X – for X ray & Xmas

I could not really find words for X, the word that was coming was X-ray, and this word for me is a painful word, as it reminded me of my son Emmanuel, who was very prone for respiratory issues. I had take extra care to protect him.  

Whenever he had cough and cold, the doctors would advise me to take an x-ray, and for Emmanuel it would be fun, to remove his shirt and stand smiling, the lab technician would be so amused, he would carry him and hug him. 

Then came December 2010, Hyderabad was 7 degrees, and it was too much for Emmanuel to bear, we celebrated his 7^th birthday, without knowing that it would be the last birthday of his life. Emmanuel went to school, cut the cake, shared with the doctor as well as his friends in school, and was having light temperature, as usual we took him to the pediatrician, and he was on antibiotic for a week.

This time the fever did not come down, and we had to continue to treat him for another week, and then it continued for another week of taking X-ray every alternate day, as the doctors diagnosed as bronchial pneumonia, which led him to the ventilator and within a week he was no more among us….. but continues to live in our lives.

Another word for X is Xmas, which was one of the beautiful experiences with family, when Emmanuel was around. My daughter  loved the Christmas tree, and was all excited to decorate it and Emmanuel was helping her with whatever she required, sometimes playing with it, and getting scolding from her sister, sometimes obediently picking up the decorative materials and giving her.

I had fun watching them struggle to blow balloons, and playing around.  X mas is also a time of giving, and my daughter Dorothy loved gifts.  In order to surprise both of them, I used to pack gifts and hide  and put it on the table on X mas morning, telling that Santa had come, when they were asleep and left these gifts for them. 

Now that Emmanuel is no more, and Dorothy has grown up.  The meaning of X mas  continues to evolve as we keep growing. I love to quote Mother Teresa who says “ It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you… yes it is Christmas every time you smile at your brother/sister and offer him your hand.”  I thank all of you for being kind to me, and made me think, smile, laugh through your blogs, this challenge has been  like X mas for me.

Be Blessed & Be Happy!

Today I'm on X of the Blogging From A to Z April Challenge.