Report of 4 March 2013
Hello from Chennai!
This is Moz (mosquito) heaven, I am telling you. Nothing works on the critters. There is a Chinese-made bat that zaps them, or riles them into vengeance. I had little sleep last night.
As always, the B is fabulous. Today, a patient came to Kovalam short of breath and looking ill. As I mulled over - very quickly - the many reasons a man in his 40's could be short of breath, he then produced evaluations from an outside hospital from November 2012 where he had been diagnosed with tuberculosis and kidney failure. He had ostensibly then pleaded inability to pay, and the hospital had referred him to the Government hospital. He did not go. His health is precarious now, and I yelled at him and his wife, asking why they could not follow up the diligent eval that had already happened. Yelling at patients is de rigeur here: not all of them respond to kindness and gentleness.
The daughter of one of our alcoholic patients works with us now, as my medical assistant. She is fabulous: keen to learn and looking on with me at new findings. She also corroborates my exhortations to patients to follow up with specialists, and that is a benefit. I discovered recently that she is just 17 years old. What a treat! She said she had dropped out of school as she "didn't get studies," and I thought her clinical acumen certainly is solid.
We spent the weekend entertaining neigbors and then friends of Naren's. He leaves soon for the U.S. Scott left on Saturday for his assignment in Seattle, and I will hold the fort here. On Sunday, we went to lunch with my sister's sons, who also live in this apartment complex, and that was joyous. It is nice to hang with bright young people.
Adaikalam is good and the patients are healing. We are about to start an immunisation drive for the staff, and will vaccinate them against Hepatitis B.
Hope good things come your way.
Unw -
R
This is Moz (mosquito) heaven, I am telling you. Nothing works on the critters. There is a Chinese-made bat that zaps them, or riles them into vengeance. I had little sleep last night.
As always, the B is fabulous. Today, a patient came to Kovalam short of breath and looking ill. As I mulled over - very quickly - the many reasons a man in his 40's could be short of breath, he then produced evaluations from an outside hospital from November 2012 where he had been diagnosed with tuberculosis and kidney failure. He had ostensibly then pleaded inability to pay, and the hospital had referred him to the Government hospital. He did not go. His health is precarious now, and I yelled at him and his wife, asking why they could not follow up the diligent eval that had already happened. Yelling at patients is de rigeur here: not all of them respond to kindness and gentleness.
The daughter of one of our alcoholic patients works with us now, as my medical assistant. She is fabulous: keen to learn and looking on with me at new findings. She also corroborates my exhortations to patients to follow up with specialists, and that is a benefit. I discovered recently that she is just 17 years old. What a treat! She said she had dropped out of school as she "didn't get studies," and I thought her clinical acumen certainly is solid.
We spent the weekend entertaining neigbors and then friends of Naren's. He leaves soon for the U.S. Scott left on Saturday for his assignment in Seattle, and I will hold the fort here. On Sunday, we went to lunch with my sister's sons, who also live in this apartment complex, and that was joyous. It is nice to hang with bright young people.
Adaikalam is good and the patients are healing. We are about to start an immunisation drive for the staff, and will vaccinate them against Hepatitis B.
Hope good things come your way.
Unw -
R
posted by Renu Weiss at
9:07 AM
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