A Lasting Gesture of Responsibility

After  Seventeen days in the ICU, my dad was happy to move in to a room where the family could be with him all the time.  The  ICU was a actually a cold and lonely place where  he was a number who  responded to the  stimuli of a specialist.  The  single room was definitely a better place where  family could touch him and gesture to him and  be with him all the time and just to a few minutes at a scheduled hour.

The doctors had put him on a ventilator, they had tubes running from his nose and an insertion at his throat which left him “ speechless” literally.   A person who loved to speak was unable to counsel and guide.  This  was a great impediment to communication.

We had to make do with gestures and smiles, but yet the  yearning to   communicate was  intense.  We made a chart of the alphabet in bold letters and held it up to him,  he would point his fingers to the various alphabets and we would decipher the words and meanings.

Dad spent a happy hour with my children when they were  finally allowed to visit him in the room as children visiting the ICU was not  permitted.  After the children had left now dad’s  attention moved to something  else.   He wanted to know the expenses for the hospital stay.  Robin my brother and  I told him not to worry about the expenses and it is taken care off. He tried to understand the cost,  being a careful person however we did not give any hint  about it  ( may be so we thought) .

Another  half hour or so passed when Dad had a bit more energy he  gestured for the alphabet chart,  we took it out and showed it to him.  He pointed out to some alphabets but we could not grasp what  he meant to communicate.  He tried several  times,  Robin and I said  you mean “ FDC”  he nodded yes?  I wondered is it “ First Day Cover”?  dad being an ardent  stamp collector. He was positively disappointed at the grasp of his  sons.  We tried various combos and could not  decipher.  Exhausted he fell asleep. 

Robin  stayed the night with Dad and  the next morning after the doctor visits  and check ups we got together again.   I looked at the alphabet chart and then it dawned on me that he meant  “ Fixed Deposit Certificate”   I asked  Dad do you mean it is a fixed deposit  certificate?  His face lit up and said gestured yes,  further more he communicated to us to encash the fixed deposit which  he held   to pay for the hospital bills.

Robin and I took his hands in ours and kissed him and wiped the tears from all our eyes. Dad was positively relieved  that he got his message across to us.  That was about  11 am after that he relaxed and went into a sleep and by  early  afternoon he peacefully  walked through the Threshold of Eternity.

The care, concern and  responsibility which my father  communicated through his gestures is a fitting gift and example   for a Fathers Day. 

A tribute to all Father's  as they show care and concern to their family.