The year 2013 will forever be a year that I will not forget. Not only does that year hold so many accumulated sadness, it was a year when life did not only rain but poured. If time could be reversed, I wouldn't opt to relive that year at all.
Flashback
I was living quietly in Benin city that year. One night, I received a phone call from my dad. I felt he was calling to check on me as was his usual manner and so excitedly, I answered the call.
"Hello daddy, good evening sir. How are you doing and how is everyone in Lagos?"
"Good evening my dear, my dad replied. Lagos is as busy as a bee and I am doing fine. I called to inform you that your mom was rushed to the hospital this morning and she has been admitted there".
"What! Oh my God! Daddy what happened? Was she sick?" I asked as cold sweats of panic washed over me, leaving me cold and afraid.
"Calm down dear. Your mom complained of chest and back pains in the morning but by evening, the pain became unbearable, so I had to take her to the hospital. The doctor sedated her and asked me to go and come back tomorrow when proper tests would be conducted. I thought to call and let you in on the current situation of things".
"Oh, alright daddy, thank you for letting me know. I'll keep mom in my prayers", I replied and hung up the call. I began to pace about in my room. As far as I could recall, mom has been very strong. She's even as agile as a horse, so what could be wrong. I pondered some more before fatigue finally set in and I retired to bed.
The next day, I boarded a bus back to Lagos, unbeknownst to anyone and the first thing I did after being on the road for seven hours was rush down to the hospital. I met my dad sitting down at the reception area. I approached him and asked about my mom's state.
Obviously shocked to see me in Lagos, he tried reprimanding me but my worried look calmed him down. "The doctor said your mom has kidney failure and some urine has seeped into her blood stream. He said that she would be needing a dialysis as soon as possible to help her body discharge the wastes".
I would have slumped after hearing such, had I not been seated."How could this happen?" I retorted with tear filled eyes. My dad could only pat my back to comfort me but It was clear as day that we needed to do the needful.
As if that was not enough, the landlord of our house came to issue every tenant an eviction notice. He claimed that he had sold the house to a developer and every tenant was to evacuate within two weeks.
I had never felt so helpless like that before. ”Oh God, what is all this now?” I asked in frustration. Now we had two emergencies on our plate. My dad decided to go discuss with some landlords he was familiar with and procure help while I and my younger brother were in charge of taking mom to her dialysis appointments.
My dad's scouting for a new apartment was futile and the deadline was getting close. I called a friend of mine asking him for help and he was able to help us for the time being. We stayed ati his place pending when we would get an apartment.
Mom's dialysis was digging deep into our financial coffers and this was telling on us greatly, to the point that we began to sell off our properties, but we persevered. For about six months, my bother and I took mom to the dialysis center once a week but we noticed no improvement at all.
I recall asking the doctor for alternative treatment but he replied that it's either dialysis or a kidney transplant in India. We didn't have enough funds for the kidney transplant in India, so dialysis seemed to be the best bet even though it would be for life.
I prayed and prayed but things were not going according to my desires so we had no choice but to continue the dialysis treatment on my mom. Doing this consumed our time as we were needed to stay with her during each dialysis session (which could take up to12 hours) but I never minded as I wanted her to get better.
The last straw broke in October of 2013. I was taking care of my mum when I felt her become limp. I cried for help and immediately, my dad and brother rushed in but upon their arrival, mom was gone. She died in my arms. From warm blooded to being as cold as ice.
I was in a dazed state for days. I could not understand what was going on. In a matter of months, my mom was hospitalized, my family was kicked out of their apartment and we lost her to the cold hands of death at only forty-five. She didn't get to old age.
"Oh what a pour!"
Thank you all for reading... Shalom
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