Report of 14 Jan '07
Hello from the B, where good equipment reigns -
I need to clip through this, as we are about to celebrate the birthday of our founder, Vandana. She turns 36 today, and the B has existed for 14 years. So, do the math, she was 22 when, along w/ Vaishnavi, she started this organisation in a little rented house, taking in mentally ill women who would otherwise have been brutalised on the streets, and facing massive ostracism for that very step. The Banyan has since grown by leaps and bounds, and this model is starting to be replicated around the country. Mental illness ain't my thing, physical illness is - as are V and V. They are simply exceptional and noteworthy individuals, and never act like it.
We had a patient rescued from the street, whom I saw yesterday. She was in a corner of the sick room, crouched and shutting herself off from the world. She was gaunt, completely emaciated, somewhat dirty, not approachable. The health care worker (hcw), Uma, stated that she had a wracking cough, and I needed to get more info about it; I crouched down next to the patient and touched her shoulder. I expected to get no response, or a slap, but the pt turned around and I asked her what her name was. She whispered something, I didn't get it, and then she asked for a pen and paper. After being handed those, she wrote in very clear Tamil her name and complete address. Then she ended w/ some English. Praise be. So she is literate, and capable of communicating in some form. I started treatment for the cough, though all of us suspect tuberculosis. I look forward to this lady healing, and becoming the person that she can completely be. What a fine profession to be in, what a good life.
I've mentioned JJ before - the patient whom we discovered had nursing skills and whom we are putting to work at the B. JJ went to visit her relatives in Trichy over the weekend. She had relapsed last summer, back into some sort of psychotic stupor, and had not worked at being a medical assistant. After I returned from the U.S., I wanted to use the skills of this extremely intelligent woman, and requested that she work w/ me; I suggested that some of the psych meds be reduced as she seemed pretty sedated. She is back to her old form now, wonderfully skilled in the sick room, and I am delighted. JJ brought me back a box of sweets from her Trichy trip and I was completely heart-warmed: she does not have much money to start with, and chose to remember me. My whole family shared in my appreciation of this thought. Such are the moments then, that make up my life.
It was the harvest festival in Tamil Nadu, indeed all of India, last 4 days, and no one showed up for tutoring. The markets are full of sugarcane and we have been gorging. On Pongal Day (harvest day), sweet rice is made w/ jaggery (brown sugar) and ghee (clarified butter). Neighbors shared some with us, and that was lovely. The boys were off school for 4 days, but Naren continued to write exams in that period. Navin came with me to the Banyan yesterday and was my model for a first aid class that I taught.
Hope all of you are well, and are enjoying the New Year.
Unw -
R
I need to clip through this, as we are about to celebrate the birthday of our founder, Vandana. She turns 36 today, and the B has existed for 14 years. So, do the math, she was 22 when, along w/ Vaishnavi, she started this organisation in a little rented house, taking in mentally ill women who would otherwise have been brutalised on the streets, and facing massive ostracism for that very step. The Banyan has since grown by leaps and bounds, and this model is starting to be replicated around the country. Mental illness ain't my thing, physical illness is - as are V and V. They are simply exceptional and noteworthy individuals, and never act like it.
We had a patient rescued from the street, whom I saw yesterday. She was in a corner of the sick room, crouched and shutting herself off from the world. She was gaunt, completely emaciated, somewhat dirty, not approachable. The health care worker (hcw), Uma, stated that she had a wracking cough, and I needed to get more info about it; I crouched down next to the patient and touched her shoulder. I expected to get no response, or a slap, but the pt turned around and I asked her what her name was. She whispered something, I didn't get it, and then she asked for a pen and paper. After being handed those, she wrote in very clear Tamil her name and complete address. Then she ended w/ some English. Praise be. So she is literate, and capable of communicating in some form. I started treatment for the cough, though all of us suspect tuberculosis. I look forward to this lady healing, and becoming the person that she can completely be. What a fine profession to be in, what a good life.
I've mentioned JJ before - the patient whom we discovered had nursing skills and whom we are putting to work at the B. JJ went to visit her relatives in Trichy over the weekend. She had relapsed last summer, back into some sort of psychotic stupor, and had not worked at being a medical assistant. After I returned from the U.S., I wanted to use the skills of this extremely intelligent woman, and requested that she work w/ me; I suggested that some of the psych meds be reduced as she seemed pretty sedated. She is back to her old form now, wonderfully skilled in the sick room, and I am delighted. JJ brought me back a box of sweets from her Trichy trip and I was completely heart-warmed: she does not have much money to start with, and chose to remember me. My whole family shared in my appreciation of this thought. Such are the moments then, that make up my life.
It was the harvest festival in Tamil Nadu, indeed all of India, last 4 days, and no one showed up for tutoring. The markets are full of sugarcane and we have been gorging. On Pongal Day (harvest day), sweet rice is made w/ jaggery (brown sugar) and ghee (clarified butter). Neighbors shared some with us, and that was lovely. The boys were off school for 4 days, but Naren continued to write exams in that period. Navin came with me to the Banyan yesterday and was my model for a first aid class that I taught.
Hope all of you are well, and are enjoying the New Year.
Unw -
R
posted by Renu Weiss at
8:25 PM
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