I was a Vadodara school principal, the first person to come to school and generally the last to leave. In 1991 at the age of 47, I was struck by an illness and some doctors diagnosed it as influenza while others diagnosed it as a passing viral. My condition worsened to a point where each evening I would struggled to stay awake and breathe normally. Finally, one doctor stated what I had been dreading: ‘Beyond cure.’

 

He directed me to a certain Dr Singhal in Mumbai, reputedly India’s finest neurophysician. Dr Singhal asked me to be tested in a specific Mumbai hospital near Shivaji Park. When the reports came in, he said ‘You should thank the Vadodara doctor for the timeliness with which he sent you to me.’ Dr Singhal prescribed medication and said, ‘Take the medicines as prescribed and keep checking with me on phone whenever you need. But I have some grim news: this disease will only worsen.’

 

Until 1994-95, this medicine helped; I could at least attend school during normal hours. But thereafter my condition worsened; things came to such a pass that I could not go to school for weeks. This was embarrassing; in my 30 year-career I had never missed school. Things got so bad that Vadodara neurophysician Dr Bhaven Upadhayay advised: Tamein Mumbai jayi ne operation karaavo, havey beeju koyi ilaaj nathi.

 

At Bombay Hospital I went to Dr Khadilkar (Dr Singhal’s student). As per his procedure, he asked me to get a number of tests done prior to the proposed operation. He also added that given that my proposed operation had limited success prospects, was I still interested in going ahead? I nodded yes.

 

Around that time something else happened. My sister went to Huzurala for qadambosi in Mumbai. During her fleeting five-second interaction, she must have blurted ‘Bhai ne la-ilaaj problem chhey aney aapni dua-aj bachaavi sakey chhey!’ Just a formality, given the lingering problem and situation. Huzurala said something specific, ‘Bhai ne kehjo ke fikar na karen, operation nahi thaayi!’

 

Nahi thaayi!

 

Something interesting happened thereafter. When the test results came in, Dr Khadilkar called me to his room where a number of other junior doctors and interns were present. I was asked to relate my symptoms; thereafter, I found them scanning my reports. Symptoms and reports. They kept going back to the same. After some time, Dr Khadelkar asked me to sit and then spoke: ‘We have some news for you. Your operation will not be done.’ I asked why. He said, ‘All your reports appear clear!’

 

As a reasonable precaution, the doctor indicated that I should stay on medication for a while before discontinuing altogether. I did precisely that. Thereafter, I lived through my school and professional tenure without complaints.

 

I can state with conviction: it is only due to Aqa Maula’s timely intervention – only a line spoken spoken with emphasis contrasted with the studous application of a team of doctors -  that I am alive today.

 

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