Columbus Day

Today is Columbus Day, a day that is marked by some people to celebrate the spirit of discovery, exploration and adventure that is associated with Columbus' voyage to the new world. Those on the other end of the political spectrum mark this day as the Indigenous People's Day to highlight the suffering, misery and genocide that followed Columbus' voyage. I have a different reason to have negative association with Columbus Day.

It was on Columbus Day six years ago that my father had the stroke that would eventually be diagnosed as the most malignant form of brain cancer. I was at work that day and my wife and kids were out shopping. My parents were at home when my father had the stroke and fell down. My mom panicked and called me at work asking me to come home immediately as something had happened to dad.

I rushed home to find Dad lying unresponsive on the bed. I immediately called 911 and the paramedics arrived a few minutes later and took him to the ER at UMass Memorial in Worcester. The doctors there stabilized his condition and an MRI revealed a tumor in his brain. A biopsy was performed a few weeks later and it revealed the tumor was malignant. He underwent an intense course of chemo and radiation that did nothing except damage his brain and his memory. He passed away less than six months later on March 21, 2013.

Not a day has passed by since then where I don't think of him and miss his presence. I keep thinking whether there was something I could have done differently to save him, Guess that is something I will struggle with for the remainder of my days

5th Anniversary

It has been five years since my father passed away. I still remember the early morning call from the hospital. The nurse said that my father is in critical condition and to get to the hospital ASAP. I along with my mother, brother and sister got in the car and drove from Hopkinton to Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston. It was heartbreaking seeing my father, who had been so healthy, lively and energetic only  few months earlier hooked up to all these life support machines. After a brief discussion, we told the hospital staff to disconnect the life support machines and my father breathed his last shortly before 9 AM on March 21, 2013.

When he was ill from the chemo and radiation treatment, he used to tell my brother and me that after he passed away we would forget him. No Dad, we haven't forgotten you. You have touched and shaped our lives in so many ways that it is impossible to forget you even if we tried. All of us remember you, every moment of every day. We love you and miss you terribly Dad.