ComaIt was a long and sometimes lonely vigil that Zahi and Rahul kept by Vivek’s bedside. Though, as Zahi said, it wasn’t really at his bedside as the ICU rules didn’t permit anyone to stay in the patient’s cubicle for any length of time. A few minutes during visiting hours was generally all that was allowed, other than the daily briefings about the patient’s condition after the doctors’ rounds.
The Intensive Care Unit was a big bright room with lots of curtained cubicles. Zahi counted sixteen of them, all around a central nursing station. Vivek had been allotted No. 5 which was right in front of the nursing station, from where the nurses could keep a watchful eye on him. The nursing staff was dedicated and particularly caring as this was one of their own interns, soon to be a doctor. Zah
