My dad fell down and fractured his left wrist while he was innocently carrying on with his dusting and cleaning routine at home. Poor thing, he has been in acute pain for the past few days and will have to undergo a minor surgery to correct the damage. Today as I spoke to him letting him know that we will be thinking of him, praying for him, and sending positive vibes along, I could sense the shakiness in his voice. Rightfully so.

I have lost count of the number of surgeries my dad has had in his life so far. He knows too well what a surgery entails and what being in physical pain means, which is why when I was bed ridden after a c-section, my dad's words and reassurance mattered the most because he knew what he was talking about.

Appa is my role model when it comes to taking care of one's health. He is someone I will always look upto and draw inspiration from. I have not seen him once succumb to temptations and cravings. He is very particular about eating healthy and nutritious food, keeping up with his daily walks, and taking his medications. He would not push the limits of what his body can do. Inspite of doing the right things, setbacks do happen, and what does one do. As hard as it is, accept and face it, that's what I learn from appa's experiences.

If appa has endured a lot physically, amma is the one always by his side bearing the burden of being positive and taking care of the practical aspects without being emotionally drained . It's not easy being on the other side of the surgery room knowing that your loved one is under the knife. It's not easy seeing your better half writhing in pain, and knowing that there is not much you can do to make it vanish.

Although we are half way across the world, the knowledge that my grandma, aunt, uncle and the extended family are there means a lot to me and my brother. We are immensely grateful for their presence and moral support.

Appa, you are likely in the surgery room as I type this post. Here's wishing and praying that all goes well, and that you have a super speedy recovery.