Report of 27 Nov '05
Hello from gloomy Chennai -
It promises to rain again today. We need to be careful what we wish for - when it was hot, we wanted rain and now we have it. Every day. The clothes-have-not-dried, pull-your-saris-up, traffic-is-backing-up kind of rain. Rail tracks and roads to Madurai have been damaged, and we spent an hour today at the train booking office to cancel my Madurai ticket; I'd wanted to go and see my folks.
We just returned from lunch after the booking ofc. It is nice to fill one's belly when one wants to, eh? About 25 years ago, I told my mother how fortunate we were that we could afford the food we like to eat, and she agreed, speaking of how women came to the butcher to buy about quarter pound of meat, that being all they could afford. I have had patients who have not been certain of their next meal, and I remember each of them. Before my registration went into limbo, I took care of several such folks, including one who travelled 4 hours by bus to see me. He had been given a diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis from a powerhouse medical institution here, I'd disagreed, and treated him for Reactive Airway Disease. He'd improved, and I was deeeelighted. I wonder how he is, and hope he continues to breathe better.
The virus in our house stayed persistently, and it took 2 weeks for us to recover. There are great lessons here: I used to think a cough was a fairly mild symptom, and reconsidered after mine this week, which caused my head to lift right off the pillow, woke me from sleep and caused a headache w/ the effort. Never will I consider a cough a mild annoyance again. Navin got better and then abruptly lost his voice this week. Scott is also recovering. Rest is under-rated in recovery - because I could spend a week in bed and ease back into work, I didn't get as wiped out as Scott did. Scott has been known to drag himself into work even when unwell, and actually was forced to take a day off last week.
The Banyan continues well. Upset stomachs, colds and coughs continue to rule, and the sick room is full. 2 patients had picked a big fight w/ each other, even coming to blows, and when I went in on Thursday, they were asleep. When I heard the preceding events, I ensured they stayed asleep and we continued w/ the rest of the rounds. Many of the patients are on medicines to treat fits ("anticonvulsants") and because their bodies are little, sometimes end up having a rather high level of meds in their bodies which causes sedation. We have to watch for this, and it's a balancing act between side-effects and efficacy. This time, tho', I preferred to let sleeping patients lie. We truly need to pick our battles.
The rains kept the tutoring kids away. I was sorry, but was glad they stayed dry. We were delighted to receive school supplies from Blythe, Lauren, Carrie and Rex Cassidy in Brecksville, Ohio - they had rounded up goodies from end-of-school 2005 and we are happy to get 'em! 3 boxes came to us and several went to an orphanage in Madurai which otherwise must subsist on the kindness of locals. We have not opened the boxes yet, but think the contents'll make good Xmas presents.
Stayed away from my pts at the veg market this week, as I would have flung sickness instead of healing upon them. Good health is such a tremendous gift. We took the boys to see "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" today, and I enjoyed it. All of us did. There were several things good there, including the poignant touch to Neville's character. For those who keep up w/ the series, it is my firm belief that Snape is a good guy and that he only did what Dumbledore told him to do in the 6th book. Let's see if this theory holds up - I am currently the only proponent in my house tho' I am winning Navin over. Naren and Scott maintain that Snape is evil.
We continue to battle teen hormones in our house, w/ Naren cooking up fairly elaborate plans to see his female friends - including those at other schools - and getting belligerent when we state he cannot go to the homes of people we do not know. Amazing how a sweet good-natured kid can rewire as a teenager. Navin is watching this spirited battle, and I think might develop alternate strategies. In the grand scheme of things, we really cannot dictate to our hearts whom they must like, can we.
"Love is the most subtle form of self-interest." - Holbrook Jackson
Unw -
Renu
It promises to rain again today. We need to be careful what we wish for - when it was hot, we wanted rain and now we have it. Every day. The clothes-have-not-dried, pull-your-saris-up, traffic-is-backing-up kind of rain. Rail tracks and roads to Madurai have been damaged, and we spent an hour today at the train booking office to cancel my Madurai ticket; I'd wanted to go and see my folks.
We just returned from lunch after the booking ofc. It is nice to fill one's belly when one wants to, eh? About 25 years ago, I told my mother how fortunate we were that we could afford the food we like to eat, and she agreed, speaking of how women came to the butcher to buy about quarter pound of meat, that being all they could afford. I have had patients who have not been certain of their next meal, and I remember each of them. Before my registration went into limbo, I took care of several such folks, including one who travelled 4 hours by bus to see me. He had been given a diagnosis of Cystic Fibrosis from a powerhouse medical institution here, I'd disagreed, and treated him for Reactive Airway Disease. He'd improved, and I was deeeelighted. I wonder how he is, and hope he continues to breathe better.
The virus in our house stayed persistently, and it took 2 weeks for us to recover. There are great lessons here: I used to think a cough was a fairly mild symptom, and reconsidered after mine this week, which caused my head to lift right off the pillow, woke me from sleep and caused a headache w/ the effort. Never will I consider a cough a mild annoyance again. Navin got better and then abruptly lost his voice this week. Scott is also recovering. Rest is under-rated in recovery - because I could spend a week in bed and ease back into work, I didn't get as wiped out as Scott did. Scott has been known to drag himself into work even when unwell, and actually was forced to take a day off last week.
The Banyan continues well. Upset stomachs, colds and coughs continue to rule, and the sick room is full. 2 patients had picked a big fight w/ each other, even coming to blows, and when I went in on Thursday, they were asleep. When I heard the preceding events, I ensured they stayed asleep and we continued w/ the rest of the rounds. Many of the patients are on medicines to treat fits ("anticonvulsants") and because their bodies are little, sometimes end up having a rather high level of meds in their bodies which causes sedation. We have to watch for this, and it's a balancing act between side-effects and efficacy. This time, tho', I preferred to let sleeping patients lie. We truly need to pick our battles.
The rains kept the tutoring kids away. I was sorry, but was glad they stayed dry. We were delighted to receive school supplies from Blythe, Lauren, Carrie and Rex Cassidy in Brecksville, Ohio - they had rounded up goodies from end-of-school 2005 and we are happy to get 'em! 3 boxes came to us and several went to an orphanage in Madurai which otherwise must subsist on the kindness of locals. We have not opened the boxes yet, but think the contents'll make good Xmas presents.
Stayed away from my pts at the veg market this week, as I would have flung sickness instead of healing upon them. Good health is such a tremendous gift. We took the boys to see "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" today, and I enjoyed it. All of us did. There were several things good there, including the poignant touch to Neville's character. For those who keep up w/ the series, it is my firm belief that Snape is a good guy and that he only did what Dumbledore told him to do in the 6th book. Let's see if this theory holds up - I am currently the only proponent in my house tho' I am winning Navin over. Naren and Scott maintain that Snape is evil.
We continue to battle teen hormones in our house, w/ Naren cooking up fairly elaborate plans to see his female friends - including those at other schools - and getting belligerent when we state he cannot go to the homes of people we do not know. Amazing how a sweet good-natured kid can rewire as a teenager. Navin is watching this spirited battle, and I think might develop alternate strategies. In the grand scheme of things, we really cannot dictate to our hearts whom they must like, can we.
"Love is the most subtle form of self-interest." - Holbrook Jackson
Unw -
Renu
posted by Renu Weiss at
9:10 PM
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