My Story: 'If You Ever Feel Like Giving up, Think About Your Parents'

Keerthika started getting seizures when she was in the final year of college, and it completely changed her life. She has to keep visiting hospital for her treatment. Her parents accompany her on each step of recovery and it helped her to get back to her usual activities. Now, she has started working and dreams of buying her parents a home.

"While my friends were getting married, I was trying to buy my parents a home– to thank them for all they've done."

I was in the final year of engineering when one day, in the middle of a lecture, my hands and legs went cold and I fell unconscious. A few days later, I was watching TV and mom asked me to turn it off. I got so mad, I screamed at her. She left the room crying and my hands didn't stop shaking. After that, I had constant attacks and screamed at my parents uncontrollably.

We went to multiple doctors who had different theories until one day in college, I got these attacks every 5 mins and the neurologist declared I was having seizures.

I was hospitalized; the next 3 weeks were a blur of treatments. Dad would feed me breakfast every morning before work and say, 'Just one more day!', while mom spent the rest of the day with me.

But I couldn't stop feeling low– life had changed from college and friends to hospital beds. So dad bought me a camera to help me distract myself– and it worked! I was so engrossed in taking pictures, I didn't even realise when I got discharged!

But we still had to be careful. My parents made me sleep next to them so they could keep an eye out and accompanied me most places. Even my friends picked and dropped me home everyday. My HOD gave me time off for recovery.

Still, I felt like a burden. If this would go on lifelong, I didn't feel up for it. But then I remembered my doctor's words, 'If you ever feel like giving up, think about your parents.'

Mom and dad deserved a daughter who didn't give up. So slowly, I got back to studies. After graduation, dad said, 'Take some time off. Focus on yourself first.'

A few months later, I got a job, but mom was worried– I still hadn't fully recovered. But I'd had enough of being dependent; it's been a year since my last seizure and that was the last of it.

With my first salary, I bought them both a ring for their 25th anniversary. They were so happy. Then, I began saving up and last year, my brother and I bought them a house on loan. We've lived in government quarters all our lives, so I wanted to get them something they could call their own. When I handed mom the keys, she wrapped me in a hug and dad's smile said everything!

Still, relatives ask us, 'Acha, when is she getting married?' and dad tells them, 'Whenever she wants to.' It's funny isn't it? We can achieve the world, but still our worth boils down to whether we're married. Sorry, I'll pass!"

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