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Saturday, December 23, 2017

Random Act of Kindness #3

“We mock that which we don't understand, and then we get to experience it ourselves.” 
― Sarah Gerdes, In a Moment

So true! I didn't really mock at anyone but I was quite amazed when I saw somebody throwing up during a 2 hour flight. The person was nervous even before the flight took off. I wondered what makes someone so nauseous(maybe motion sickness?), considering the fact that no airline food was involved. I didn't know if I could offer any comforting words to this (affected) neighbor.

Fast forward(almost 7 years): On a flight, this September, I happened to fall prey to a similar situation(all thanks to the horrible airline food). I ate a spoonful of vegetarian breakfast beginning of an 11 hours flight. A little after, I began throwing up. And as soon as it began, I saw a flashback of the aforementioned experience, I could even recollect the sufferer's face at that time. By that time, I had already thrown up 3/4 times. The airline crew was concerned, so was my neighbor on the flight. They tried to make me drink some water and aerated beverage a few times, but I couldn't even keep down a sip of water. For as far as I could remember, at least 3/4 other passengers came up to me and asked if I was doing OK but I couldn't speak at all.

The flight attendant let me occupy a seat in the crew's resting area and kept an eye on me the whole time. He gave me medicines but that didn't help, three extra blankets(I was cold even after four blankets). One or the other flight attendant came up to me to offer water or anything else every 15/20 minutes but I threw up every time I drank something. Eventually they stopped trying to make me have anything.

It was probably 3/4 hours and we still had a long way to go. The attendant asked me if I would be able to make it up to the destination which was alarming. I felt pretty weak by then but had not realized it was that bad. I almost passed out for a couple of hours(I think they believed I was asleep) but that was really helpful. Rest of the journey was pretty painful too, so I just tried to go back to sleep. Around 40 mins before the arrival, the attendant asked me if I would need wheelchair assistance at the airport. I agreed to take the offer but when we finally landed, I had no energy to spend any extra time than I absolutely had to(also felt feeblish, I couldn't come to terms with the fact that I was so weak as to need wheelchair assistance), at the airport. Next 45 minutes to hour was pretty exhausting, I was trembling almost the whole time but somehow made it. 





I am still pretty amazed and very thankful for the effort that (one particular) flight attendant(I wish I could ask his name, he was very kind) and rest of the crew made to make me feel as comfortable as they possibly could. They went above and beyond what anyone could expect from a crew.

“Kindness is not a business. True kindness expects nothing in return and should never act with conditions.” -  Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

(I would add this one to chalking up to the experience as well.)

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