Report of 01 April 2012
Good morning!
It is Good Friday, also my nephew Sudhir's 23rd birthday. My bedspread is hanging on the balcony; I woke up soaked in sweat this morning and my nightie and the bedclothes were sopping wet. Only the 2nd or 3rd time in my life this has happened, and weird. I am grogging myself with Tylenol (paracetamol) this morning, not knowing what on earth I am treating.
Busy. I suppose that's a good state of being. I cannot recall the last time I got to read a professional journal - I try to read for an hour every day and absolutely love it. But the B has been so busy - with admin stuff. Our neighbor, Usha, and I talked, and we spoke of how one tends to do more admin work as one moves up in the ranks. We are faced with a severe fund shortage, and our health care workers are understaffed, thus that cadre is stretched. Poor things. I love my twice-weekly sessions with them: we talk about all manner of things and laugh and sometimes share candy.
Kovalam has been fine. One of our impoverished patients left her house at 5 AM, took several buses and got to us a little after 9. 4 hours' travel to see a doctor. She had some swelling in both feet, and appears to have some blood pressure issues, and I told her I needed to check her kidneys. She spoke with pronounciation similar to my father's home town, Nagercoil, and I asked about that; she was from Tirunelveli, near NGL. I said, "Aha, you see, I thought I detected the 'vandhittu' and such that folks there favor," and she laughed out loud. After the visit, and my explanation, the lady said that no doctor had spoken thus to her, and I was honored; I said, "I am simply a big mouth, that's all, and don't forget the Nagercoil-Tirunelveli connection," and both of us shook hands and laughed. I tell Scott often that I merely possess Wal-mart greeter skills, and no particular skill at doctoring.
It is nice to laugh, isn't it, breaks the day. When Scott's father died, there was a lot of reminiscing and laughter the night before the funeral - sort of like a wake - and while I was culturally alien to laughter at such an occasion, it was soothing to relive memories with the family. The in-laws are fine people, I tell you.
A young, unmarried woman admitted at Kovalam for psychiatric issues came to see me and spoke of abdominal pain and other pains radiating across systems (i.e., heart, lungs, stomach); such multiple complaints can be due to psychiatric issues, plus the patient wanted to go home and had been discharged by the psychiatrist, so the social worker agreed to look her over. The following day, when I was sitting at a movie called "3," I got multiple phone calls from Kovalam. On calling back, I was told that a pregnancy test had been done on the patient - and was positive. Well, well. Such news is no longer the exclusive preserve of foreign countries. I did not even consider the possibility of pregnancy, as the patient was unmarried. Time to learn something, doctor.
Adaikalam has been grand. A lot of leptospirosis around. Our corporation commissioner visited us and promised to help with clearing garbage promptly, and addressing the open sewer nearby. Wilfred is a great guy and our fathers were college roommates and fast friends. Thus, he extended a personal favor almost, and we appreciated it. Our patient, Ms. E, the cheerful one, has lepto and her smile has dimmed a little; yesterday, however, she was feeling better and gave me her megawatt smile again, making my day much brighter. I introduced her to Wilfred on his visit, and she asked him, "Have you eaten?" It unfailingly staggers me that even the impoverished can ask someone if they have eaten, completely prepared to offer the guest her/his own meal.
Our health care workers and I had a session on what would make their jobs easier and it was magnificent. All of us sat in a circle on the floor and we went around the room. These folks are so bright and so motivated to help/learn/share/care that it is humbling. I wish the staff shortage would be eased, so that some can be sent for cross-training: to suture, or drive, or learn nursing. Maybe someday; if we can dream it, we can do it.
I had a lovely weekend. My father came into town on our invite, and we invited a couple of friends over for dinner. Sam is from Uganda and a volunteer at the B, a very cheerful sort and much adored by all. Mike is from France, we met in Pondicherry at a conference, and he is a great guy. We had a fun time, and the following morning, all of us (sans Mike, who was catching a flight back to France) went out for one of my favorite meals - breakfast with sausage and eggs and fruit. Yummy. Our car's battery died shortly thereafter, stranding us until the mechanic got there (no jumper cables here, I might invest in one in the U.S.), but I refused to let anything dampen my mood.
Some neighbors got together on the rooftop last night to say bye to a neighbor leaving town, and I joined them also. It was a fun evening, in the cool breeze and with some great people; music played and people danced. I do not need much coaxing at all to dance, thus I too got up and let the music take over. Fun, fun. Katy Perry played at an event here, and my friend Pushkala had 2 passes, and invited me. I do not know KP's music at all, but it was a great show and KP's genuineness and warmth were patently obvious. Suddenly, I am a quasi fan.
Scott, Navin and I skyped yesterday and it was grand fun. Navin's hair is almost as long as mine and just as unruly. It was cool to see him smile as I yelled "Hairy!" and of course, it is always, always a treat to hear Scott chuckle.
"Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain
Unw -
R
It is Good Friday, also my nephew Sudhir's 23rd birthday. My bedspread is hanging on the balcony; I woke up soaked in sweat this morning and my nightie and the bedclothes were sopping wet. Only the 2nd or 3rd time in my life this has happened, and weird. I am grogging myself with Tylenol (paracetamol) this morning, not knowing what on earth I am treating.
Busy. I suppose that's a good state of being. I cannot recall the last time I got to read a professional journal - I try to read for an hour every day and absolutely love it. But the B has been so busy - with admin stuff. Our neighbor, Usha, and I talked, and we spoke of how one tends to do more admin work as one moves up in the ranks. We are faced with a severe fund shortage, and our health care workers are understaffed, thus that cadre is stretched. Poor things. I love my twice-weekly sessions with them: we talk about all manner of things and laugh and sometimes share candy.
Kovalam has been fine. One of our impoverished patients left her house at 5 AM, took several buses and got to us a little after 9. 4 hours' travel to see a doctor. She had some swelling in both feet, and appears to have some blood pressure issues, and I told her I needed to check her kidneys. She spoke with pronounciation similar to my father's home town, Nagercoil, and I asked about that; she was from Tirunelveli, near NGL. I said, "Aha, you see, I thought I detected the 'vandhittu' and such that folks there favor," and she laughed out loud. After the visit, and my explanation, the lady said that no doctor had spoken thus to her, and I was honored; I said, "I am simply a big mouth, that's all, and don't forget the Nagercoil-Tirunelveli connection," and both of us shook hands and laughed. I tell Scott often that I merely possess Wal-mart greeter skills, and no particular skill at doctoring.
It is nice to laugh, isn't it, breaks the day. When Scott's father died, there was a lot of reminiscing and laughter the night before the funeral - sort of like a wake - and while I was culturally alien to laughter at such an occasion, it was soothing to relive memories with the family. The in-laws are fine people, I tell you.
A young, unmarried woman admitted at Kovalam for psychiatric issues came to see me and spoke of abdominal pain and other pains radiating across systems (i.e., heart, lungs, stomach); such multiple complaints can be due to psychiatric issues, plus the patient wanted to go home and had been discharged by the psychiatrist, so the social worker agreed to look her over. The following day, when I was sitting at a movie called "3," I got multiple phone calls from Kovalam. On calling back, I was told that a pregnancy test had been done on the patient - and was positive. Well, well. Such news is no longer the exclusive preserve of foreign countries. I did not even consider the possibility of pregnancy, as the patient was unmarried. Time to learn something, doctor.
Adaikalam has been grand. A lot of leptospirosis around. Our corporation commissioner visited us and promised to help with clearing garbage promptly, and addressing the open sewer nearby. Wilfred is a great guy and our fathers were college roommates and fast friends. Thus, he extended a personal favor almost, and we appreciated it. Our patient, Ms. E, the cheerful one, has lepto and her smile has dimmed a little; yesterday, however, she was feeling better and gave me her megawatt smile again, making my day much brighter. I introduced her to Wilfred on his visit, and she asked him, "Have you eaten?" It unfailingly staggers me that even the impoverished can ask someone if they have eaten, completely prepared to offer the guest her/his own meal.
Our health care workers and I had a session on what would make their jobs easier and it was magnificent. All of us sat in a circle on the floor and we went around the room. These folks are so bright and so motivated to help/learn/share/care that it is humbling. I wish the staff shortage would be eased, so that some can be sent for cross-training: to suture, or drive, or learn nursing. Maybe someday; if we can dream it, we can do it.
I had a lovely weekend. My father came into town on our invite, and we invited a couple of friends over for dinner. Sam is from Uganda and a volunteer at the B, a very cheerful sort and much adored by all. Mike is from France, we met in Pondicherry at a conference, and he is a great guy. We had a fun time, and the following morning, all of us (sans Mike, who was catching a flight back to France) went out for one of my favorite meals - breakfast with sausage and eggs and fruit. Yummy. Our car's battery died shortly thereafter, stranding us until the mechanic got there (no jumper cables here, I might invest in one in the U.S.), but I refused to let anything dampen my mood.
Some neighbors got together on the rooftop last night to say bye to a neighbor leaving town, and I joined them also. It was a fun evening, in the cool breeze and with some great people; music played and people danced. I do not need much coaxing at all to dance, thus I too got up and let the music take over. Fun, fun. Katy Perry played at an event here, and my friend Pushkala had 2 passes, and invited me. I do not know KP's music at all, but it was a great show and KP's genuineness and warmth were patently obvious. Suddenly, I am a quasi fan.
Scott, Navin and I skyped yesterday and it was grand fun. Navin's hair is almost as long as mine and just as unruly. It was cool to see him smile as I yelled "Hairy!" and of course, it is always, always a treat to hear Scott chuckle.
"Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." - Mark Twain
Unw -
R
posted by Renu Weiss at
5:28 PM
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