Taking in the Cards on the Table Prt 6

"Auntie, Auntie!!!Please come quickly!  Uncle Mwaria has collapsed!" I yelled as I tried shaking him to see if he would respond. He didn't. This was bad. Really bad. I should have just let him win.

One look at her face and I knew it was not only bad but worse, and if not worse, worst...

"Jeez Mali! What did you two do? Now what is this?!" she said almost screaming and crying at the same time. 

"Let's go now now now. Now Mali!!!!"

With that my adrenaline kicked in. Somehow I was able to lift his burly body and get him to the car. Once I lumped him in, my aunt sat in the back and did all she could to ensure he was breathing. The sobs I heard from my aunt and the thought of my family's reaction haunted me but I had to put that aside. The need for speed had never been realer than in this moment. In a few minutes, we arrived at the hospital. 

I quickly ran into the emergency unit and by this time all calm had left me. I beckoned at the first nurse I saw almost pulling him outside. "Please help me! I have someone unconscious in the car!!Please come quickly!"

The nurse followed me accompanied by two others. On opening the car, they lifted him onto a wheel chair and dashed him to one of their rooms. 

My aunt and I followed closely, only to be kicked out of the room as they ran assessment tests and checked for vitals.

As we were standing in the corridors a gentleman clad in a white coat approached us. He bore a stern no nonsense face such that I couldn't tell if it was bad or good news.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Rugendo. We are running a few tests for vitals, in the meantime please tell me what happened?"

This was embarrassing. How do I tell them that we were wrestling then I tickled my uncle until he passed out? If anything happened, it would all be on me. The truth had to be told so I told it. Then my aunt let two cats out of the bag.

"Um...Doctor...my husband has a high blood pressure condition and he stopped taking his medication. He's gone weak before but never gone unconscious. I asked him to go see his doctor but he refused. I'm so upset! Please tell me he is alright. Is he?" she said in between tears.

"Give us some time and we shall be able to give you proper updates. Let me check in with him and the team then I'll be able to provide more information," and with that Dr. Rugendo swang back into the room. 

I felt mixed up emotionally. Why didn't he or my aunt tell me this before we started goofing around? I was livid at the unfolding secret. I couldn't believe it. How long had they hidden this secret of high blood pressure? Also for a man like Uncle Mwaria, well-educated and with a background in medicine - why wouldn't he take his medicine?

First shots of anger were at Uncle Mwaria for knowing, doing and saying nothing. I'd not have wrestled him if I knew he wasn't up to it but he never accepted he was growing older.

I was also quite upset with my aunt for not cautioning me. I'd have taken it easier on him. Now here I was carrying the burden that I caused it all and praying desperately that all would go well.

This was not the time to trail into such thoughts. I quickly called my dad and updated him on what happened so that he could update the rest of the family. So much for pulling off the surprise and getting him to his birthday party. If anything, he definitely took the trophy for surprising us all.

In less than fifteen minutes dad and his siblings had arrived. They pulled my aunt aside and went to talk. After what felt like the longest wait, Dr. Rugendo was back. He told us that Uncle Mwaria had mild stroke but not to worry, he would be fine. 

He'd be admitted for a few days for observation purposes. He just needed time to rest and they would provide some medication to help regulate his blood pressure. In the mean time we were requested to wait, they would alert us when we could see him.

I was at ease but was still a bit shaken about the experience. The good thing was he was still alive. No severe impact. The adrenaline within me was still pretty high and I needed to be calm when I saw him. Sitting wouldn't work for me, so I decided to take a walk and get some air. 

The flashes of him breathless played in my mind. Then hearing about his high blood pressure and that he wasn't taking his medication...my mind trailed back to images of his unconscious body. "What a twist of a day. I am definitely not helping with any more surprise parties. Nope. Done." I thought to myself then again...may be not.

I have this habit of thinking out loud and I believe that was what I was doing. Speaking my thoughts and I was louder than I knew because I felt a soft tap on my shoulder.

"I see some things are still the same?" she said

I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew that voice.  Was it really? I turned around swiftly to confirm if it really was who I thought it was.

"Gathoni...Hh  ...Hi."

"Hi Mali," she said

Whew! I was not ready.