I always remain confused what the opening line should be. So you see that I have dedicated the first two lines addressing this problem (problem solved actually!). Anyways, I had an ACL tear in the left knee last October. ACL tear? What’s this? You might ask. Well, ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate Ligament. It’s a muscle that keeps the thigh bone & the shin bone together at the knee joint & aids pivotal movements.

I got this injury in such a casual way that I still can’t digest it. My mother tells me that when things have to happen, they happen anyway. A jump for a smash over the net was blocked by an opposing team member (if u still don’t get it, I was playing volleyball). I couldn’t handle the recoil & fell backwards awkwardly. In the process putting all my weight (It has to be around 90 kgs.) on my left leg (Poor thing. Who wouldn’t break at this amount of pressure?).

Resultantly, my thigh bone started slipping over the shin bone & jutted out whenever I applied weight to my left leg with excruciating pain & immobility of the joint. I didn’t realize that it was an ACL tear until I reached home in Diwali holidays where a visit to the orthopedist almost had me nauseating. “What have you done, Beta?” he said, putting his spectacles down on his table after examining my leg (that included dislodging the joint himself. I assure you; he showed no pity on my screams). “This requires major surgery” he added, looking at my shocked mother. Sweat started dripping out of my hair. Major Surgery? Oh My God! What have I done to myself?

 Well, the story above was the cause of my recent visit to Delhi. For the purpose, we (that included me, my mother, my sister, my paralytic father & his attendant) hired an Innova (that insured a comfortable ride & a regret of being seated in a gas guzzler). The ride was a bit jarring (I love bumpy rides. What I didn’t know that I’ll start hating them on my way back) as the Delhi-Dehradun highway was under construction. Felt sleepy for most of the voyage (yup, I was on a ship) but the sleep vaporized, once we entered Delhi. Delhi is CAPITAL….. The look is CAPITAL……roads are CAPITAL……..buildings CAPITAL……..number of people CAPITAL………..so traffic CAPITAL. It’s easy to see that Delhi is the heart of our country and people flow like blood in it so it pumps in the cultural values, integrity, patriotism & feelings of a nation. One more thing here, don’t know if it happens to me only or it’s the case with everybody but it takes me awful lot of time in finding places in Delhi. Firstly, it’s not like other parts of the country so bafflement causes confusions. Secondly, even local people remain confused as to which road to take for a particular place. So, (here’s a travel tip) never hesitate in asking directions frequently. This ensures you reach the right place in time. Coming back to the story, we did reach our destination (the doctor’s clinic) in time for our appointment. Doctor Rajgopal’s cabin wasn’t as lavish as I had expected. He looked confused as he was unable to pinpoint his patient (my paralytic father dragging self or me limping around). My mother was in all tears as she recalled my problems & her fears of the operation (in a typical Indian middle class family, a surgery of any type is indeed a major concern). Doctors you know, handle patients all day long. He assured my mother that there was nothing to worry. “There is nothing to worry. This type of injury though requires operation but is quite common. I operate upon at least three people in a single day” he said. But nothing can provide respite to a concerned mother except for the sight of her happy & healthy children (I was neither happy nor healthy). I was admitted the same day & the surgery was expected to take place in the morning next day. The first blood was drawn with my blood test (they checked my blood sugar level etc.). And before I could look back or reconsider, I was allotted a room.