Week 9 Story: "I will never be grateful enough."

Savitri and Satyavan (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

This story is part of my portfolio: you can find the new version here

“So, Savitri, today’s your last day of therapy; how do you feel about that?”

Savitri was one of my first patients when I moved here. She first came into my office to talk about everything and anything; she just wanted to escape from her dad’s pressure of getting married.

“I’m feeling delighted, thrilled, but at the same time, I’m feeling a bit down. I really love our session, Parvati. It was the highlight of my weeks.”

I smiled at her words. She went through a lot, and I was here from the beginning until the end. When she finally fell in love with a caring and fantastic guy; they were both involved in a car accident a week after their wedding. Consequently, Satyavan, her husband, fell into a coma.

“After all the twists and turns that happened in my life, talking with you became my last resort. After Satyavan’s coma, I thought my life was meaningless. But you already know that.”

She chuckled. Yes, I know it all. She was hopeless; it’s understandable. The love of her life was between life and death. I’m pretty sure I would react the same way if something happened to Shiva and my two sons.

“And then he woke up without any memories of our relationship. It was…”

She resumed her story as I remembered the day the hospital called her. She ran from the session so quickly. She was so overjoyed, ecstatic from the news. And then, she came back the week after, she was devastated. Her husband had lost his memory. He could not remember his life’s recent facts, and the doctors didn’t know if his memory would come back.

“Even if he did not recover his memory. He was willing to try despite his memory loss and now loot at us! We’re happy as ever, and we will get married once again in two months. It was hard in the beginning, rediscovering ourselves, being friends, and then lovers once more. But I’m glad I had you by my side. I don’t know what I would become if you were not here, guiding me and supporting me through this. I’m pretty sure I would be depressed or something like that without you. It is literally thanks to you that I’m in high spirits right now. I will never be grateful enough. ”

She looked at me, thankfully. “Thanks, yourself, Savitri. You did all the hard work by yourself. My role was, above all, to listen in a compassionate way and without any judgment. I also intervened at the right moments, reacted to the words by asking questions, proposing interpretations. My role was to be for you a guide, a companion, support. I accompanied you to find your own answers.”

She smiled at me. “You are so modest, Parvati. You’re a life savior, I mean it. Thank you.”

I teared up but recomposed myself quickly. “Well, I’m glad I helped you.” We exchanged smiles with eyes and mouth. We wrapped up our session a few minutes later. Savitri told me what’s her next projects with her husband.

As I opened the door, Savitri took a gift card from a stationery store out of her bag. She knows that I love stationery kinds of stuff.

“I know you won’t accept it, so I’ll just put it here on your console table.”

I giggled at her words.

“It was nice meeting you, Parvati. Again, thank you so much.”

She shook my hands and then came for an embrace. I know it is not really professional, but I returned her hug. We exchanged our last goodbye and closed the doors. She was my last patient today. As I walked towards my desk, I noticed a note with the gift card: “Please use it; I know that you’re addicted to nice notebooks. ;)”

Author’s note: I based my story on Savitri’s story and the movie The Vow. The latter deals with Paige and Leo. They were a happy young couple, until a car accident. If Leo escapes unharmed, Paige wakes up from her coma and forgets everything about the last five years of her life. She does not have any memory of Leo nor of what they lived. Her husband is a total stranger. Paige discovers a life she knows nothing about - her own. She thinks she’s still engaged to Jeremy, a businessman still in love with her, and has a hard time accepting Leo and his bohemian lifestyle – I skip this part. Unable to help his wife regain her memories, Leo loses the only person who ever mattered to him. Ready to do anything, he decides to start over and win Paige back as if they had just met.

Sorry for the spoilers if you wanted to watch the movie!

I also wanted to write about Savitri because she seems like someone who never gives up and would do anything for her loved ones. Besides, I also wrote this story from Parvati’s point of view. This is a change from my previous stories where the patient’s point of view is emphasized. I hope this new angle is refreshing to read. 

Bibliography: Ideal Indian Women by Sunity Devee