A day mostly spent on the road!

The day had started fairly early in the morning as we'd a lot of work to do and lots of miles to go. We'd left my cousin's place by a quarter to 9.

Ramakrishnan was at his morning prayers and I heard him ask his God to keep his mom with him for more time. My grand aunt, at 102 yrs, looks emaciated and has become a bag of bones. Gone are her good looks and she shows a fleeting recognition, at times and generally gurgles and mumbles if she requires something. While his feelings for his mom wrenches one's heart, I'm of the opinion that he should let her go in peace but he'd have none of it. One can only offer advice and one shudders at what would happen to him when the inevitable happens! At 68, he's more like a kid on this score!!

After an hour's shopping spree at the canteen and on leaving my friend's stuff at another's place, we're off on the second last leg of this journey to Palakkad, to pick up my mom. The drive was smooth, with more trucks, tankers and lorries plying on the highway after the agreement thrashed out between the government and the truck owners, at the behest of the chief minister, yesterday. We reached my sister's place by a half past 2, had a light snack and were off for Guruvayur by a half past 3 during which time I'd managed to catch my forty winks!

The drive, again, was hassle free and we seemed to be the lone group on our way to the temple town as there was no vehicle that kept us company all through the 90 plus kilometers. As we opened up the house and unpacked, it was sunset time and a light drizzle had set in dashing my hopes of going out on my customary walk. I did a much shorter one to pick up a few sundries.

It was great to be back although it was a break of just a couple of days. Much could be accomplished but the creative work on the 'coffee table book', that we'd bring out on the occasion of our classmates' get together this December, didn't even take off thanks to the packed itinerary!


Tailpiece.

Mom didn't look as though she was affected by the journey but the hot weather has been overbearing!

Uneasy days ahead.

Today was our tryst with the two doctors. The first did say that he was ready to put Lekha through another round of HBOT. He's asked us to meet him after carrying out two tests that would give an insight into what actually had gone wrong in the rupture of the graft. In the evening, we'd met her doctor who looks after the post lupus care.

It was he who'd advised us to meet a plastic surgeon to ascertain the immediate steps to be taken and has given us an introduction to one at Thrissur. But prior to that, I need to pass him the results of the dsDNA test. What irked me no end was the delay in meeting him - we'd reached his clinic by 1630h and could get out of it only by 1958h, amid pouring rain.

But what puts me under strain is that the plastic surgeon might want more than three weeks to see the healing of the new wound that he's gonna make because he doesn't have the luxury of the HBOT to augment his efforts! But it has to be done and and it shall be!!

Had two young chauffeurs helping me to drive my car through the Kochi traffic - Vishnu, in the morning and Vipin,in the evening. I was quite happy to note that my Chevy was in safe hands because I'm chary about giving my car to anyone else to drive. My cousin was instrumental for getting them and thanks chellakkili, as your choice was bang on.

The day had passed off at a tremendous pace. In the evening, as I was browsing my personal mail on my laptop, I'd come across a beautiful one from my friend - a doctor at Chicago - which had a very interesting heading and I quote, "It was not easy to get to be 60". My friend, you're too good to be true. I wish that all the others among us were as simple as you are.

And apologies, chellakkili for not being able to spend more time with you. It's the penalty(?) to pay by those who've many friends, you see! I'm sure you'd understand!!


Tailpiece.

I see us spending more time at hospitals in the coming days. It would be worthwhile as long as it gives us a permanent solution!

A hectic day!

It was an early morning today. We'd got up at 5 and had gone through our chores to be out off the house and headed for Kochi by a quarter to 8. The drive was nice with far less traffic than usual, perhaps, because of the striking lorries! We could pay obeisance to the god at Kuthiraan - the protector of the motorists!

Navigating to the hall where the wedding was gonna take place was a fairly easy step as we got a clear picture from one of the relatives of Neethu. We did meet a whole lot of relatives from this end of the family tree and were thrilled to meet again after what has been a long time. The wedding was taking place in Narendran kochachan's daughter-in-law, Salini's family. Seeing Leela chittamma hobble around - thanks to her painful knees - made us sad and she seemed to be seriously weighing the option of replacement of her knees, when her son returns home on leave by September. I, too, agreed to the proposed surgery because I'm sure that she'd be better off than her existing state!

We'd taken care not to overeat though the pure vegetarian menu was simply great!!

We took leave of the marriage party by 2 and proceeded to our friends, Charly and Rani, who'd invited us to Easter lunch when they'd come to know that we're at Kochi today. A dash of vodka and a few spoonfuls of the exquisite menu were tucked in but the important thing was the great feeling of happiness of being with our old 'potluck gang' and our hosts had gone out of their way to look after us! Thanks, Rani, for making it possible!!

And after a delightful three hours there, we'd driven into my cousin's house. There was plenty of catching up to do and that's what we did during the 'yakkitiyak' that went on, non stop. There was a short visit to Meera's (another good friend) house, where some serious discussions of a topical nature had taken place. We've always loved being with the close knit Sidharth-Meera-Krishna-Vignesh family and after an hour and a half, were back home, discussing various things.


Tailpiece.

Tomorrow's gonna be a hectic day of appointments with two doctors. Hope Lekha's difficulties are put behind at the earliest!    

Another short trip!

It was time to make a trip yet again to Kochi to keep the appointment with Lekha's doctor. This review is taking place after three months but has assumed significance because the ulcer on her left foot has gotten active because a part of the grafted skin has worked out loose - the reason could be either of the two:-

     (a) Excessive activity.

      The plastic surgeon had warned against too much of activity. During the time while I was away
       on the 'yatra', she'd visited the Guruvayur temple a bit too often to see the annual festivities,
       even accompanying the guests who'd fetched up then.

     (b) The perking up of the SLE.

     The dormant illness could get activated due to a number of reasons. However, this possibility
     seems to be a no no as the recent lab tests do not indicate anything out of the normal! Perhaps,
     the doctor might ask her to go through a 'ds DNA' test which should confirm it!!

On Monday, she's to meet the doctor in charge of the 'Hyper Baric Oxygen Therapy' at the Amrita Institute at Ernakulam in the forenoon and her doctor, the immunologist, in the evening. Based on their recommendations, finally it has to be the plastic surgeon who'd mend the tear, as I reckon. A hospitalisation, with another tenure of being an attendant to her, seems to be in the offing! Anyway, there's no point in fretting over things that one has no control over!!

On the first leg, we set off for Palakkad after lunch and reached our destination after two hours in time for a steaming cup of tea and snack. The drive was flawless and I must say that I enjoyed every bit of it and I'd like to believe that both mom and Lekha'd enjoyed it too. 


Tailpiece.

It shall be an early morning tomorrow as we head for Kochi, leaving my mom. A wedding with its attendant feast coupled with an Easter lunch to finally settle down at my cousin's place for the evening should keep us occupied. My grand aunt, all of 102 yrs, is awaiting our arrival very eagerly, I'm told......damn sweet of her!  

PN Panicker must have desired that!

I was, as usual, at my laptop browsing through my mail with the FM radio giving some wonderful music of old in the background. Mr. Damodaran Nair's call had come in then and I was irritated that it was intruding into my private time. And to make matters worse, he was speaking in a low voice and I could get snatches of the message that he was trying to convey as, "PN Panicker sir's loyal friend is in a bad state. Shall we go and look him up around 1, this afternoon?"

I'd promptly replied in the affirmative which did surprise me but casually, doing a rethink afterwards I realised that I'd said 'yes' because of the following:-

    (a) I'd wanted to get back to my work.
    (b) I have not been able to attend a couple of programmes, initiated by him, for reasons beyond my
          control and
    (c) Something told me that I must follow the gentleman's request!

And thank god I did! It was a must and I shan't forget the afternoon!!

Promptly, at 1, he was at our gate with a chauffeur driven car and without much ado, we'd set off on a journey whose destination was still not clear to me. Sensing the time to be odd to call on somebody, I'd queried as to why we couldn't postpone the trip to sometime around teatime when a surprised Nair told me that we're going to the residence of Mr. KSP Kartha of Varandarappilli to offer our condolences on his passing away and quickly narrated the sequence of events. For the last four and a half years, he was confined to his house at Varandarappilli - about 50 kms from here - due to a loss of memory and as in most such cases, he remembered past happenings but not the present.

I happened to read very recently, in a medical journal, that such a situation comes usually to people who've taken great care to sort out other's problems and bring about orderliness in their lives! 

Mr. Kartha - aged 83 - was visited by all his relatives frequently and they'd all returned to their respective places of stay including a grandson working in the US, last weekend since his condition was stable. But over the last couple of days, his condition had deteriorated suddenly, bringing about his end yesterday afternoon.

He was the Head of the Malayalam department of the MA College at Kothamangalam and a litterateur and was a close friend and fellow traveller with PN Panicker on his library and literacy movements. Sarada teacher, his wife, narrated quite a few anecdotes regarding my grandfather, who used to stay in that house, whenever he visited nearby areas on work. I took a good look of the surroundings that were once familiar to my grandfather within the short time available and the constraints imposed upon oneself on such visits. I shan't forget the way she clasped my hands as I took leave of her!

I felt a bit conscious when the whole family made it a point to meet and befriend me. Mr. Kartha's body has been kept in the morgue of a nearby hospital and will be cremated tomorrow morning at 11 when his grandson from the US joins up.

RIP, Kartha sir. I wasn't fortunate to interact with you but I'm glad that I'd the privilege of meeting with your family and I promise that I shall call on them from now on whenever feasible! My humble prayers and tears.


Tailpiece.

My grandfather must have wanted me to make this trip, otherwise, how does one explain the ease with which I made it to Varandarappilli this afternoon, without any prior notice! And thanks Damodaran Nair sir, for making it possible!

   

The holy Thursday!

The day has many names, sample a couple - Maundy Thursday, 'Pesaha Vyaazham' in Malayalam,  the day of the 'Last Supper'.

It was on this day that Jesus Christ had played the perfect host and provided supper to his close disciples. That one of those disciples had played dirty to hand him over to his tormentors for a mere thirty pieces of silver, consequent to the supper, highlights the fickleness of human relationships in this world experienced by none other than the son of God!

To commemorate the great day, the Christian priests all over the world, headed by the Pope had washed the feet of the people and kissed them. Pope Francis had washed the feet of the inmates of a prison in nearby Vatican.

I've always been fascinated by the quaint customs and traditions practised in each and every religion of the world. Coming to the specific aspect of washing the feet of the guest, it's a common practice to wash one's face, hands and feet before sitting to dine - in fact, drilled into our system by our parents from childhood, to encourage cleanliness!

And you go a step further by showing as to how you value your guest by washing his/her feet and kissing them! It also highlights the humility, inherent in the action - only an individual without any trace of ego can get himself to do such a selfless act!!

As I was winding up my customary evening walk, I saw a long procession of men, women and children holding lighted candles, praying silently and moving towards their church.

Seeing them a strange sort of assurance befell me - so long as man believes in god, that thought would prevent him from doing anything wrong to mankind.


Tailpiece.

It's my fond hope that the sentiment for one's god is based on love and not fear!  

Do advertisements help, in the real sense?

Sunita Tomar, all of 28 years, succumbed to cancer today. She was the face of the Indian government's anti-tobacco drive. Taking the discomfort caused by the disease seriously, she'd wanted to awaken the society at large about the dangerous consequences of the use of tobacco and willingly agreed to lend her face to the governmental campaign!

Hailing from a small village near Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, she'd picked up the habit of using tobacco regularly when she was 22 years old. Four years later, she was diagnosed with cancer. Her husband is a driver by profession and they've two children. She was being treated in the Tata Memorial hospital at Bombay.

A couple of days back, when she felt an overall weakness engulfing her, she'd requested the doctors to allow her to go back home to be with her children.

Meanwhile, Dilip Gandhi, the chairman of the 'Parliamentary panel on anti-tobacco usage' had begun to hog the limelight for the following:-

    (a) He says that there's no concrete evidence to show that tobacco causes cancer.
    (b) The BJP Member of Parliament, therefore, writes to the health ministry saying that there was
          no need to enhance the size of 'the tobacco warnings' on cigarette packets.

Consequently, Sunita Tomar had appealed on line and through volunteers before sending a letter, signed by 40,000 signatories to the union health minister, against the panel's recommendations.

My take.

I don't think that the advertisements really prevent people from the usage of tobacco, considering the fact that most users open up the packs without sparing time to even give a cursory glance at what's emblazoned on the packet! And a mere warning that "smoking is injurious to health", accompanied by the 'skull and bones', do not make a difference because of the following:-

     (a) the habit is picked up by watching the others, especially, the elders and the people that
           one adores indulge in it.
     (b) the 'macho' image that surrounds the usage, supported by movies and popular fashions.
     (c) the habit getting to perform immediate necessities like answering the nature's call or pass
           through a difficult situation like say, attending an interview - these being mere psychological
           props/silly excuses, notwithstanding! 

A sustained education, backed up by highlighting the adverse effects caused by its usage, using effective audiovisual means would be a step in the right direction if we need to eradicate it, as I reckon.


Tailpiece.

RIP, Sunita Tomar! It's sad that your life had been cut short before you could experience its essence. May god give your husband and children the strength to absorb their tremendous loss!!