Report of 22 Dec 2019

Hoo, the heart is full -

The suspense I spoke of last week was Navin getting his visa to come home.  A cousin helped immensely in that regard, and Navin is here.  As is Naren.  Yay!  Scott asked what I wanted for Christmas and I have it. 

I wound up my work at Kovalam and Adaikalam last week, and will be off the Banyan for about 10 days.  There are still numerous messages that come by phone and Whatsapp, and that is totally okay. 

We lost a patient in Kovalam and a patient in Adaikalam this week.  They were older and - as always - I gave many thanks that the ladies were with us, tended and adored and respected until their last breaths.  They likely had their last rites administered, as well, and that is very important in the Hindu faith.  Probably in other faiths, also. 

My private practice is nice.  Swaram is a good place, with very nice colleagues, and I like going to work there.  An 85-year-old patient came to me yesterday, with mouth sores.  She also had a rattly cough which did not appear to bother her or her son.  I attempted to treat the mouth sores and she said things to me like, "Must go when I am standing" and "Cannot be a burden."  Folks of that age tend to speak of death. 

We have done little this week but hang out at home.  Naren has been here and it is quite joyous to listen to our son.  Today, we have listened to both Naren and Navin - with double the joy and lots of laughter.  We have also made several trips to the provisions store, buying vats of this and that.  All joyous.  I ordered a cake from the Banyan and they historically do a very good job of baking. 

We are ready for Christmas, with plans in place. 

May the blessings of the Christ child be with you at Christmas and all through a happy and healthy 2020!  Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Unw -

R 

Report of 18 Dec 2019

Good evening -

These are suspenseful times.  We are waiting for a courier delivery, other things have happened that are causing us to wait for a response and time will tell. 

Work is getting very busy.  The Banyan in Kovalam has been frenetic, with patients queuing up on the weeks that I am there.  Some are very sick, some likely have fractures and will not get an xray to verify them, thus I have to play orthopedic surgeon as well, and all such cases are time-consuming.  I do appreciate the faith that people show - one year, an older female patient told me to operate on her eyes in Kovalam.  I am not an ophthalmologist, we do not have an operating theater in Kovalam, none of us is trained in surgery, but that did not dissuade her from asking. 

Adaikalam is a little bit slower, but we also have lots of staff who seek medical attention.  Adaikalam is where I started, though, and is a huge facility with many people whom I have worked with for years, so it unfailingly charges me.  The distance is starting to become an issue: the drive takes an hour. 

Regardless of all these issues, it is still splendid to work at the Banyan. 

Swaram Hospital, my old employer, asked me to join them again and I have done so happily.  They are good people to work for and the place is fun, so I am enjoying my work there, too. 

Last week, we drove to Bangalore.  We are now at the age when contemporaries' children marry, and we attended a cousin's son's wedding.  It was nice to see the relatives.  Naren also came, having finished his film shoot in Karnataka, and it was simply great to have him join us.  We had a relaxed couple of days, and then drove back to Chennai. 

Our patients get trained in various jobs - housekeeping, beautician, cook, seamstress/tailor.  Last week, one of them cut my hair.  She did a very nice job and I like the cut.  Regretfully, in India, I have to put a vat of coconut oil on my head so I cannot toss around my curls as I do in the U.S.  At least one patient in Adaikalam gets quite concerned when I show up sans oil and with the locks flying: she reaches under her pillow, produces a comb and suggests that I comb said unruly mess.  It is quite funny, overall, but I do remain a little afraid of her opinion of my hair :).

Christmas is almost here.  I listen to Christmas music now when I drive.  It is nice. 

Unw -

R

Report of 6 Dec 2019

Blogging after so long!

I have missed it.

We were at a wedding our last week after I blogged, returned on Sunday and then got ready for a busy clinic on Monday.  The wedding - of my cousin Ben's son, Gautam - was fun and we danced, ate, talked, revelled.  Especially danced.

Scott and I left later that week for Istanbul. 

Our friends, Aydan and Nusret, arranged for us to travel to Eskesehir, and we spent the weekend there.  Turkish hospitality is geared specifically to the guest: gracious serving, delicious food and solicitous attention.  We had a spectacular time.  We met Nusret's nephew, Ugur, and he was a hoot.  He ferried us from airport to station for the train to Eskesehir and - even in our jet-lagged state - we fully appreciated his joie de vivre.  Back in Istanbul, on Monday, we saw the standard tourist attractions and sampled some Turkish Delight: the standard fare and the staggeringly delectable gourmet version. 

From Turkey, we went to Philadelphia, where Navin picked us up from the airport.  That was nice - same jet-lag, and all.  We stayed at our favorite hotel, now a tad worse-run, and Navin joined us for dinner every night.  We caught some movies and shopped, getting Christmas presents and the works, and that was nice.  On the bucket list was catching some sporting activity, and we saw our beloved Spurs play the Sixers; that was enjoyable, though the Spurs lost.  We drove to Ohio and saw Scott's family, which was also fun.  We spent Thanksgiving with Scott's cousins, Anne and Jeff and family, and that was lovely - so much fabulous food, and laughter, and joie.  Navin was with us for T-g.

We returned via Istanbul and saw Ugur again.  This was the usual fun-fest.  We came home to Chennai on Tuesday and I returned to the Banyan on Wednesday.  This set my cosmos right again.  As it always does.

There was a medical emergency in Delhi, with a poorer patient feeling unwell.  She did not get the attention a wealthier and more vocal patient might have, but her coterie of friends rallied around, even fetching a wheelchair, though they were not savvy air-travellers.  It was impressive and I rejoiced in the triumph of the human spirit.  I treated her cough and reassured her and friends, but she looked very ill and I reiterated - with the assistance of a helpful interpreter - the need for her to go to the doctor that very day on arrival at home.  The friends voiced understanding. 

Are poor lives less valuable and less worthy of attention?  To an airport security man's great credit, he procured a cup of hot water for the patient from somewhere on my request.  Hot water is quite a panacea in India, and the patient's relief was palpable.  I am hopeful she went to a doctor and is better now.

We saw a few movies and enjoyed them.  We are now sitting at our favorite Writer's Cafe, having eaten, and are mooching off the Wifi as ours at home is makkarfying (malfunctioning).  I spoke to my Dad from Frankfurt and after return, and that was the fun-fest it always is.

Unw -

R