Mrs. Nirmala Gupta

Mrs. Nirmala Gupta

Mrs. Nirmal Gupta is undergoing a different kind of trauma. Her husband, S. K. Gupta is diagnosed with kidney failure and awaits a kidney transplant. She is a silent witness to the suffering of a dear one and hope is her only aid to the nightmare she endures each day. As a wife, she provides all the succour to her ailing husband, but knows that she cannot lean towards him for her emotional support. An atheist at first, she now believes in the presence of God and it is to him that she turns her weary heart for help.

Aarogya: How do you cope with day-to-day realities?
Nirmala: I try to follow a routine. The maids come to clean, I cook – I try to create as much of a semblance of normalcy as possible. That always helps. Truth be told, I keep thinking of my husband’s problem from the minute I wake up to the moment I sleep. It is always at the back of my mind. But the routine helps of course & gives one something to do apart from brooding.

Aarogya: You also have children. That alone must be of tremendous help and moral support.
Nirmala: I have three children; two sons and a daughter. When my husband was hospitalized, my sons took leave and took turns watching him in the hospital. My children were all very helpful. But they do have their concerns. And their own families. My husband and I have aged together. Nothing can lessen the pain of seeing him become progressively weaker. It is cruel to see him suffering, or being strung up on a dialysis machine. Especially when he was such a fit and strong man previously.

Aarogya: How have you come to terms with his ailment?
Nirmala: Truth be told, I have not. Everything about it is so unsettling. The doctors, the tests, even the transplant which he is awaiting. No matter how much I know about the disorder, or what the doctors tell me, fear is always with me. I live from day to day, and busy myself in routine. I am there for my husband of course. I look after his dietary constraints and ensure that he takes his medication. This way, he is very supportive. He also knows what his problem is and tries to follow a strict regimen. Then we have a lot of family and friends who share our pain. This helps tremendously.

Aarogya: You were an atheist earlier. What made you change your belief?
Nirmala: His problem. So many things have happened, which have made me change so. I would never pray to God previously. But now, I have started enjoying the peace I find in simple prayer. It gives me great solace. I know now that there is a God in this world. For the moment, all I can do is pray.

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