Tida. Zhanuzak Tursynbayev
murmuring about something important to each other. As if they were saying something sweet and tender to each other. Just sometimes, seagulls were disturbing them, trying to disrupt their invisible secret conversation. Everything around was surrounded by fresh and mild sea wind. Even the steppe with its sands was trying to inhale this breath of life with its chest exhausted of heat. Although local sands as infinite witnesses of the gone days of their friend the Sea, “were silent gloomy and kept its intimate secrets…”
– Dad, mom, we would like to have a swim. Can we, mom?,– suddenly asked Karlygash, trying hard to keep her little brother away from water.
– Kids, the water is not warm enough yet. Let’s come here after lunch, I know one really beautiful place here. Is that a deal?,– replies Mereke a little angrily.
She looked around and tried to pull her closer.
– Your mom is saying the right thing, kids. Shouldn’t you be better prepared? Mereke let’s move out of here. I would like to show this lighthouse to our kids. Some time ago your father told me some stories about it. I think kids might find them interesting as well. Let me put Kanat on my shoulders and he will be our real lighthouse, looking down at everyone,– he said while setting his son on his shoulders so fast that he didn’t have enough time to react. Muhit looked at his wife and burst into laughter. The walk was great just as they’d expected. Emotions after the morning walk around the beach settled down. Children were already tired and emptied their cold drinks, wishing to lay down and rest.
– Well, kids, did your parents exhaust you with their walk?,– seeing them tired asked their grandma.
– Grandma, I saw a lighthouse…,– said Kanat in a tired but vain manner.
– Isn’t it great, Kanat? I’m your grandma and you should always tell me about everything that you like,love,– replied cheerfully his grandma and gave him a little sweet.
– It’s actually good that you walked down the coast. Local air is curing, Muhit. It’s not just good that you came but also that you didn’t leave your kids back in Kyzylorda,– added Mereke’s father, trying to adjust tv’s antenna.
– Mereke, let me rest before teatime. Please hand me that pillow, darling,– Muhit stretched his arm, addressing Mereke.
– Sure, darling. You all should have a rest. I will go and help my mom,– she said to Muhit, giving him the nearest pillow and running quickly to the kitchen.
On the next day Muhit and his family went to the beach. There was great weather just like the day before. Small, warm sea waves were rolling, calming the consciousness down.
Mereke was messing around with Kanat. She walked him to the sea after getting him ready quickly. Muhit took Kanat’s other hand and all of them dived into the sea cheerfully. Karlygash was already standing there covered in water by her waistline and met them with splashes. Kanat replied to her with the same splashes. He was happy and glowing.
– Mereke, there are stones nearby. They are slippery. Be careful. Don’t let Karlygash, children, climb them… I will be right back, darling. I will walk to the car and come back. I want to take a photo as a memory. Darling, look after Kanat. Don’t you see he is trying to free?,– he said that walking out of water and still watching them, he walked to the car.
– Yes, darling, I’ll watch them,– she replied and continued to splash their children.
Having spent some time by the car, Muhit raised his head and heard a scream for help coming from the water. He couldn’t believe his eyes and ears. Mereke was holding their son in water and screaming and crying loudly.
– Mereke, get him out of water, Mereke, watch for his heart rate. Is it there?,– Muhit dropped everything and ran to his wife, screaming.
– Muhit, I never let him out of my hands. I didn’t notice that stone, darling. Kanat, say something, breathe, love,– sobbing said Mereke.
– The heart rate is faint, it’s hard to palpate, Mereke. We need to call an emergency, love. He got hit in the occipital part of the brain. Oh, yes, we have a car… I’ll get him to the hospital. Don’t panic, Mereke. We have to get through… Take Karlygash and got home with her. I will go to the hospital.– he said so and put his son carefully at the backseat of the car and went to the city center.
He came to the hospital quickly and gave his son to the doctors . He stayed there to wait for the results of the prior examination and talk to the doctors. After some time the doctor walked up to Muhit and, looking through his notes, decided to check out:
– Our nurse told us that you were our colleague. I will tell you directly. Your son has a fracture of the skull base. I suppose that there is a dislocation of the brain3. It all happened because of the inner-brain bleeding or swelling of brain which might have created some pressure, pressing the brain to the bottom of the skull. I had a chance to call for a specialist and told him that we conducted a physical examination in order to state the severity of the injury. We need urgent surgery. The sooner we conduct it, the safer your son will be. You have to understand me and we understand you as well. With all our desire we cannot let you be present at the surgery…. There is a vast wound, pressed bone of the occipital bone of the skull. Perhaps there might be bleeding into the brain and all connected with those consequences. Unfortunately, as your colleague, I can only say that now. Now, if you give permission, we will be preparing a room for surgery. We cannot slow down! Do you understand what I am talking about? I can only advise you not to lose your heart. We will do everything possible… The surgery will be held by an experienced kids surgeon. I will assist him,– said the surgeon, disturbing from his notes on the last phrase, looking at him over his glasses.
Muhit felt something cold coming from him and looked his speaker in the eye and decided to ask him for something.
– Yes I clearly understand what is going on. But ain’t I a doctor?! Let me be present at the surgery with you. I will only observe,– begged Muhit.
– Yes, of course, I’ll give my agreement. The child is suffering from cerebral palsy,– the doctor looked at him with an empty glance,looking at him and then back, he went further on and hushed.
– We will do everything possible. Don’t worry. We will do everything possible… I am sorry but I have already told you my vision about your presence at this surgery,– he said it circling his shoulders with his arms, asked for somebody and quickly went away from him.
The surgery lasted for two hours. Mereke was trying to be absent-minded and praying, not letting his hand go. Her eyes were full of tears but the presence of her husband calmed her a little. Muhit was silent, trying to imagine the outcome of surgery warily. He was trying to imagine everything which seemed to be far and alien for him till now… Everything but not this nightmare which happened to his family at one time, this grief.
The time on the clock, frozen as if made of stone, hands, didn’t dare to move further. After two hours doctors came up to them and told him that the surgery was complicated but still went well. They stood up next to him for a little while and went away. Muhit saw how tired they were and decided not to ask them for details. They were not important to him now. He wanted to learn them for himself in a couple of days. When all worries were supposed to fade away a little and his son would get, at least a little, better. He was still worried inside and looked at his wife, trying to find the most proper words to comfort her.
– Mereke, you heard everything. I will stay here. You go home. Calm them all down. He is probably still in the intensive care room sleeping. Go home, darling. You’ve heard what the doctors said. We only have to pray to God and ask him to give strength to our boy to fight,-he looked at her patting her arm.
– But how would I leave, darling? I want to stay next to you, Muhit. I feel guilty. Can I explain the way it happened, darling?,– she begged in a quiet voice.
– Don’t tell me anything, Mereke. Especially at this moment… Is it the right moment for us to explain to each other? Let Kanat be awaken. Let him get better. I am still worried inside just as you are, Mereke. It obviously was a complicated and urgent
Dislocation of the brain is a displacement of one structure of the brain according to the other ones (med. term)