Life lately. The tale of the city of lights...

It has been tough, I won't deny that. Rain in Karachi rarely brings good news. Out of the 12 months in a year, around 9 to 10 are typically dry, and it only rains for a few days throughout the entire year. However, when it does rain, the entire city collapses. This has been the same story year after year. For as long as I can remember, since the day I was born in this city, nothing has changed.

Who should be held responsible? Is it the people, the government, or those in charge of managing the city? I don't have the answers. What I do know is that it is the people who suffer the most. Personally, I am fortunate and privileged enough to have my own car and a motorbike, and I have the financial means to navigate my way out of difficult situations. But my heart aches for those who lack these luxuries. How do they cope with life in this city? Karachi, one of the largest cities in the world, was recently ranked as the fifth 'most unlivable city' in the world by CNBC:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/08/07/global-liveability-index-2022-best-and-worst-places-to-live.html

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Things began to deteriorate even more when we were forced to endure this disastrous rainy season while simultaneously dealing with my father being admitted to the hospital for a life-threatening bypass surgery. During this challenging post-operative period, I have taken on the responsibility of spending the nights with my father to ensure he has someone by his side. My brothers and I have divided the day into shifts, each of us taking turns to stay with our dad at the hospital. This arrangement is necessary because the hospital’s policy only permits one attendant at a time in both the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and the High Dependency Unit (HDU).

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a special area in a hospital designed for patients who need constant, close monitoring and advanced medical care due to severe illness or injury. In the ICU, patients receive round-the-clock attention from a team of doctors, nurses, and specialists who use specialized equipment to track vital signs like heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. The ICU is equipped with machines to help with breathing, medications to support heart function, and other life-saving treatments. Patients in the ICU are often critically ill or recovering from major surgeries.

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HDU

The High Dependency Unit (HDU) is a step down from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and is for patients who need more care and monitoring than a regular hospital ward but aren't critical enough for the ICU. In the HDU, patients are closely watched by doctors and nurses to ensure their condition remains stable and to prevent complications.

Right now, I'm in the hospital, and it's raining cats and dogs, with the entire entrance blocked by water reaching almost knee level. Just a few hours ago, I had to go outside to get some food, as I hadn't eaten in hours. Unfortunately, I had to leave the hospital premises because there was no food available in the hospital cafeteria, only chicken patties.

To leave the hospital, I had to climb a fence to avoid getting my shoes wet. Then I asked a passing biker to give me a lift to the exit gate. My car isn't parked inside the hospital due to the mismanaged parking system, so I had to park it outside.

For dinner I had to visit the nearest roadside restaurant, so that if the nurse call me in case of emergency, I might get there on time. This is what it looked like:

_{the biker giving me a ride}

_{the restaurant with tables and chairs in a puddle}

_{the people waiting for their food trying not to get their feet wet}

_{the worker clearing the dirty water as I had my dinner right in front of him}

_{my dinner: Chicken Tikka and Naan which cost me around 10 steem}

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As I sit outside the HDU, I can't help but ponder what the future holds for this city. Hopefully, my dad will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, but we’ve been issued a red alert from the meteorologists, warning of heavy rain in Karachi. What will tomorrow bring? What will happen to the countless people sleeping on the sidewalks, who don't have the same privileges I do? How will they cope?

I've already witnessed three dead bodies being taken out of the ICU today. How will these families find the strength to carry their loved ones to the graveyard, with the city flooded and roads broken? I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but if there's anyone on Steemit reading this who lives in Karachi, perhaps you'll understand my feelings. How much longer will this continue? The political party that governs us has been re-elected for the past 24 years.

Twenty-four years of neglect. Twenty-four years of countless deaths and suffering...