Report of 28 Aug 2021

 Good evening!

We are enjoying watching the Paralympics - such fortitude, skill, joy!

We are well and hope the same with you.  My telemedicine practice had a lady with chronic kidney disease.  She had become a bit frustrated with the dietary restrictions and wanted to eat a piece of fish occasionally.  I do not manage kidney disease, leaving it to the nephrologists, so I consulted a neph friend of mine and my sister-in-law, a nutritionist.  Both had lots of good input and I felt prepared to consult with this lady.  The appointment went very well; the patient is older, in her 80's, and I love the older patient populace.  We had a genial visit, and I mentioned to her caregiver niece that a small piece of fish perhaps once a week was okay, keeping the balance of the kidney disease and the patient's food likes in mind.  

My healthy weight practice is also fine.  Small clientele, but usually motivated to listen to advice and increase intake of millets and raw vegetables.  The weight comes off slowly, but that's how I want it.

We listened to a very good talk by a neurologist friend, Dr. Prithika Chary, on the aging brain.  It's nice to listen to useful educational info.  A well-meaning friend suggested I learn to design my website myself; I sat to do that one day, but quickly realised that I like soaking up medical info and not website-design instructions.  So, the trusty husband, Scott, to the rescue.  The results are at https://bit.ly/doctalk-rw.  I also finished the foundation course by the Telemedicine Society of India and it is useful in this new era of tele-this and -that.  

Scott and I went to Mysore last week, after my sister-in-law made the same train journey without having to provide a negative RT-PCR test.  It was good to see my aunt, my mother's younger sister.  We had a meal with her, with lots of laughter and chatter.  We saw some other relatives, too, and returned invigorated.  My former Banyan colleague, Mr. V, now runs a taxi service and he picked us up from the station; it was good to support a former colleague and truly splendid to get home without having to haggle with a cab driver.  

Scott and I spoke to our respective parents, and that was enjoyable, as usual.    

I am in a bad mood today, but it has lessened after this writing.  I hope all of you are well and safe.

Unw -

R  

Report of 8 Aug 2021

 Good evening!

This has been a splendid Olympics, hasn't it.  Scott is an ex-athlete and sports buff, thus I have got excellent tech details on the various sports plus fun trivia on the various athletes.  No offence, the coverage here has been balanced; I understand the broadcaster has not done a good job in the U.S.  

So now the young husband has turned cricket on.  Not for me just yet.  I loved watching the other sports: we even invested in a TV for that reason.  It has been joyous.  What could not be watched on TV, we watched on computers, sometimes on 2 computers.  Yes, the pandemic continues to rage, but it has been most therapeutic for the soul to watch the grace and class and ability of the athletes.

I have a telemedicine practice now - https://bit.ly/doctalk-rw.  The healthy weight program has attracted some patients and some success - yay!  There was also an enquiry about an older patient who has had leg swelling; as I pondered over the multiple causes, her son mentioned that her cardiologist stopped one of her medicines.  My, yes!  Some medicines can certainly cause leg swelling and it was very good to be reminded of it, as I was focusing more on the organic causes.  "Listen to the patient (or family member) - (s)he will give you the diagnosis."  Slight adaptation of Osler's quote.    

COVID continues to do the rounds here and - I hear - elsewhere.  There is an able administrator in charge in our state, Tamil Nadu, so we no longer have to man the volunteer network and scour for beds or oxygen.  It is quite a nice state of being.

We talked to the children yesterday and it was the massive fun fest it always is.  It is a privilege to be connected to family.

Stay safe and well.  I mean that sincerely.

Unw -

R