The recent demise of cricketer Shane Warne due to a heart attack again brings us to the crossroads, fending reasons for the unexpected mortality of people who have been into the business of fitness and sports. Sidharth Shukla of Bigg Boss fame, who was at the sweetest pinnacle of his career, and Kannada actor Puneeth Rajkumar, who was once again the heartthrob of many fans, are among several celebrities who have passed away as a result of a cardiac arrest at a young age. These gifted and productive performers were taken from us by a sad twist of fate.
While we are all saddened by the loss of loved ones at the hands of nature, however at the same time it continuously instils dread within the common man that if this can happen to a person from the film industry or a sportsman – where celebrities are at their fitness best – it can happen to anyone. And we all have responsibilities lined up to finish before we say our final goodbyes to this world.
All these thoughts relate to me personally as I recently went through a small ordeal. I had recently relocated to Bengaluru and was living alone because my wife works for a government set-up in Patiala. Despite being a forced bachelor, I chose to set up my kitchen to ensure that whatever I eat is fresh and nutritious. So, on one weekend night, I decided to chow down to my favourite gobhi parathas. That too, for dinner.
While preparing the paratha ingredients, I made sure to make them as spicy as I like them. I used desi ghee to sauté those lip-smacking parathas that went right from the pan to my plate, telling my tummy bon appétit. I ate a couple more than normal.
Also read: The Shane Warne Theatre That We Merely Lived In
As I was about to retire to bed, I began to experience pain in my chest and one of my arms. This set alarm bells ringing in my head. I told myself that I needed to get an ECG right away, and even thought it could be gastric discomfort. Since the discomfort was intermittent, I opted to wait and watch.
In a matter of minutes, sleep triumphed over fear. The next morning, I went about my usual exercise and jogging regimen.
As the day progressed, my wife insisted that I see a doctor. The doctor enquired about the previous day’s events. When he heard that I have had a savoury dish at night, a long run in the morning followed by climbing seven floors, he informed me that if I had a cardiac problem, undertaking such much physical activity would have been impossible.
Then, to corroborate the facts clinically, he performed an ECG and declared that the discomfort and anxiety were due to a gastrointestinal condition caused due to the gobhi ke parathe. They were declared the culprits.
As the saga came to an end, I was reminded of an old Hindi classical song sung by Lata Mangeshkar, “Zara si aahat hoti hai to dil sochta hai, kahin ye wo to nahin“. Though in my situation, all was well, I have been telling all my friends and family to be cautious and watchful of any symptoms and to report it immediately inside the golden hour. This will definitely help save a common man’s heart.
No one knows how much grief and pain awaits us all in the future – as it happened during COVID-19 – but I am certain that capturing such moments allows us to forget our sorrows and bring a small smile.
P.S. Sodhi may have a Doctorate in Management and PG in Management and Engineering, he has always considered himself to be a misfit in the current profession of handling sophisticated machines. He always wanted to be a humorist and has thus been taking time out to pen down his thoughts over the last year.
Featured image: Alexandru Acea / Unsplash