Struck

Christina and Udhay were living the dream life. They had accidentally met online, gotten to know each other in person, and spent as much time as they could in each other’s company.

Travelling long distances at every opportunity, bonding over their love for music, exploring mountains and soaking in rivers, they made wonderful memories and captured them. Their fondness for food extended to the point where they rode between borders just to have a taste – from spicy fish fry to cheesy beef burgers, from small cubes of mysore pak to large spheres of Italian gelato. Several nights were spent sleepless, partying hard with friends, grooving to music, until their knees gave out.

One fine summer evening, dropping onto one knee, Udhay asked Christina to marry him. With shaking hands and hopping feet, she cried out a resounding “Yes”. Applause erupted all around and Udhay slid the ring onto her finger. His struggle to get up brought about some well-humored laughter. Christina laughed too, while she helped him up into a tight embrace. Cheers and wishes showered on them with the glitter and snow.

They thought hard, made detailed plans and were prepared to work through years of convincing to bring both their families together for their marriage. But much to their pleasant surprise and shock, it all just fell through kindly. The families, despite the differences, liked and approved each other. And just like that, it was marriage season.  Life couldn’t have been better.

They would often wonder – Was is a stroke of luck or fate that brought them together?

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Udhay gets seated as the camera is test-focused on him. The interviewer, a young cheerful lady, helps him with setting up the microphone on his shirt. She briefs him on how the interview will pan out after which she takes a seat opposite him. Following everyone’s thumbs-up, the camera starts rolling.

“Hello all! Today, on our show, I welcome Udhay Jayakumar. For those of you who don’t recognize him, he is the founder of Tina Health and Fitness, an online platform dedicated to bringing people together for a healthier life and encouraging them to spread the same. He has been an active promoter of health and fitness for a few years now, transforming lives and helping people see the world in a new, healthier light.”

“Hello Udhay! Welcome to our show.”

“Hello.”

“First of all, I would like us to see this picture of you.”

The screen behind them shows an image of Udhay from 2019 and 2021, side by side. In 2019, Udhay has chubby cheeks, has a round tummy and sports a bearded smile. In 2021, he looks lean, fit and clean-shaved.

“The way you have transformed yourself in the past two years is simply amazing. You yourself are a leading example for what your initiative does and represents. What inspired you to make this change in your life and as such, in other’s lives as well?”

Udhay smiles sadly.

“What happened to me was not an inspiration, but a realization through a tragedy that occurred in my life two years ago. These changes, if I had made them then, I could have avoided that tragedy. But I didn’t know which is why I want people to know.”

“Could you please tell us more about this incident? I don’t want to force you, but as you yourself mentioned it, knowing could help all our viewers take a step in the direction that you wish to guide them in."  

Udhay looks down, composing his thoughts. His wandering eyes finally come to a halt. But he does not look up.

“It was two years ago. I was about to get married."

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“This time, next week, Udhay and Chistina will be husband and wife!” cried Sam as he popped open a bottle of champagne drenching the couple in the fizzing liquid. Everyone in the room cheered lifting their glasses. “Let’s make this a night to remember for them.”

Games themed on the couple were organized, toasts were made in honor of them, dazzling lights lit up the dance floor and music rocked the resort. Everyone drank and danced until they no longer could. It was indeed a night to remember.

“It’s the last cigarette”, said Udhay.  

“Give it to me”, said Tina as he she grabbed at it. But Udhay pulled it away.

“We are gonna share the rest of our lives together. Why not a cigarette?” he said as he got up and held out a hand to her. She took it and he led her to the balcony.

She settled into the chair in the balcony overlooking the ocean, illuminated by the full moon. Udhay took in the view, resting against the handrail. Lighting the cigarette, he took in a long drag and let out a slow, smooth puff of smoke.

Turning to her, he said, “We have our entire lives to share. I think I will have this one myself.”

She responded by making a face at him, drooping her mouth to one side.

“Gibe te myee” said Tina.

“What?” asked Udhay, taking another intendedly slow drag.

“Gyib tyo myeee”, she repeated.

“Come here next to me. Enjoy the smoke with this wonderful view.” he said. She didn’t respond but slumped into the chair even further.

“Fine!” he said with a sigh and handed out the cigarette towards her, but she didn’t take it. He waited a moment and seeing that she didn’t budge, he went and placed it in her right hand but she just let it fall.

“Why would you do that?” he complained. “Pick it up.”

He waited for a few minutes and then settled down in the chair next to her.

“I can do this as long as you can” he said, stretching out one side of his mouth downwards. 

The cigarette lay on the balcony floor in between them burning away as it slowly turned to ash.

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“F – A – S - T” says Udhay, emphasizing each alphabet. “F refers to Face – facial drooping. A is Arm – loss in arm strength. S is Speech – slurred words. And T, is Time. A person who has suffered a stroke needs to be taken to the hospital as soon as possible. The longer it takes, the more the risk of damage to the brain.”

The interviewer is not sure what to say as he sits in silence for a few seconds.

“I don’t know how long I just sat there, ignorant, stubborn, over a piece of tobacco. Only if I had known better, I could have saved Tina. Being drunk is definitely a big no now, but it wasn’t the main issue then. Ignorance. That was it. As you let go of it, change starts to manifest automatically.”

“I truly am sorry for your loss.”

Udhay looks at her surprised and then realizes that his choice of words has confused her.

“I think you have misunderstood. When I mentioned that I could have saved her, I meant I could have saved her from lifelong consequences that she now lives with. She alive and well, beautiful as ever, but without the active use of the right side of her body. Paralysis.”

“Oh! Do you mean you went through with it? The marriage?”

“Yes, we are married.” Udhay shows the wedding ring on his finger. “It was a little delayed, but we had the day of our dreams, just like we wanted.”

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Tina is dressed in a flowing white gown, her veil pulled backwards, revealing her face, pink with emotion. Holding her by her waist with one hand, and onto her left hand with the other, Udhay stands closely behind her in a handsome, black tuxedo. Their smiles couldn’t have been any wider.

Tina is lying in bed, her head resting on a couple of pillows, looking at the large framed photo that hung proudly on the wall. Her arm and leg are being massaged and stretched by a physiotherapist standing beside her, alongside the bed.

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“She is in rehab and she’s doing great” says Udhay. “It has been difficult – a great deal of time and money is being put in. But that’s a price that has to be paid.”

“Time and money, yes, that’s understandable. But can you explain exactly what constitutes this time and money?”

“Rehabilitation requires a lot of care and attention for the patient. In Tina’s case, she needs help with everyday tasks – moving around, getting changed, using the washroom. Medication and food have to be given meticulously, on time, without fail.

To help with speech and motion recovery, speech therapy and physiotherapy are a big part of her daily routine. Over the course of time, she has showed great progress which also is an indication of her own fighting spirit.

I did suffer a lot but can you even imagine what she was going through. Her entire world was in ruins. I did my best but I could only do so much to help with her depression. She still is vulnerable to it. Psychotherapy has worked wonders for her and is an active part of her recovery.

Most of it, I have learnt to do it myself, but there is always more.”

“How long do you think will it take for her to fully recover?”

“A full recovery may or may not occur. But I will never stop believing. Neither will I let her. She is getting better and better each day.”

“That’s really lovely. Tina is so lucky to have you.”

“I am lucky to have her.”

“Though Tina is a stroke survivor who is in rehab, your online platform is all about promoting general health and fitness. Why haven’t you provided anything on stroke or on its rehab?”

“Rehab, as I mentioned, is very time consuming and expensive. With regards to stroke, most cases are down to ignorance. For instance, stroke is commonly known to occur in the elderly, those over the age of fifty-five. But Tina was just twenty-eight when she had her stroke. There has been an increasing trend of strokes in younger people. The main reason being a poor, unhealthy lifestyle. Smoking is the biggest risk factor but alcohol consumption, bad food habits, a sedentary life and obesity, all contribute heavily. Certain factors such as family history are not in one’s control but the other factors I mentioned can, and should be controlled. The first step being, developing awareness. And that’s what I am doing. Prevention is always better than cure. But to prevent, you need to know how.”

“Do you regret not knowing this before?”

“Definitely. But the moments I shared with Tina, I don’t. If it hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have changed. This interview wouldn’t be happening, and people probably wouldn’t know. Some of us have to suffer for the sake of others. We also need to get back up, again, for the sake of the others." 

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People are making changes to their lives. They are choosing to add more greens to their daily diet.  They are saying no to tobacco and alcohol. They are hitting the gym at least thrice a week. They aren’t waiting around for some sickness to strike, like a stroke. They are getting aware. All across the globe.

Udhay helps Tina into bed and tucks her in. He then goes around, gets in next to her. She grabs on his hand, firmly but softly. Slowly, they drift into a peaceful slumber.