Thank you for your understanding and your love on last nights condition, but it was imperative for me to do that. I would never expected any less from this lovely band of people that we have created with great care and forbearance.

The night started off with great apprehensions, what with the temperature of the fever going up – always a dangerous signal. But the mercury fell during the night, or in todays terminology the digital reading in these modern contraptions, showed improvement and by the morning there was a freshness and hope of repair. Soon after wards though, the additional pain that has developed in the abdomen, apart from the surgical, kept doctors busy and going into a huddle. When ever they do that I always surmise there is something more than normal in the patient. Heavy dosages of even more antibiotics were pumped in, and to facilitate this operation they had to wheel me in to the OT again to put a ‘central line’, through an incision on the neck.

The lights as we rolled by above on the ceiling sped past, and with a few bumps and pushes on the trolley bed that rolls into the ‘theatre of the distressed’, found its destination among hushed vocals. The operating lights shine bright into your face, and masked faces appear magically above you – confident, considerate and compassionate. And before long well rehearsed and practiced procedures come into being. Green sterilized wrappings all around you, a covering over your body to keep you warm in the air bag that stretches above, a fumigated smell of purity and a visual of the doctor that shall do the deed.

They are all most pleasant and polite in their acts – ‘we are ready to go sir, if you feel any discomfort, speak out’ .. ‘just a small little needle prick sir’ … ‘it will numb the skin around the neck’ .. ‘applying a cream to desensitize the area, will feel a little cold’ .. ‘we are starting, this green cloth that covers your face may cause breathing problems but we shall keep your nose out so you can breathe’ .. ‘any pain sir ? we are entering the incision’ ..

And you feel the elements that are supposed to go in, go in … I casually ask the doc … ‘how many of these have you done ? … ‘about 10,000′ he responds. A certain sense of relief gathers about you – you are in capable hands …

‘You will now feel a wire like object rubbing against the walls, and then we shall be pressing your neck somewhat deeply, if you feel pain tell us. Procedure over, tubes and tapes being attached. The doc speaks up – ‘ you are a good patient sir ! I register it with a nod and soon all the mechanics over am shifted to bed from room and driven down somewhat rapidly to my room … an ominous silence prevails there, family anxious to know if all went well … Abhishek assures them, and tucked into bed, pillows all around, tired and tired, shut eyes …

When the doctors speak to you about what will happen in the procedure and what you will feel, how do they know the feel part ? Surely they have not been through it themselves have they ? Found it odd !

There are more doctors now being called in for consultation, for second opinion … hmmm … a lapse of some time, friends drop by inquiring after and then the doctors again … they do not differ in the analysis of the earlier doctors .. so treatment remains, pain remains and I remain with you – my sincerest of well wishers !

Love you all … hoping tomorrow shall be a better day than today and then onwards …

Amitabh Bachchan