Baramullah: Battling all odds this couple tells you what it means to be, by each other’s side in sickness and in health, as seriously as Saleema and Akber Ahmad wani.
From last seven years Saleema dedicated her life to take care of her husband who survived coma but still is unable to talk or work.
It was an evening of August 3, 2010 when a bullet shattered the couples life in Rangwar village of Baramullah district in North Kashmir.
August 3 2010:
At home Saleema was busy in routine household work waiting for Akbar, a tailor by profession, to come home.
At shop, Wani was lowering the shutter of his shop when suddenly scores of youth appeared on the main road.
Protests broke out and stones were responded with tear-smoke shells. Perturbed with slogans and bangs, Saleema came looking for Akbar.
Gun shots, she heard and her heart sank,: “One of our neighbors rushed towards mosque and made an announcement on loudspeaker that someone from our village was hit by a bullet,” Saleema narrates
Saleema was back in the courtyard but in distress for Akbar was not back home yet.
“A neighbor came to me and I quickly inquired, who was hit by bullet,” Saleema says.
“He hesitated in the beginning but after few seconds he replied it was Akbar, my husband.”
“I ran barefoot towards the main road and saw him lying on the road. His clothes were drenched in blood,” Saleema recalls.
The bullet had hit Akbar’s head. He was moved to District Hospital Baramullah for immediate treatment and then referred to Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS) Soura, Srinagar, for advanced treatment ‘ in critical condition’.
The doctors at SKIMS informed Saleema that they have ‘no hope regarding Wani’s survival as the bullet has caused some serious damage to his head’. But Wani battled for his life for over three months on ventilator.
Akbar’s life though was ‘out of danger’ but ‘he went into coma’
“After going through a surgery my husband went into coma for more than three years. The hope of coming out from it was very less but I kept my nerves,” Saleema says.
Akbar and Saleema don’t have a child and Akbar was only earning hand of the family.
Finances ran empty and according to Saleema ‘sometime she did not had a single penny to purchase medicines for her husband’.
“Life had become miserable for me…no one, literally, no one came for our help. Only Allah and I know, how I managed everything,” Saleema said as tears rolled from her eyes.
May 3, 2013:
It was May 3, 2013, Saleema was about to give medicines to Akbar that she screamed.
Attendants inside ward of the hospital thought Akbar was finally dead.
“They circled me and found Akbar was out of the coma. No one including doctors could believe it. I cannot describe the feeling. We both looked into each other’s eyes for over 15 minutes,” Saleema said.
Akbar is still not able to speak or move.
“I have a left everything for Allah and I believe he will do some miracle just like he did four years ago. I’m waiting for the day he speaks and goes to his shop again,” she confides.
In last seven years Saleema has been affected both mentally and physically. She has grown weak and is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“No doubt she is brave and has put on a fight that no one else would, but from last three years she is suffering from depression and memory loss. Despite going through such a condition she has never forgotten to give medicines to her husband on time,” Hilal Ahmad, Saleema’s cousin told INS.
Saleema’s cousin said that she even did not visit her maternal home when her father died couple of years ago. “She did not shed a single tear although her heart was crying. I believe the incident with her husband had made her strong,” Hilal said.
Saleema sold her jewelry and some portion of their land to keep her husband alive.
Tragic history of family:
“This is a second such incident that has happened in their house. In 90s my brother-in-law was subjected to enforced disappearance by government forces. Akbar’s mother and father died waiting for their younger son. Disappearances acted as a slow poison for both of them and they could not survive more than five years,” Hilal disclosed.
Saleema says that she never thought of leaving her husband as they had promised to take care of each other in thick and thin.
“We had a dream of having some kids but that did not happen, we knew there was no one who could take care of us so we decided to take care of each other,” she said.
Hope:
“I sometimes worry who will take care of him if I die. I have put on my husband’s shoes. I learned the art of sewing and I’m sure one day we would run the shop that has been closed for over seven years now together.”
