Mesmerized, Jennifer sat up straighter as the news anchor continued. “The Indian government’s claims that their surgical results are as good or better than those anywhere in the West received another blow last night when a Mr. Herbert Benfatti of Baltimore, Maryland, as we mentioned, passed away with a heart attack slightly after nine p.m. New Delhi time. This tragic result happened after the gentleman had had an uncomplicated knee replacement some twelve hours earlier. Although Mr. Benfatti had had a history of an arrhythmia, he’d been in good health and had even had a normal angiogram in the past month in preparation for his surgery. Our sources tell us that such a death is not an infrequent phenomenon in private Indian hospitals. It’s just that the Indian authorities have managed to keep a lid on such information leaking out. Our sources tell us further that they plan on continuing to report future as well as past deaths so prospective patients can have the information they need to make informed choices of whether or not they want to take such risk merely to save a few dollars. CNN, of course, will bring such information forward the moment it is available. Now let’s turn to . . .”

Jennifer’s first reaction was sympathy for the Benfatti family and the hope they hadn’t had to hear the tragic news from the TV as she did. It also made her wonder about the hospital. Two unexpected deaths from elective surgery two nights in a row was definitely excessive and, as such, most likely preventable, and thereby more poignant. She also found herself wondering if Mr. Benfatti was married, and if he was whether Mrs. Benfatti was in India, and if so, whether she was staying there at the same hotel. It was Jennifer’s thought that if there was a Mrs. Benfatti it might be nice for Jennifer to convey her sympathies in person if she could marshal the nerve. The last thing Jennifer wanted to do was bother whoever was the next of kin, yet because of her ongoing experience with her grandmother’s death, she thought she could commiserate better than anyone.

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

OCTOBER 17, 2007
WEDNESDAY, 8:31 A .M.
NEW DELHI, INDIA