By David-Chyddy Eleke
Ugonna came back from school yesterday (Monday) and I asked him; how does it feel to be back to school? – He told me it felt great. “All my friends were happy I was back, they were just coming to me and shaking me. I haven’t seen that school since, I was happy.”
Ugonna my second son missed the entire second term because of illness. He underwent hip surgery and it was a thing of trauma to me, himself and members of my family.
It was just two months into the new year then, but we had already seen everything that is tough.
Previously, two of my sons had had accidents, starting from January 1, which had cut short my yuletide in the village. In early February, my mother in-law passed on. We were still grieving when Ugonna returned from school one day limping.
He had a minor accident while coming back from school. But it turned out to be major because after more than a week of complacency, x-rays, showed only surgery can take care of it.
When health issues get to the point that bones are involved, you can never think of a better guys than Dr Amaechi Nwachukwu (PhD), the Chief Medical Director of Princeton Orthopedic Centre in Awka.
The story of my son’s surgery is something else. Ikenna (my first son) had told Ugonna that; “When they’re doing surgery, they will give you injection and you will sleep before they start. Sometimes, after the surgery, the person will not wake up again because that injection is very powerful.”
I don’t know where the boy picked up that information, but I give it to him that it doesn’t entirely sound false. Ugonna heard that and cried all through the day.
On Ash Wednesday, which was also Valentine’s day (February 14), my whole family was almost in mourning. Christians moved in the morning for ash, and later in the evening, lovers/fun seekers besieged clubhouses, but we were in deep pain. The incident of that day made me realize why Senator Dr Ike Ekweremadu took the wrong steps that landed him in UK jail till date. It is hard to watch your blood, much more your child suffer pain.
Ugonna was billed to enter the surgery room same February 14. He woke up in the evening of that day and told me to please beg the doctors that he didn’t want to undergo surgery (I think he said he had a dream). Maybe because of Ikenna’s story, he was afraid of going under the knife.
At about 11pm while I was already trying to catch some rest, the nurses rushed in and said it was time to wheel Ugonna into the theatre. I woke up with a start. I was not sure what to do, but I helped move him to the surgery room, then the nurses asked me out. I moved to the doctor’s office and told him about Ugonna’s fear of having surgery, but he said only a surgery can correct his steps and save him from pains. I totally believed him because this was the man who did a spine surgery on me two years ago when many were suggesting that I look for funds to go out of the country. Today, I’m still standing on my feet and strong too.
While Ugonna was in the theatre and I had returned to the ward, my entire head was void. I remembered an envelope Cherié (my wife) handed me earlier. It was a letter from Ugoo. He practically confessed all his ‘sins’ in the letter, including apology for all his stubbornness. Ugonna is one of my toughest guys. I’m sure I won’t like a dullard, or even an over-careful child. Like Chinua Achebe’s fictional character; Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart, I prefer a child who will break utensils in his haste than one who is too careful to preserve them. The boy was believing in Ikenna’s story of being injected into coma, and probably believed he won’t make it.
Friends, may I announce that all the pains of February have been overcome. Though Ugonna went through with post-surgery pain. He first work up about 12 hours or so after the surgery, and I was watching him carefully. He struck a discussion with me and while I was answering he asked me; Daddy, have they done the surgery? I told him yes. He was so happy, but after the painkillers had fizzled out of his system, the main pain began, and for days, it was like spending time in hell.
Ugonna missed the entire term then, but despite everything, he has returned to school and we can’t praise God enough.
Our other pain is the death of my mother in-law, Mrs Janet Obasi. She will be lowered on April 30. We are set to bid her goodbye. I invite my friends to join me pay her last respect, but most importantly, we seek your prayers for beautiful repose of her soul and the safety of us all.
Thanks.
