Report of 16 Oct '05
Gads, this week has been tumultous, and I'd been so looking forward to it as there were a bunch of holidays -
The grand thing about working gratis is that I take off when the kids are off. They are currently at the stage where they truly appreciate that. So we hung out on Tues. The monsoon is coming in and it rained buckets on Tues. Fortunately, Naren's best friend's b'day party was postponed from Tues and I was grateful. I like this kid, Anshuman, a lot: when Naren started at this school, he was sick and was in the "sick room" and Anshuman came down every hour to check on him, thus endearing himself to me forever. All of Naren's friends are those I'd pick for him. I don't know too many of Navin's friends, and he states himself that he hangs out w/ those that specialise in irritating others.
Scott came on Tues for a 5-day weekend and that was a blast. We had made plans to spend all of Thursday together, and the kids' school called that am and said it was closed due to rain. We did not want to change our plans, so we gave the kids a suggested schedule including a movie, and left. We had b'fast outside and went to see a Tamil movie. I'd wanted to take the kids to it to buff up their Tamil, but the rating system here is a mite incomprehensible (it was crystal clear in the U.S. and I loved it) and sometimes the flicks are dreadfully inappropriate for 12 yo's. We liked this movie tho' it was violent and came home to spend the rest of the day w/ the boys, playing the hilarious games of Outburst and Taboo. It was nice to get some 1-on-1 time w/ Scott.
I moved my Banyan day to Friday and went in. The young woman, J, who had been separated from her sibs at a young age came to see me as she had belly pain. On getting a history, I asked if she'd ever been beaten; she stated clearly and matter-of-factly that she had been beaten by her husband and that she'd even been throttled with a belt. I could do little but touch the cheerful young woman, and hope like heck that I could do something for her. She now works in the kitchen and lifts heavy weights, so I prescribed an anti-inflammatory and changed her duties, assigning her to the tailoring unit for the next couple of weeks. J has come to see me before, and on the subsequent week, came bolting up to me to tell me that the meds I'd given her had worked (in Tamil, this is worded, "My illness listened to the meds" which I find very quaint and lovely) and I was happy. Whatever little I can do, let me do.
The basketball team continues to flounder, but they are getting technically a bit better. The last 2 scores have been 12:50 and 12:60. At least they dribble, pass and go for the rebound. I like the kids on the team, except for one young Korean boy who is difficult - after Wed's very physical game, he stuck both middle fingers up at the departing opponents who'd yelled something at the Abacus team and didn't stop despite my instructions. I had to report him to the principal as this is against all that I believe in. The regular coach is actually very good and I wish he'd coach more. Hopefully, in time.
As I headed to the Friday game, I got a call from my younger brother, Vinu. His wife, Tina, is expecting, due any day now, and has her parents w/ them. Her father had upper abdominal pain and felt "uneasy." I requested that they rush him to the hospital as it sounded heart attack-ish, and indeed it was. He is in good hands at Sundaram Medical Foundation, where they also see Banyan patients for free (thank you, SMF) and is recovering well. The past couple of days have been spent running to and from SMF, being the medical liaison and trying to comfort the family; one of the St. V staff docs once said serious illness brings out dysfunctionality in families and that looks like it's about to happen w/ Tina's fam but I am trying to head it off. In the meantime, my mother's sibs are in the thick of a horrendous property dispute which she and they would like me to solve, but my energies are limited and so, my sister, Anu, is stepping in. Thank you, Anu; nothing like having sibs that one can rely on. These family disputes are kind of unproductive - no amount of money can justify a fight, in my opinion. I'd rather get along w/ my sibs than not.
Tutoring goes on in my absence, and one of the kids brought her report card to share - she did spectacularly well and I am so pleased. A little bit of help, an ounce of prevention, one child at a time.
We are off to visit my brilliant aunt, who can always help me feel better. See ya next week.
"Before most people start boasting about their family tree, they usually do a good pruning job." - O. A. Battista
Unw -
Renu
The grand thing about working gratis is that I take off when the kids are off. They are currently at the stage where they truly appreciate that. So we hung out on Tues. The monsoon is coming in and it rained buckets on Tues. Fortunately, Naren's best friend's b'day party was postponed from Tues and I was grateful. I like this kid, Anshuman, a lot: when Naren started at this school, he was sick and was in the "sick room" and Anshuman came down every hour to check on him, thus endearing himself to me forever. All of Naren's friends are those I'd pick for him. I don't know too many of Navin's friends, and he states himself that he hangs out w/ those that specialise in irritating others.
Scott came on Tues for a 5-day weekend and that was a blast. We had made plans to spend all of Thursday together, and the kids' school called that am and said it was closed due to rain. We did not want to change our plans, so we gave the kids a suggested schedule including a movie, and left. We had b'fast outside and went to see a Tamil movie. I'd wanted to take the kids to it to buff up their Tamil, but the rating system here is a mite incomprehensible (it was crystal clear in the U.S. and I loved it) and sometimes the flicks are dreadfully inappropriate for 12 yo's. We liked this movie tho' it was violent and came home to spend the rest of the day w/ the boys, playing the hilarious games of Outburst and Taboo. It was nice to get some 1-on-1 time w/ Scott.
I moved my Banyan day to Friday and went in. The young woman, J, who had been separated from her sibs at a young age came to see me as she had belly pain. On getting a history, I asked if she'd ever been beaten; she stated clearly and matter-of-factly that she had been beaten by her husband and that she'd even been throttled with a belt. I could do little but touch the cheerful young woman, and hope like heck that I could do something for her. She now works in the kitchen and lifts heavy weights, so I prescribed an anti-inflammatory and changed her duties, assigning her to the tailoring unit for the next couple of weeks. J has come to see me before, and on the subsequent week, came bolting up to me to tell me that the meds I'd given her had worked (in Tamil, this is worded, "My illness listened to the meds" which I find very quaint and lovely) and I was happy. Whatever little I can do, let me do.
The basketball team continues to flounder, but they are getting technically a bit better. The last 2 scores have been 12:50 and 12:60. At least they dribble, pass and go for the rebound. I like the kids on the team, except for one young Korean boy who is difficult - after Wed's very physical game, he stuck both middle fingers up at the departing opponents who'd yelled something at the Abacus team and didn't stop despite my instructions. I had to report him to the principal as this is against all that I believe in. The regular coach is actually very good and I wish he'd coach more. Hopefully, in time.
As I headed to the Friday game, I got a call from my younger brother, Vinu. His wife, Tina, is expecting, due any day now, and has her parents w/ them. Her father had upper abdominal pain and felt "uneasy." I requested that they rush him to the hospital as it sounded heart attack-ish, and indeed it was. He is in good hands at Sundaram Medical Foundation, where they also see Banyan patients for free (thank you, SMF) and is recovering well. The past couple of days have been spent running to and from SMF, being the medical liaison and trying to comfort the family; one of the St. V staff docs once said serious illness brings out dysfunctionality in families and that looks like it's about to happen w/ Tina's fam but I am trying to head it off. In the meantime, my mother's sibs are in the thick of a horrendous property dispute which she and they would like me to solve, but my energies are limited and so, my sister, Anu, is stepping in. Thank you, Anu; nothing like having sibs that one can rely on. These family disputes are kind of unproductive - no amount of money can justify a fight, in my opinion. I'd rather get along w/ my sibs than not.
Tutoring goes on in my absence, and one of the kids brought her report card to share - she did spectacularly well and I am so pleased. A little bit of help, an ounce of prevention, one child at a time.
We are off to visit my brilliant aunt, who can always help me feel better. See ya next week.
"Before most people start boasting about their family tree, they usually do a good pruning job." - O. A. Battista
Unw -
Renu
posted by Renu Weiss at
8:50 PM
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