if the master of the house
had known the hour of night when the thief was coming,
he would have stayed awake
and not let his house be broken into.
So too, you also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.
I distinctly remember the day my father was diagnosed with cancer, I was to start my new clinic and had scheduled a free camp for patients. I came home from the hospital that morning after a frantic call from my mother , my dad had not been keeping well, and this just my brain decide to take him to the tertiary centre and get evaluated. That day was so full of twists and turns and I knew I had to drive across my tiny state to reach in time for the appointments , I drove, absolutely numb and confused – I had never felt this helpless in my life!
I remember wrapping up the first day of my new clinic and stepping out to get a phone call about the scan which were told to me as benign and so I felt so relieved , as I returned across state to hospital, I received another phone call asking me to head to the radiology department where the doctor sat me down and explained the most heartbreaking news !
I felt so strange, my cousin , also a doctor stood there besides me hand on my shoulder as I sank in a chair watching my dads CT scan flash and I could see the problem staring back at me! I froze, I never had prepared myself for such a situation ( who does?) Being a doctor, my brain zoomed through all the scenarios at that moment and I could not even respond. Tears filled my eyes and sadness in my heart , my papa, but he was always in good health! How did I miss this? What will they do now? How will I tell my mother?
I was so numb as I walked to my dad in the in patient ward and saw him so helpless and tired from everything. My heart broke ! But that is where all the medical training of 13 years kicked in and I started by breaking the news to my mother and brother, who obviously didnt expect it either, then the surgeons who were so compassionate as I was one of them,followed by sitting and talking to dad explaining what the plan was and how we are going to follow through.
After making so many decisions everyday, checking my father day in and out, going to the best cancer hospital in the country and getting operated , the chemotherapy, the reviews and COVID. I knew my life had taken an unexpected turn and I would just wonder how to adapt to it all. I watched my father in his faith, my mothers endless prayers and service to her husband and above all the determination with which my father did everything he was told by doctors to get better!
Its been 10 months of experiencing this and when the PET scans show no residual disease any more, my entire family is joyous and happy!! My dad was that faithful servant like in the Gospel who said his rosary every day and pulled all his strength to attend the Sunday mass through chemo and wobbly steps!
There is always a chance to have a recurrence or a complication but my fathers illness taught me a much needed demonstration in ones personal journey with the Lord and to take everyday as a gift – being thankful and following His commandments as we do not know the hour of His arrival or our departure!
I ask each one of you readers to believe in the power of faith and live everyday with that enthusiasm and hope for being awake when the Lord comes to make his judgement!
P.S. Thank you for all your prayers for my fathers health and I pray for blessings on each of your personal requests!
PRAYER:
Guide us Lord to wards you in our journeys on earth and help us to be better humans everyday! Help us keep faith in your supreme power even in times of hardship and never lose hope!
AMEN
