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Yes, there were many restrictions on food, especially from family members. To be frank, I also subscribed to that. Low Carb, Low Fat, No Salt—where to find food like this, let alone a tasty one? It was little better than clay. Salads with no salt, baked vegetables with no salt or spice, oats—I felt a little better and luckier than a horse or a cow. All around, I could smell pizzas, pastas, hot dogs, cold desserts, bagels, and burritos—right spelling? Not a great fan of these, though. But being a part of an elite species of human beings, the mind always sought what it was denied.

And my mind drifts back to a discussion I had with my family physician about 7 to 8 years ago. At a comparatively younger age of 67, I nonchalantly beseeched him not to resort to a bypass if I ever had a heart attack. My simple belief was that a heart attack is the easiest and best way to take leave of all known and unknown people from this world, with dignity. And now, come to think of it—why did I agree to a stent? Why couldn’t I refuse? Was it the innate greed and survival instincts to be in this world as long as possible? Long ago, I started praying for a healthy rather than a long life—because there was a heavy shortage of the former. Both healthy and long life? Yes, this is a good prayer, but isn't that crossing the boundary into the deep areas of avarice?

I knew the stents couldn’t be removed now. And almost all my friends and relatives kept telling me, "You should be happy. You have a new heart!" Well, my guilt leaped from 0 to 100. Why do you guys keep reminding me about this? I still prefer a heart attack instead of taking the zig-zag, knotted, complicated, tortuous route of a failure of the kidney, lungs, or such other organs. From not having a heart, I now had a fresh new one. God save me.

Is modern medicine a friend or a foe? Boon or a curse? Viewed from one narrow angle, without looking at the side effects and health pyrotechnics, I survived, went to New York, met my elder brother who was having health issues, and traveled to India. All good, yet?

So much so that maybe around three weeks ago, when I had some chest discomfort, I started consciously coughing. (Probably it was one of the omniscent, omnipresent, all-pervading things that freely assaulted all elder citizens—gas.) But then I thought, if a heart attack is the way to move forward, why try to prevent it?

P.S.: I am not fond of using the egoistic terms I, me, we, etc., but the narrative demanded that, so please pardon me. In the future, on general subjects, they will be avoided as much as possible.

Continued... Relieving or relieving the pain?