THE CLOCK

Episode3:SHADOWS OF THE PAST

It was hustle and bustle as usual at St. Monica Specialia, Hospital located at the heart of the metropolitan town of Ovele, the capital city of Umu State. It was one of the well-known private hospitals in Owelle, and generally adjudged the best in the whoe

state.

As early as six O'clock in the morning, out patients, food vendors, hawkers and visitors were already crammed at the entrance gate and milling purposefully into the hospital premises. Only last night, over sixty accident cases were recorded at the emergency unit of the hospital. And early that morning well over forty-two victims of an early dawn multiple auto-crash had been rushed to swell last night's number.

A man popularly known as Prophet Isaac, stepped towards the gate in his unquestionable majestic air. He was tall, fair in complexion and strong built. His strides always were quick, sure and calculated. While speaking to people, he had a characteristic way of gazing at their foreheads which usually cowed them and made them shift their gaze from him. Looking at his physique, one would conclude that he was a strong man full of good health. But on the contrary, little did people know that Prophet Isaac suffered from a strange internal disorder. Medical diagnosis had revealed that the prophet had suffered from lung disorder otherwise called pulmonary disease, a cross he had borne for many years with courage until he was treated by a specialist surgeon, called Dr. Samson Woko, who was a staff of St.

Monica. That was about a decade ago. Since then, after surviving the major operation that saved his life, he had taken it upon himself to go round the wards, at least once every week to pray for the sick. His visit that day coincided with the admission of Mama Nwankwo in that hospital. She happened to be his moral mentor when he was but a boy and a regular listener to her didactic stories.

Clutching a large size Holy book in his left armpit, Prophet Isaac responded to several greetings before manoeuvring his way through the crowded gate and moved towards the hospital wards.

*My head aches...nurse-o nurse-o, my ribs are in pains, my waist may not be able to carry my body.... Doctor, will I be fine again?" Mama Nwankwo cried and moaned and queried as the doctor arrived and approached where she lay.

"Yes, you'll be fine madam," the doctor assured her, adding,

"We're doing our best to make sure you're well and strong on your feet again."

The doctor proceeded to carry out the routine checks.

Using a clinical thermometer, she checked her temperature and recorded the result in Mama's case file. Next, she examined her pulses and heart beat and made her notations.

"Nurse," she called. "Get the morning treatment ready for madam Ugonna," she instructed. Then turning to one of Mama Nwankwo's children sitting by her mother's sick bed-side, she asked: "Has your mother had anything for breakfast?"

"No doctor, nothing yet," she replied.

"Then make arrangements quickly for her to eat before we

She asked.

administer the first treatment of the day. Do you understand?"

"Yes doctor, I'll see to that immediately," she answered.

Inspecting the fixtures, the doctor tried to adjust the drip, but on closer observation she discovered that the drip was not flowing very well, and that the spot where the needle was inserted to the vein was swollen and reddish. She called the attention of the nurse on duty and ordered a complete disconnection of the drip. She then asked the nurse to reconnect the drip under her watchful eyes.

It was apparent that Mama Nwankwo's condition was steadily deteriorating, becoming worse than when she was rushed to the emergency unit of the hospital the previous day by her children, who were assisted by their neighbours. She had observed disharmony in her body system that manifested in bodily pains and palpitation of the heart.

Mama Nwankwo was a mother of five children, two males and three females. Her first child was Nwankwo, while her second child was Chioma. Others from order of seniority include Ikechukwu, a male and the third child, Ego a female and the fourth child, and Ogochukwu, also a female and the fifth and last child. Nwankwo, Chioma and Ikechukwu were all living in Owelle.

They were all married with children and gainfully employed. Only Ego and Ogochukwu were living with their mother in Akamu village. So when Mama Nwankwo noticed that her health was failing, she had secretly left Akamu village for Owelle with Ego and Ogochukwu to visit her eldest son, Nwankwo. While in Nwankwo's house, Mama had slumped while trying to pass urine, and had fallen so heavily that she sustained cuts and bruises. Her son, Nwankwo had quickly informed Chioma and Ikechukwu about their mother's health condition. As to be expected, both of them had rushed down to their brother's house to see their mother. They had agreed to take her to the hospital without any delay. Assisted by his neighbours, Nwankwo had rushed Mama to St. Monica Specialist Hospital, while Chioma and Ikechukwu had gone back to their homes to inform their spouses and children of their mother's predicament before going to the hospital to assist Nwankwo. Ego and Ogochukwu had been instructed to take care of Nwankwo's children.

"Doctor," Nwankwo called. "I would like us to carry out thorough medical tests on my mother to ascertain the immediate and remote causes of her failing health," he pleaded.

"Very well, Mr. Nwankwo Ugonna, that's exactly the right step to take. But as you can see, we have already started examinations in that direction. One of the results just sent to us confirmed that her blood pressure is on the high side..." she broke off as a nurse entered to whisper something into her ears.

"Doctor," Nwankwo called again, with hysterics, his voice unsteady in spite of the man he was. "Are you saying she is hypertensive?"

"Precisely so." the doctor answered. But there isn't much cause for alarm. We will try our best to bring the situation to normal. Just keep your fingers crossed," she consoled.

It was inconceivable to imagine that a person like Mama could be assailed by physiological problems like hypertension judging from her daily rounds of laughter and good humour which were supposed to be useful tonic to the human body system and a defence against high blood pressure. Looking at the other side of it, Mama had also had her own share of the change of life. It had not been all rosy in spite of her ever-smiling mien. She was betrothed to her husband at a very tender age of sixteen when she lost her father. Mama Nwankwo had been living happily ever since she got married to a businessman called Mazi Chimalobi Ugonna with whom she had five children. Her husband was very prosperous and provided all their needs. All seemed to be well until the unexpected happened. Mazi Ugonna had died after a brief illness. She had cried her eyes out, bemoaning her fate. That particular experience had killed her zeal for further acquisition of Western literacy. It was then she took up her trade in garri business. With that, she managed to bring up her children to the level they had variously grown.

Three hours later, Mama Nwankwo had woken up to the joy of her children, Chioma and Ego, who had come to relieve Nwankwo..

"How do you feel now," asked a male doctor, who had

come on routine checks.

Instead of answering the doctor's question, Mama began

to sob.

"Take it easy, madam. The sobbing will not help issues.

Gather yourself together to enable your body respond to treatment," he advised.

"But doctor, do you think I will survive this ordeal, these pains, this agony?" She cried and queried.

"Why not, madam? We've handled more serious cases before and the patients so afflicted had bounced back to perfect health," he encouraged her. "Yours won't be an exception," he further encouraged.

"But these pains... in my head, in my back, in my chest..." Mama kept on unrelentlessly. "Doctor, do you think I'll survive this?" She queried.

"Be calm, madam. Your present condition demands that you get control of your emotions to a manageable level. Once there is life, there is hope," the doctor encouraged.

From the way and manner Mama was speaking and acting, it was suspected that she might be suffering from high fever. So, the doctor ordered a fresh medical test and sent word to the laboratory technologists to take a fresh blood sample of Mama for another medical test. Just then, a female medical doctor called Dr. Nkechi Obinna, who had been attending to Mama before she was relieved by Dr. Sam Oluchi, entered. She had been recalled alongside others by the hospital management to return back to work to help contain the increasing emergencies.

"Welcome, Dr. Nkechi," Dr. Sam Oluchi greeted as she swung open the glass door to the private room where Mama was lying ill.

"Thanks and good afternoon," Dr. Nkechi Obinna replied.

"I've been having quite some critical sessions with our patient here. The greatest drawback is her inability to relax. That attitude, I tried to explain to her, is counter-productive to our spirited efforts, but she will not listen," he explained.

"That is true, doctor," Dr. Nechi concurred. "But I feel that there could be some psychological secrets which only she shares.

It's important we dig into her health history, habits and indulgences if we must hope to bring her case to a satisfactory solution," she suggested.

Just then, Mama's cries rent the air again, interrupting their discussion. They both turned their attention to her.

"Doctor, please tell me, will I be well again," Mama asked.

"Of course, madam. You'll be ok if only you'll take my

advice to be calm," Dr. Nkechi assured.

"So you said I'll be fine, eh, doctor? Did you say I'll be

fine...?" Mama kept on and on.

"That's our assurance. You'll definitely be on sound

footing again before long," Dr. Oluchi added.

"If I be fine in body, what of my soul..? If you cure my external wounds, what of the internal ones...? Can you cure me of my psychological trauma... the pains in my heart.... my educational setback... my aborted dreams of becoming a doctor... the years I spent in vain in Community Secondary School, Akamu... my regrets...? Can you cure all that? Can you turn back the hand of the clock, can you doctor..?" She went on relentlessly.

Dr. Nkechi Obinna beckoned to her colleague and they both left the room, while Mama continued with her litany of woes.

"That name, Akamu Community Secondary School, keeps

me thinking of many things," Dr. Nkechi said.

"Why?" Dr Oluchi asked.

"That was my alma mater," she said.

"Really? Could it be that she too was an old girl from the school?

Why not ask her searching questions concerning her pronouncements? There could be more hidden facts than lie on the surface," he suggested.

"That's a good idea, doctor. My imagination is painting a canvas of a remembrance of her youthful days. I think I knew her at Akamu way back in our secondary school days," she announced.

"I think we should invite one of her children for an interview. We have to dig deep to ascertain what triggers her blood pressure to rise," Doctor Oluchi suggested.

"I go along with that suggestion. Perhaps, all of the patient's children will have to be interviewed in turns. The younger ones may know what the older ones are ignorant of since the former are presently living with her," Doctor Nkechi Obinna said.