She was known as the Iron Lady — tough on political rivals, reticent even in the bustle of public life. But those who interacted closely with her in the last days of her life have a different version to tell — that of a warm woman with a great sense of humour.
“Jayalalithaa had a great sense of humour. She cracked jokes in hospital... Jaya used to joke with the nurses even in the ICU,” said Dr Preetha Reddy, the executive vice-chairperson of Apollo Hospitals, who had close access to her.
Jayalalithaa was admitted at Apollo on September 22 for fever and dehydration. Later she was treated for infection and put on respiratory support. On Sunday night, 74 days after she had been admitted, she suffered a massive cardiac arrest, and died a day later.
“She came in at a stage when she needed intensive care... The best team of doctors worked with her and administered the best treatment,” Dr Reddy told CNN-News18.
During the CM's hospitalisation, those in the medical team were under tremendous pressure trying to live up to the expectations of millions. When the end came, it was very emotional. "The nurses cried when they realised Jayalalithaa was no more,” Dr Reddy said.
Reflecting on the Amma schemes catering to the poor, she said: “Where else do you get to see such schemes catering to the masses and being run so well and so efficiently. I admire her for everything she did.”
“She had this passionate desire to get Cooum river cleaned. We even discussed Sabarmati River and the way it was cleaned. She had a number of other plans; this is just one of the examples,” Dr Reddy said, adding that Jayalalithaa had plans to make healthcare more accessible to the poor.
Talking about the last 48 hours with Jayalalithaa, Reddy said: "The last 48 hours have been a humbling experience. No matter how hard you try, the outcome is not in our hand. We can only work hard and pray that the outcome is good.”