of the attending doctor.

Delhi and elsewhere in the country too, these large multi speciality corporate hospitals have signed a pledge with the government in return of a near free of cost land given to them that they will treat EWS ( economically weaker section) for free, a certain percentage of their facilities which I suppose is about 10%. That is always avoided at all costs and all kinds of tricks are played to avoid taking these people for treatment.

Upon argued by Abha ( my wife) after producing the BPL (below poverty line) Card the "social executive" ( a mandatory requirement for hospitals to keep one to assist people in distress) facilitated the process so that her treatment would be free of cost.

But early morning we got another call that they want her shifted elsewhere as she can't be kept in Emergency ( a valid point) and that they don't have a room in ICU. A certain trick.. You don't throw patient out because you don't have a room in ICU. Again after speaking the social ( and legal) people, we thought something would be done to keep hopes alive. But a whole ago got another call and her son was calling from a government hospital saying that MAX thew her out and sent to GTB hospital (a government run hospital).

Doctors over there are saying they don't have ventilator and her chances of survival are less than 10%.

In this country of 1.3 billion people life is such a struggle for everyone worst of all people who are poor and lack of knowledge.

I am praying god that Sushila survives.