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Kumarakom



Three months and two weeks since we have come to my Sister's place in Kochi.  How and why we got here is a different blog post.  A month ago there was one of the usual hartals in Kerala that gave my brother-in-law a rare day off which he did not want to spend sitting at home.  None wanted to go leaving the other with our father.  The best option was for all of us to go - parents, grandma, sister, brother-in-law, niece, driver, nurse and myself.

Although it was merely an overnight stay at the resort we needed to pack supplies for our father - Diapers, rubber sheet, urine can, catherter, urine bag, cotton, gauze, two wheelchairs, couple of gowns, towels, enema can, sterilium, nebulizer kit, BP apparatus, thermometer, record keeping book, brushing set and lignocane jelly - just a few items.

The hour and half drive to Kumarakom was pleasant, he sat next to the driver looking out through the window and munching Hide and Seek biscuits.  We made it there for breakfast, it was the whole family around the table ordering, chatting and yelling.   Almost three and half years since hemorrhage and for him to make to the breakfast table.  His eating isn't perfect, coughs and aspirates a lot, but nonetheless priceless to to have him around the table with all of us.



 Since our resort wasn't  built on lake side - Vembanad Lake the singular and worthy attraction of Kumarakom - the only way to view or enjoy it was to be on a house boat.  Each one of us had a senior citizen to escort, our 88 year old grandma thought she was boarding a ship anchored in an ocean, our mother with multiple leg surgeries thought the ramp might lead to another one of those, but our father on a wheel chair hoisted by couple of us was blissfully unaware of the rickety ramp.

He sat smiling on one of the chairs on the boat that gives a great view of the lake.  It is rare to see him smile spontaneously and the rarity called for clicking of a ton of pictures.

The trip did take a toll on him.  He had a fainting bout on the ride, slept for days in exhaustion.  But nothing could dampen our satisfaction of taking the family out on our first happy excursion.

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