Silicon Breasts

By Vijay Aravindh V

Vembuli extended his hand, spread his palms over the bed, and found the bed empty and cold. He opened his eyes slowly. It was still a little dark. Vimala was not beside him. He turned to see the digital clock near the night lamp. It was 4:48AM. He was a bit tensed by the absence of Vimala. He woke up from the bed, switched off the AC and moved to the hall. Vimala was sitting in the dark, was lost in her own train of thoughts. The kitchen lights were on. He went there and found the milk boiling over the stove and was put to sim.He took two cups and took sugar and coffee powder. He filtered the milk and made two cups of coffee. He took them over a plate to Vimala. Vimala noticed Vembuli and took the plate from him hurriedly. Vembuli switched on the hall lights and fan and sat next to Vimala and took his cup. Vimala was really nervous. Her face had gone pale. Vembuli was disturbed too but didn't want to express his fears and freak out his wife.

Vembuli:“Why did you wake up so early…we have kept the alarm for 5:30 already. You should sleep properly.”

Vimala was silent. She was still caught up in her thoughts.

After few minutes

Vimala: “hmm…Coffee is really wonderful.”

Vembuli: “it’s your husband’s preparation…how else it would be!!”

Both chuckled. They felt everything was normal and asusual for a split moment, but the awkward silence crept in again. It was an important day for both of them, the test reports would be coming Today, and they have a doctor appointment at 11:00 AM.

Vimala:“would I be able to drink your coffee again? Is this my last coffee vembu??”

Tears welling up in her eyes, ready to roll down in Vimala cheeks, Vembuli kept down his cup, hugged her and wiped her tears. He consoled her.

Vembuli:“The result day was long over…we known about Breast cancer since last Thursday, yep…we have it, we will fight against it together… we spoke about it, multiple times during the entire weekend. Today we just go to our doctor and discuss the treatment plan and get over this cancer. Please don't cry, baby.”

Vimala: “you are right…we will get over with this. Come 'on, let's get ready. I have already switched the heater ON in the bathroom. I will bathe. First, you cook some tiffin for breakfast. We will eat and leave the house.”

Vembuli:“what can I make for breakfast? Can I do your favourite Kulipaniyaram?... along with pudina chutney??”

Vimala:“No, I want to eat it only after we come back home. After all these treatments, then I will eat Kulipaniyaram and pudina chutney soulfully.”

Vembuli:“okay…then I will prepare something that's my favourite.”

***

Vembuli put on his sandal shade shirt and his wristwatch; he saw Vimala smiling at him via the dressing table mirror. She was combing her greying hair. He walked and stood behind her and bent down to kiss her in the cheeks. She patted him. They stood to leave to the hall for breakfast.

Vimala: “Really…are you serious…??”

Vembuli: “Why…what happened??”

Vimala:“Really…do you want to make curd rice for breakfast…that too today?!!”

Vembuli: “I am sorry…I said I was making my favourite dish??”

Vimala:“Do not make me say things that we will both regret…just leave it…."

Vembuli:“I will really compensate with a feast while coming back…promise.”

They ate the curd rice silently for a few minutes. Vimala lost herself in her thoughts. Suddenly she raised her spoon and looked at Vembuli.

Vimala:“Have you taken the medical reports and test results??”

Vembuli:“Yes”

Vimala:“Taken hospital Admit-card??”

Vembuli: “Yes”

Vimala: “Dresses, bathroom slippers, soaps, brushes and shampoosachets, for two days, for both of us??”

Vembuli:“Yes, I packed all.”

Vimala:“what about insurance and emergency cash??”

Vembuli: “Yeah, everything is ready and arranged. Please don't worry at all??”

Vimala:“okay then, we are good to go. I will wash these plates. You just make a flask of coffee. I don't want to drink that hospital coffee, okay??”

Vembuli:“hmm…”

Vembuli was getting moody and dull.

Vimala:“okay??...reply properly…."

Vembuli gave a sad, dull smile.

Vembuli:“okay, madam."

***

It was fifteen minutes' drive to the hospital, Vembuli was driving, and Vimala was sitting beside him. Vimala was really silent and tense. She was biting her lips.

Vembuli:“Do you know what… I thought I was the one who is uncivilised and always thought that you were women of class.”

Vimala laughed and turned to him.

Vimala:“Yeah…that’s true…what is there to doubt it??”

Vembuli:“Today, you had coffee without brushing, just like me. You know how nasty it is?”

Vimala:“shut up…I brushed first, then put the milk on the stove and was sitting in the hall."

Vembuli looked at her doubtfully.

Vimala:“what?? I am not uncivilised like you, when I woke up, first thing…I brushed then even while coming back even I turned on the heater.”

Vembuli:"yeah, right.”

***

Vembuli and Vimala were sitting in the waiting lounge. It was 8:15 now. As usual, Vimala was holding the medical reports bag. He was carrying the flask and the cloth bag. They were almost three hours early for the appointment. Vembuli had applied a vibuthi on his forehead. It was from Vinayagar temple at the entrance of the hallway of the cancer institute. Vimala wasn't much religious. The lounge hall was well lit and air-conditioned. The waiting hall was deserted. The walls were filled with posters regarding breast cancer. There were pluck cards and medicine magazines regarding breast cancer identification and diagnosis. They were explanations about breast cancer types, symptoms and treatments about it. The hospital atmosphere was really frightening them. They came too early as well. It was really making them anxious and chilly. A saree clad woman with a hospital tag, wearing heavy make-up with shiny straightened hair, walked past the hall to the adjacent room that bridges the lounge and doctor's room.

Vembuli: “would our doctor have arrived??”

Vimala: “Have some patience Vembu…they will call once they are ready…just read these newspapers.”

Vembuli:”Yeah… okay."

Two hours passed in that cold, eerie waiting Longue. Vembuli finished putting sudoku and crossword puzzles. He maintained his calm and chill demeanour outside. He looked at his wife who was going through the medical reports for the nth time, he felt really bad, he should have been the person taking responsibility and doing these chores for her, he had been irresponsible like this throughout his life, he went to get those reports from her hand, she refused.

Vembuli:“hey…take a rest…I will go through them now.”

Vimala:“No…I will do it…you continue your sudoku…go go..povembu…do your sudoku.”

Vembuli:“sorry di…give it to me… I will take care…you take rest now.”

Vembuli was going through the reports. Vimala leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes for a few minutes. Vembuli realised long ago in his life that she was the strongest of them both, but the matter was so serious that Today she was worried. He was worried about the treatment. They heard that the survival rate with the third stage of breast cancer in 3–the 4-year belt was 72%. These doctors were positively saying that 72% of people diagnosed with breast cancer survived up to 3-4 years. Still, this very positive news has been haunting them, that even if they escape this treatment without any fatality, the chance of living together is for just odd four years., thinking of this, Vembuli too closed his eyes and leaned back on the cushion sofa.

A few minutes passed, oncologist Dr Veeramani walked past the lounge and went to his cabin. Vimala shook Vembuli out of the nap. He woke up with a jolt.

Vembuli: “what happened??”

Vimala:“Doctor came…get ready Vembu.”

The nurse came out of the cabin and asked them to come. They walked into the room and found a small sofa and a reception desk where that saree girl sat. she gave a broad smile and asked them to sit there for two minutes, and the nurse will call them. The anxiety was building, and the tension in the air was mixing with the sanitiser and room freshener smell.

Vimala looked at Vembuli; his legs were trembling. Vimala eyed Vembuli to come closer.

Vimala bent near Vembuli and whispered.

Vimala: “Morning I drank the coffee before brushing…happy??”

Vembuli: “I knew it”

Vembuli smiled.

The nurse came out. She asked the couple to leave the baggage there, give the reports to her and asked them to meet Dr Veeramani.

They entered the room. It was a quite big room; Dr Veeramani was sitting behind the table, with his white coat and big nerdy glasses, smiling. He adjusted his glasses and welcomed them.

Dr Veeramani: “Please have a seat.”

They sat in the cushioned chair; the room was colder than the longe. There were dummy models of Women highlighting the mammary glands, there were few models with markers around their chest regions, some of the pictorials were there with women depicting the anatomy of before and after figures.

Dr Veeramani: “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Vembuli, how you guys are feeling today.”

Vimala: “Fine doctor, little nervous actually.”

Dr Veeramani:“ohh…only little…I am little disappointed then…."

The doctor chuckled,

Dr Veeramani:“this is a little serious issue but don’t worry…you are in good hands.”

Dr Veeramani' s humor tensed Vimala and Vembuli more. Vimala silently extended her cold hands to catch Vembuli' s warm hands under the table, but his palm and fingers were colder than hers. She turned to give a quick glance at Vembuli. He was really frightened. Dr Veeramani was searching for something, then he looked at them and smiled.

Dr Veeramani:“I am sorry, wait for a minute I will bring your Mammogram report before discussing the treatment plan…please wait for a minute.”

Dr Veeramani stepped out and went out of his cabin. Vembuli looked around the room. There were huge pluck cards asking whether “Did you have late menopause?”. Vembuli shook his head in disapproval.

Vembuli turned to his wife and placed his fingers over her face.

Vembuli: “Don’t worry di, everything would be fine.”

Vimala: “It should be.”

The door opened, the couples turned and anticipated the doctor, but that saree girl came in with a Boucher and a box.She came and sat in a chair beside the couples. She introduced herself.

Godavari: “Hello sir and madam, I am Godhavari, I am here to talk something important. So, madam, what is your age??”

Vembuli: “she is turning 40 this month and I am 41.”

Godavari: “that’s fantastic, you guys looked even younger actually. Madam you really look beautiful madam.”

Vimala doubtfully replied.

Vimala: “thank you very much.”

Godavari: “okay I am sure doctor would have diagnosed about Breast cancer and about the treatment procedures.”

Vembuli: “yes madam, we are going to discuss it with Veeramani sir.”

Godavari: “that’s great sir, please take a look at this picture.”

She showed two pictures of Angelina Jolie, one younger and another a recent picture of her.

Godavari: “so sir, which one looks beautiful??”

Vembuli: “of course, the second one."

Vimala gave a sharp glance at Vembuli for his profound and keen interest in answering such questions.

Godavari: “Absolutely right sir, this picture that you liked is Angelina Jolie after her mastectomy. Yeah true.”

Godavari then laid down the Boucher and opened the box. She took out two huge large idli sized translucent hard jelly and handed them over.Vembuli took it in his hands and squeezed them.

Vembuli: “wow…really nice…what is it??”

Godavari: “Its silicon breast sir. Do you like it??”

Vembuli dropped it on the table and put down his head, embarrassed. Vimala came to say something, but Godhavari interrupted.

Godavari: “No need to worry about the breast madam, they are absolutely fine, safe and more attractive. They feel very real and could be implanted while the operational procedure.”

The doctor burst into the cabin with his eyes on the report and mumbled…

“Don’t worry Vembuli, you have Ductal Carcinoma InSitu…in short DCIS,The cancer cells are present in the lining of the ducts and have not spread to other tissues of the breast. Although it’s uncommon, Male Breast cancer treatment is the same as women Breast cancer, you get admitted in the afternoon, we could finish the breast tissues removal, may be in a few hours when sedation subdues you could get discharged. No need of staying overnight as well ….and…..”

He lifted his head expecting relieved faces but found Godhavari with her pupils widened…

“Ms. Godhavari stop selling silicon breasts to Mr.Vembuli, he certainly wouldn’t be needing it…at least I hope so."

By Vijay Aravindh V