Geriatric Flaw

Qadeer Bano

One of the surest signs of old age is when we lose our sense of empathy. We become self-absorbed, blasé, even insensitive towards the pain of others. Instead of showing concern or compassion, we mentally block out 'negativity', lest it upsets us.
This geriatric flaw came into full play today when Qadeer Bano appeared unusually restless in the morning and removed her sandals midway through the exercises. After some time, she stopped exercising and walked away bare feet, selectively treading upon patches of green in the Garden.
Her peculiar behavior raised a few eyebrows – but nothing beyond.

Arun Patil's sermon on diabetes before a captive audience

Arun Patil once summoned her back in the exercise circle, but she ignored him. Clearly, she was in agony. After pacing up and down for a while, she settled on a bench and raised both feet as though to air them.
Turned out that she is an acute diabetic with a sugar count of 370 mg/dl-plus. It was obvious that the sugar level shot up abnormally this morning, causing a wrenching pain around her toes and soles. Upon learning of her plight, Razia Khan, Shekhawat and a few others assured her that the pain was “natural” and well, nothing can be done about it.
“This is called diabetic foot,” pronounced Arun Patil, who has endured the worst of diabetes and turned into a self-professed expert after amputating a leg. “Don’t worry, the pain will come and go. If it gets worse, you will experience numbness and then maybe, have to chop the foot off.”
Arun went on to speak at length from experience, holding forth on several worst case scenarios (including ‘phantom foot’) before a captive audience. When and how Qadeer Bano slipped away, nobody noticed. So much for the comforting words she so desperately wanted to hear!