Seeing their twinkling eyes, I couldn't help myself crying,
but suppressed and clogged the tears deep in my throat. Just found out that that
angel like, two siblings were facing worse. Though it was incomprehensible for an
8 year old son to know what sufferings his mother is enduring but still surviving
and neither can a 6 year old understand the hardships up to a certain level? But
this all made me realize how uncertain the life is, and sometimes we are brought
to a point in our lives that tell us “see how unpredictable I was to you?”
She is my aunt basically, my mother’s sister cousin who
spent her childhood playing on the swings and her adulthood looking after us
and then marriage brought her happiness of eternity; that she travelled the high
peaks of Malam Jabba to other Northern places and left no corner of Pakistan untraveled.
She is strong, she is really strong! MashaAllah...
Looking after two children, who have grown to the best of
their ages; who now exhibit confidence as a boy and decency as a girl. She
(their mother) however, is suffering from Multiple sclerosis (MS). It is
a demyelinating disease (medical terminology) in which the insulating covers of
nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged. This damage disrupts the
ability of parts of the nervous system to communicate, resulting in a range of
signs and symptoms, including physical, mental, and sometimes psychiatric problems.
The cases of this disease are below 5% in Pakistan and at present there is no
known cure for it, only the medicines can prolong the living time or reduce the
risk of attacks while the patient can expect to live for 5 to 10 years.
I don’t know what caused it or what was the reason behind,
but she is fighting well or I would say its her husband who is providing her strength
to the maximum. It’s been years that she is visiting the doctors in various
parts in Lahore and to the unfortunate fate; none of them diagnosed this thing
for her and she was fed with all sorts of wrong medication. Even in a very well
reputed hospital (I won’t take the name) the attitude of doctors was
heartbreaking and her husband was left with no choice rather to visit the
private ones (better conditioned but really expensive). At last my uncles
friend showed him a way to a hospital at Wahga border, where a doctor has been
claimed to treat many big personalities (he might be a good one). And yes! He
was the first one, indeed was a professor and diagnosed her with MS.
"the
medication would cost 12 lakh an year, you can afford?" my uncle agreed
for the medicines were to come from US. "Ok will you afford it another
year too and another? And afterwards I guarantee NOT that the Pakistani
medication will do any better on her health, rest is up to you" OK! So the
hint was clear, survival was meant to be on the medications till the last
stage.
But you know, being a Muslim, you have assurity from ALLAH,
nothing can be done till He wills. Yes, that gave them both strength and she, with her husband and two flowery kids went for performing Umrah wondering it
would be her last one maybe? And to the wonders, first few days she was stick
to the wheel chair and after wards? Yes she could walk! She did all by herself
and to your great surprise let me tell you; it was all without medications!
So Allah Azwajal showed her that He is the best healer and
the recovery is in His hands.
“And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is
no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good – then He is over
all things competent.” [Quran, 6: 17]
“And when I am
ill, it is He who cures me.” [Quran, 26: 80]
We all were happy to see her today, as she and her family
came to pay us a visit after Umrah and present us the Ab e zam zam (sacred
water from Makkah) dates, praying mat and many other gifts from SudiArabia.
I am not at all saying that she recovered to the fullest,
but Allah provided her strength to live for her children, strength to fight for
what she is put into, strength to create an example for those who may lose
hearts over incurable diseases.
And I am also not at all saying that you travel to quacks or
untrustworthy Peers but trust Allah! Yea obviously, but take proper
medication assigned. As my aunt herself isn’t free from her visits to the
doctors and still she have had to take steroids during attacks.
Her children, though carefree were enjoying themselves but I
could see how mature they’ll grow than the children of their age. That’s how Allah tests His people sometimes.
The 8 year old boy, literally brought a solemn smile on my
face today. "O! aapi tm to itni see the, itni barri ho gye ho"
(sister you were so small and now you have grown too much) and I was like
"aap bi to bary ho gye ho na" (you too are growing dear) . And his
sister, dressed in a beautiful white dressed was looking no less than a fairy
with diamond like shining shoes and bracelets but her eyes were shining even
brighter.
They both are innocent MashAllah! They have to go through too much
they know not. How uncertain the life is, yet they know not.
Maybe it was my
last visit to my Khala jaan (Khudanakhasta) or maybe I will see her again
(InshaALLAH) the hope is there but the uncertainity is still lingering.
May ALLAH pak bless her with the best of health and spirits
and may she be able to see all the happiness of her children and cherish her
life to the fullest. (AAMEEN SUMAMEEN)
