A Day Devoted to My Mother’s Care

^{on way towards the clinic}

I woke up very early in the morning, as is my habit. After getting up, I performed ablution and went for the morning prayers. Once I had finished praying and making my supplications, I returned home quickly because of the biting cold outside. The chill felt as if it had settled into my bones, so I slipped back into bed to keep myself warm.

When breakfast was ready, my mother called me. Before eating, I freshened up again and then finished my breakfast in a hurry because I had to take my mother to a neurologist in Srinagar. We had already managed to get an appointment over the phone. Since the doctor is available only until afternoon and is very popular, we wanted to reach in time to avoid a long wait. My mother and I both got ready quickly, and then we left together.

I chose the shortcut route because I knew the area well from my school days. My mother has a close friend who lives near the clinic; they have known each other since my mother’s marriage about three and a half decades ago. She had informed my mother about the doctor’s schedule and had even helped arrange the appointment. When we reached the clinic, we found that our turn would take some time, so we went to her house as she had already invited us to visit.

We spent some time at her home and then returned to the clinic. The doctor examined my mother, listened to her medical history, and prescribed medicines. I felt greatly relieved because for quite some time she had been experiencing trembling in her hands while holding things. It had worried me that the condition might worsen, especially since she was already under treatment for another health problem. Getting her checked by a specialist brought me peace of mind.

^{Having lunch}

By afternoon the consultation was over. As we were about to leave, my mother’s friend called again and insisted we come back for lunch. Even though we tried to refuse several times, she did not agree to let us go without eating, so we finally returned to her home and had lunch there. Around 3:30 PM we left and I again took the shortcut route back.

^{on our way back home}

After reaching home, I rested for a while and later took a short nap because I was feeling tired. In the evening, I went to the market to buy groceries and met some friends there as well. I returned home around 8 PM. Dinner was at 9:30 PM, and before sleeping at around 11:30 PM, I spent some time scrolling through social media.