Monday, January 7, 2019
Bombay
Not Quite Another Manic Monday!
Namaste from Bombay!
It was quite a Mellow Monday actually! Not really much happened except that we had a big appointment with Russel's orthopedist about which Dad and I had been praying for weeks. It not go off too badly--thank the Lord!
Awake at 6.00 am, I blogged, washed, dressed, and prepared my breakfast of one broon (also known as a gutli--a very crisp bun-like loaf with a crusty top and bottom and a soft center (a specialty of Bombay). I have a baker who comes and delivers it to the door of my neighbors. I have been pestering him for weeks to ring my bell on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays--but he claims he is too dumb to remember that I need it on alternate days and, therefore, simply doesn't come to me at all! I have now solicited the help of my neighbor on the ground floor, Salma, who has said that she will see that he comes on the days I need him. Yesterday, he arrived promptly at my door, I had Rs. 3 (if you can believe it!) to hand over to him and I had a really yummy brekkie with peanut butter on one side of it and Nutella with chopped nuts on the other. With coffee...just blissful!
While eating, I started to watch The Murder Room--another P.D. James thriller starring her detective Adam Dalgleish played by the very dishy Martin Shaw whom I have had the pleasure of seeing in the flesh on the London stage, two years ago in a play called Hobson's Choice. I have seen these mysteries before...but I cannot remember any of them. So it is super thrilling to catch them on You Tube again. I watched Part 1 and then went off to the gym for my hour-long workout.
When I got back, I jumped into the shower and because it is Me Monday, I also had a shampoo and took care of other grooming needs. Before I knew it, it was 11.30 am and that was when I actually started to work.
First order of the day was getting my paper ready for the Conference in Chennai for which I will be leaving on Wednesday. I was deep in the heart of revising it and coordinating the text with the Powerpoint images that I shall be projecting when my cousin Blossom with whom I will be staying in Chennai called in panic to tell me that she has heard that there is to be a Bharat Bandh on Jan 8 and 9. She was concerned about how I would get to Bombay airport and how I will get from Madras (Chennai) airport to her place (if there is no public local transport). Boy oh Boy! That is all I need--a Bharat Bandh to screw up all my travel plans. I told her that I would google it and pass on any information I could find. It turns out that there was news about the call for a nation-wide closure of all public amenities and facilities. So let's see what is going to happen...
When I had finished going through my paper, I stopped for lunch: dal, chicken mince curry and gherkins--all very good. I had half a guava for dessert as through it all, I continued watching The Murder Room and finished Part 1. I loved it because it is set in Hampstead and there were lovely views of the Heath overlooking London's skyscrapers from a viewpoint that I know well and often visited.
After lunch, I went back to the drawing board and rehearsed my paper by inserting each visual exactly as I would show them during my presentation in Chennai on Jan 11. I then transferred everything (including my air ticket) to a pen drive, ready to be photocopied. I then received a call from Dad reminding me that I had to go to the hospital at 4.00 pm to pick up a number so that we could see the orthopedist Dr. Derick D'Lima at 7.30 pm this evening on behalf of Russel with the fresh X-rays. I continued working and then stopped at 3.45 to get dressed and walk to the hospital. By 4.10 pm, I got a number and left the hospital and then walked directly to my photocopy service where I got everything I needed for my trip photocopied (Pages from Lonely Planet for tourist literature in places like Chennai City, Pondicherry, Auroville, Kalpakkam and Mahabalipuram-which I shall be visiting on this trip). Once my photocopying was done, I went home and sat down with a nice pot of tea and cake and cheese biscuits and continued watching my show--feeling pleased with myself that the bulk of my work for Chennai had been accomplished.
I spent the evening downloading three books from my Fairfield Public Library on to my iPad so that I will have reading material for my trip. I finished reading Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones' Mad About the Boy and I downloaded The Little Paris Book Shop by Nina George, The Summer Before The War by Helen Simonson and Bird Box by Josh Malerman which is currently one of the hottest shows being watched by the British public on their tellies. Then I tidied about the house, washed my tiffin carrier containers, etc. as I put my food away.
By 6.40, I left my house to go to Dad's. I visited with Russel for about 15 minutes and then Dad and I took a rick and went to Holy Family Hospital for our appointment with the orthopedist.
We had good news and bad: so the bad news first--Russel will have to keep his plaster cast on for one more month (he will be disappointed as he was hoping it could be removed as he has become fed up of it). The good news? The compound fracture is definitely healing and in a month's time, we do not even need to take fresh X-rays--we can just bring him back directly for removal. I was so thankful to the Lord for working in our favor as I was so afraid that the lack of neuropathic (pain) impulses would make it impossible for the brain to receive the stimuli it needs to signal to it that the bones need healing. However, the doctor assured me that his fracture was so complicated that even normal people would need 4-5 months before they could remove their casts. This made me feel deeply relieved.
I hopped out of the rickshaw when it passed by my place (as it carried Dad further home) and got straight down to dinner (a repeat of my lunch) and finished up watching The Murder Room which I found compelling. I will now be spending a lot of time with Adam Dalgleish!
I switched my light off at 11.15 at the end of a fairly relaxed day that ended with fairly good news and a reason for me to feel optimistic about Russel's prognosis.
Until tomorrow...
Showing posts with label Holy Family Hospital Bandra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holy Family Hospital Bandra. Show all posts
Monday, January 7, 2019
Saturday, November 17, 2018
A Return to Holy Family Hospital with Russel and 'Celebrate Bandra' Opening Ceremony
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Bombay
A Return to Holy Family Hospital with Russel and 'Celebrate Bandra' Opening Ceremony
Namaste from Bombay!
Today I awoke at 6.30 am--not that this means anything other than that I fell asleep after midnight and needed the lie-in. I rushed through a blog post, downloaded the weekend edition of The Times on my iPad with the idea of reading it while waiting in the hospital and then raced through my breakfast--the usual, a cup of coffee and a bowl of muesli.
I then left for Dad's place and reached there at exactly 9.00 am. We had an appointment with Russel's orthopedic surgeon Dr. Derick D'Lima. It had been about 6 weeks since Russel's leg had been placed in a cast and as it has started filling with fluid again (which has made its way from his knee down to his shin), his cast had become tight. I was afraid that it would cut off blood circulation to his lower leg and wanted the doctor to take a look at it. He suggested we replace the cast with a new one to ensure that the leg is in good shape, the bones are fusing well and that there are no sores under it. He had also suggested needle aspiration to remove the accumulated fluid. This would be administered through a small local anesthesia. Hence, our return to Holy Family Hospital.
Russel was in good spirits. I could see that he was nervous--going to the hospital is always a challenging prospect for him. Still, between Dad and myself, we managed to reassure him that he would only be there for a short while. We could not have been more wrong.
Once again, the ambulance was summoned and Russel (who cannot climb up or down steps) had to be moved in it to the hospital. The ambulance staff now know Russel and his special needs well and they are unbelievably competent, efficient and cooperative when it comes to his case. Once we arrived at the hospital, his wheeled bed was taken to the Endoscopy Department where we had been instructed to wait.
The doctor took ages to arrive as he had a load of OPD patients that had to be attended to. When he did eventually come after he had tried Russel and Dad's patience acutely (although not mine because I seem to be far more patient than most), the procedure was swift. His assistant, Dr. Parth Patel was hands-on. I was allowed into the procedure area (not a position I like to be in as I am very squeamish and can barely tolerate looking at a syringe!). They reassured me that Russel's leg was doing fine and that his knee was actually in better shape than it had been when they had last brought him in. They extracted about 350 ml of fluid this time--much less than the 2 liters that had been extracted the last time. The fracture too is healing okay but the orthopedist suggested that we keep the new one on until early January to give the bones ample time to fuse together. They want to ensure that the bones will be strong enough to sustain Russel's body weight. However, the doctor also said that he should attempt greater mobility and that walking with the aid of a walker should continue until he felt comfortable about walking with a stick and then a stick should give way to walking independently. After the first week of Jan, new x-rays will be taken again and if all looks fine, the cast will be removed. This is the plan going forward...Let us hope it all pans out as expected. Throughout the procedure, we stood--Dad, myself and the ward boy Nilesh. Dad looked really beat and I did insist that he sit down at certain points, and while he did, for the most part, he persisted in staying with me through it all.
Alyque Padamsee Passes Away:
It was while I was waiting that Shahnaz sent me a text to inform me that Alyque Padamsee, the doyen of English theater in Bombay, had passed away. She was aware that I had spoken to him on the phone last week and to his secretary Anne yesterday. We had scheduled my interview with him next week. Well, to be perfectly frank, Dolly Thakore had informed me that he was "on his way out" and that he would not last too long. I was, therefore, not surprised to receive the news within an hour of its breaking.
What a sad loss for the city of Bombay and for the world of Western Performing Arts! I recalled the other occasions when, as a rookie reporter in Bombay, I had met him and interviewed him and the many spectacular theatrical productions he had directed that I had the privilege of reviewing--Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Man of La Mancha, A Streetcar Named Desire, Death of a Salesman, All My Sons, Kabaret--the list goes on and on. I can say that my introduction to quality drama and musicals occurred long before I left India for the UK! It happened while I was a proud Bombayite and when people like Alyque produced shows that were touted with the words, "As good as London, Better than New York!" And indeed this was no exaggeration--they were!
My phone kept pinging non-stop after this message reached me as friends kept sending me the news together with links to various media, etc. They knew that I was working on English Theater in Bombay and they knew that this piece of news would be deeply relevant to me. What a pity, they kept saying, that this was one interviewee that got away. Known as God in the Advertising Industry where Alyque made Lintas one of the best agencies of its kind in India, all I could think of was "God's in his heaven..." Bombay has lost a giant among men. May his soul rest in peace!
Russel was discharged by 2.00 pm and we were back home in an ambulance. I might have made at least five trips back and forth from the Endoscopy Department to the Cashier downstairs to pay for the many services the hospital had provided--the two trips for the ambulance and all the surgical apparatus needed to carry out the change of cast. Still, it was all worth while. Russel is on the road to recovery and the doctors at Holy Family, especially Dr. Parth Patel, continue to treat him and us with the utmost compassion, understanding and sympathy. It is indeed a pleasure to work with such competent personnel. As I have said before, but for the awful nurses in this hospital, it is an amazing place.
Lunch and A Long Chinwag with Dad:
Once we saw Russel home, Dad suggested I have lunch with him. Although I had my own lunch at home, I decided to offer him company. Russel was thrilled to be back home and to eat his lunch in his home while Dad and I sat and tucked into ours. All the while, we chatted. It is clear that Dad loves to talk--and that he misses a companion with whom he can do the talking. We spoke a great deal about Indian politics, the state of both nations (India and US), etc. and I caught him up about my work and the many interesting people I have been meeting. He felt so sorry to know that Alyque was no more because he realized how invaluable his input could have been to my research. Still, he has left behind reams of memories, it seems, and those, I am sure can be accessed by scholars such as myself. After about two hours of such chatter, I decided I would get back home.
Off to the 'Celebrate Bandra' Opening Ceremony:
I was able to snatch a short nap in the afternoon before I sat and put down on paper, in a more organized fashion, the dates of the many 'Celebrate Bandra' free events that I am going to attend in the next week. Then, I had a pot of tea with biscuits, showered, got dressed and walked to the Yacht Restaurant where my friend Marisa was meeting me. We were off to see the Opening Ceremony of the 'Celebrate Bandra' Festival that is held each year with much pomp and well...ceremony! Marisa brought her friend Rita Roychowdhury along and the three of us hopped into a passing rickshaw and made our away to the Bandra Fort Amphitheater. There under the lovely canopy created by swaying coconut palms, we sat down to enjoy the show--all events are free and merely require registration.
The Chief Guest was the actor and Bandra resident Naseeruddin Shah (of whom I seem to be seeing a little too much!). He lit a ceremonial lamp while surrounded by all the members of the Celebrate Bandra Committee. And then the show began and it was fabulous. There was the Bombay Navy Simphonia Band that played standard classics such as the National Anthem to start things off, followed by Vande Mataram, Sare Jahan Se Achha (composed by the Urdu poet Mohamed Iqbal in 1904 when British India was looking at the removal of imperialism) as well as Mozart's 'Eine Klein, Nachtmusik' and foot-tapping pieces such as 'Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White'. It was such a fabulous way to open the event.
This was followed by spectacular contemporary style Khatak dancing, an a cappella group called Afflatunes, the choral songs of the North Western Bandra Zone that won the Zonals contest (they sang a beautiful choral rendition of a medley of Queen and Freddie Mercury hits) and probably the weakest part of the show that ended it--a folk singing duo who called themselves Clayton and Aria.
It was 10.00 pm exactly when the sound system was switched off (in keeping with Bombay regulations) and we trooped out into a really beautiful night at the Bandstand where the light shed by the lovely Taj Residence Hotel provided illumination as we walked into a rickshaw.
I was starving by the time I reached home at 10.30pm, served myself some dinner to eat while watching Dead Wind and went to bed at 11.15 pm.
Tomorrow, I shall be attending Alqyue's funeral tomorrow at the Worli Crematorium where my friend Kamal will be meeting me.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
A Return to Holy Family Hospital with Russel and 'Celebrate Bandra' Opening Ceremony
Namaste from Bombay!
Today I awoke at 6.30 am--not that this means anything other than that I fell asleep after midnight and needed the lie-in. I rushed through a blog post, downloaded the weekend edition of The Times on my iPad with the idea of reading it while waiting in the hospital and then raced through my breakfast--the usual, a cup of coffee and a bowl of muesli.
I then left for Dad's place and reached there at exactly 9.00 am. We had an appointment with Russel's orthopedic surgeon Dr. Derick D'Lima. It had been about 6 weeks since Russel's leg had been placed in a cast and as it has started filling with fluid again (which has made its way from his knee down to his shin), his cast had become tight. I was afraid that it would cut off blood circulation to his lower leg and wanted the doctor to take a look at it. He suggested we replace the cast with a new one to ensure that the leg is in good shape, the bones are fusing well and that there are no sores under it. He had also suggested needle aspiration to remove the accumulated fluid. This would be administered through a small local anesthesia. Hence, our return to Holy Family Hospital.
Russel was in good spirits. I could see that he was nervous--going to the hospital is always a challenging prospect for him. Still, between Dad and myself, we managed to reassure him that he would only be there for a short while. We could not have been more wrong.
Once again, the ambulance was summoned and Russel (who cannot climb up or down steps) had to be moved in it to the hospital. The ambulance staff now know Russel and his special needs well and they are unbelievably competent, efficient and cooperative when it comes to his case. Once we arrived at the hospital, his wheeled bed was taken to the Endoscopy Department where we had been instructed to wait.
The doctor took ages to arrive as he had a load of OPD patients that had to be attended to. When he did eventually come after he had tried Russel and Dad's patience acutely (although not mine because I seem to be far more patient than most), the procedure was swift. His assistant, Dr. Parth Patel was hands-on. I was allowed into the procedure area (not a position I like to be in as I am very squeamish and can barely tolerate looking at a syringe!). They reassured me that Russel's leg was doing fine and that his knee was actually in better shape than it had been when they had last brought him in. They extracted about 350 ml of fluid this time--much less than the 2 liters that had been extracted the last time. The fracture too is healing okay but the orthopedist suggested that we keep the new one on until early January to give the bones ample time to fuse together. They want to ensure that the bones will be strong enough to sustain Russel's body weight. However, the doctor also said that he should attempt greater mobility and that walking with the aid of a walker should continue until he felt comfortable about walking with a stick and then a stick should give way to walking independently. After the first week of Jan, new x-rays will be taken again and if all looks fine, the cast will be removed. This is the plan going forward...Let us hope it all pans out as expected. Throughout the procedure, we stood--Dad, myself and the ward boy Nilesh. Dad looked really beat and I did insist that he sit down at certain points, and while he did, for the most part, he persisted in staying with me through it all.
Alyque Padamsee Passes Away:
It was while I was waiting that Shahnaz sent me a text to inform me that Alyque Padamsee, the doyen of English theater in Bombay, had passed away. She was aware that I had spoken to him on the phone last week and to his secretary Anne yesterday. We had scheduled my interview with him next week. Well, to be perfectly frank, Dolly Thakore had informed me that he was "on his way out" and that he would not last too long. I was, therefore, not surprised to receive the news within an hour of its breaking.
What a sad loss for the city of Bombay and for the world of Western Performing Arts! I recalled the other occasions when, as a rookie reporter in Bombay, I had met him and interviewed him and the many spectacular theatrical productions he had directed that I had the privilege of reviewing--Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Man of La Mancha, A Streetcar Named Desire, Death of a Salesman, All My Sons, Kabaret--the list goes on and on. I can say that my introduction to quality drama and musicals occurred long before I left India for the UK! It happened while I was a proud Bombayite and when people like Alyque produced shows that were touted with the words, "As good as London, Better than New York!" And indeed this was no exaggeration--they were!
My phone kept pinging non-stop after this message reached me as friends kept sending me the news together with links to various media, etc. They knew that I was working on English Theater in Bombay and they knew that this piece of news would be deeply relevant to me. What a pity, they kept saying, that this was one interviewee that got away. Known as God in the Advertising Industry where Alyque made Lintas one of the best agencies of its kind in India, all I could think of was "God's in his heaven..." Bombay has lost a giant among men. May his soul rest in peace!
Russel was discharged by 2.00 pm and we were back home in an ambulance. I might have made at least five trips back and forth from the Endoscopy Department to the Cashier downstairs to pay for the many services the hospital had provided--the two trips for the ambulance and all the surgical apparatus needed to carry out the change of cast. Still, it was all worth while. Russel is on the road to recovery and the doctors at Holy Family, especially Dr. Parth Patel, continue to treat him and us with the utmost compassion, understanding and sympathy. It is indeed a pleasure to work with such competent personnel. As I have said before, but for the awful nurses in this hospital, it is an amazing place.
Lunch and A Long Chinwag with Dad:
Once we saw Russel home, Dad suggested I have lunch with him. Although I had my own lunch at home, I decided to offer him company. Russel was thrilled to be back home and to eat his lunch in his home while Dad and I sat and tucked into ours. All the while, we chatted. It is clear that Dad loves to talk--and that he misses a companion with whom he can do the talking. We spoke a great deal about Indian politics, the state of both nations (India and US), etc. and I caught him up about my work and the many interesting people I have been meeting. He felt so sorry to know that Alyque was no more because he realized how invaluable his input could have been to my research. Still, he has left behind reams of memories, it seems, and those, I am sure can be accessed by scholars such as myself. After about two hours of such chatter, I decided I would get back home.
Off to the 'Celebrate Bandra' Opening Ceremony:
I was able to snatch a short nap in the afternoon before I sat and put down on paper, in a more organized fashion, the dates of the many 'Celebrate Bandra' free events that I am going to attend in the next week. Then, I had a pot of tea with biscuits, showered, got dressed and walked to the Yacht Restaurant where my friend Marisa was meeting me. We were off to see the Opening Ceremony of the 'Celebrate Bandra' Festival that is held each year with much pomp and well...ceremony! Marisa brought her friend Rita Roychowdhury along and the three of us hopped into a passing rickshaw and made our away to the Bandra Fort Amphitheater. There under the lovely canopy created by swaying coconut palms, we sat down to enjoy the show--all events are free and merely require registration.
The Chief Guest was the actor and Bandra resident Naseeruddin Shah (of whom I seem to be seeing a little too much!). He lit a ceremonial lamp while surrounded by all the members of the Celebrate Bandra Committee. And then the show began and it was fabulous. There was the Bombay Navy Simphonia Band that played standard classics such as the National Anthem to start things off, followed by Vande Mataram, Sare Jahan Se Achha (composed by the Urdu poet Mohamed Iqbal in 1904 when British India was looking at the removal of imperialism) as well as Mozart's 'Eine Klein, Nachtmusik' and foot-tapping pieces such as 'Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White'. It was such a fabulous way to open the event.
This was followed by spectacular contemporary style Khatak dancing, an a cappella group called Afflatunes, the choral songs of the North Western Bandra Zone that won the Zonals contest (they sang a beautiful choral rendition of a medley of Queen and Freddie Mercury hits) and probably the weakest part of the show that ended it--a folk singing duo who called themselves Clayton and Aria.
It was 10.00 pm exactly when the sound system was switched off (in keeping with Bombay regulations) and we trooped out into a really beautiful night at the Bandstand where the light shed by the lovely Taj Residence Hotel provided illumination as we walked into a rickshaw.
I was starving by the time I reached home at 10.30pm, served myself some dinner to eat while watching Dead Wind and went to bed at 11.15 pm.
Tomorrow, I shall be attending Alqyue's funeral tomorrow at the Worli Crematorium where my friend Kamal will be meeting me.
Until tomorrow...
Monday, October 29, 2018
Chained to my Laptop and a Visit to Russel's Orthopedist
Monday, October 29, 2018
Bombay
Chained to my Laptop and a Visit to Russel's Orthopedist
Namaste from Bombay!
As I expected, my day was crowded with work and family activity--but I had steeled myself for just such a one. Accordingly, after a 5.30 am wake-up, I wasted little time as I read previous blogs, wrote a new blog post, caught up with world news on Twitter and responded to email.
Reconnecting with London friends through Current Research:
I am spending quite a lot of time emailing people to get interviews or because I am now able to make connections with friends in the UK who emigrated from Bombay but whose parents' names are coming up in the interviews I am now conducting. For example, one of the names that has come up twice is that of Charles Velu who used to be the choir master and conductor of the choirs at Cathedral and John Connon School and at St. Thomas' Cathedral in Fort. Another name that has come up is that of Sam Berkeley-Hill who used to be a Voice, Diction, Drama and Elocution expert in Bombay in the 1950s and 60s. As it turns out, I am friends with the sons of both these gentlemen--Sushil and Owen respectively--as I had occasion to meet them in London, ten years ago, when I was conducting research there on Anglo-Indians! It is good to be in touch with both of them again and to glean valuable information from them on their fathers and their family backgrounds in music and drama respectively. Sushil also scanned and sent me a ton of old brochures, flyers, programs, etc. from the concerts and recitals that his father had organized in Bombay in decades gone by. I am simply amazed that this archive is now in my hands and is adding to my research in incredibly meaningful ways.
Chained to my Laptop:
Knowing how much I had to do today, I decided to skip the gym. Instead, I had my breakfast of muesli and coffee and got straight to my laptop to work. I was there for the next few hours.
Among the things I did was update my Orissa-Calcutta itinerary to reflect the hotels we have booked. I looked at Lonely Planet to find out which pages I need to photocopy in preparation for our travel--in mid-December (but it is never too early to get organized!).
I also updated my List of Potential Interviewees by adding names and telephone numbers of the many people who have been suggested to me in the past few days.
Next, I began to make calls for more interviews in the weeks to come. I started off by calling Alyque Padamsee's secretary as I would now like to work with former members of Theatre Group (as most of my interviews at the NCPA are done). I had a chance to speak to Alyque himself and later with his secretary. We are still trying to work out a mutually convenient time.
More calls to people who had worked with the Motley Drama Group and who are known to Shahnaz--I have decided to do a group interview with the three of them--Shahnaz, Kenny and Shiv--and I have left it to Shahnaz to call them to pick out a suitable date for the interview which will take place in her home.
Meanwhile, I emailed folks--both at NYU as I stay abreast with what is happening in New York-- and in Bombay as I continue to make appointments. I was all set to have lunch with my friend Firdaus tomorrow after my interview with another person from the NCPA, but then he called, later in the afternoon, to reschedule as something had come up.
Also, Narain, a relative of my friend Leslie called. Leslie is visiting Bombay from Connecticut next week and has invited me to dinner at her in-laws' place next Saturday after I give her and her sister Bev a walking tour of downtown Bombay. Narain called to firm up plans. It was such a pleasure chatting with him.
It was only about 12 noon that I actually started to transcribe the interview I had done with Ivy yesterday. It did not take long as it was shortish. I was then able to move on to the next interview with Mark, but my laptop ran out of juice and I had to recharge it--this gave me the opportunity to actually stop for lunch: Goan shrimp curry, beans and cutlets with a guava for dessert. Next, I took a shower and got back to the drawing board, where I finished up transcribing the interview with Mark and then had a ten-minute power nap.
Getting a Number at Holy Family Hospital:
I awoke at 3.30 and got dressed to stroll down to Holy Family Hospital as Dad and I intended to see Russel's orthopedist this evening as it has been a month since his sutures were removed and the doctor wanted a report from us on how he was doing. In order to see the doctor during this Outpatient hours in the evening (starting at 7.30 pm), you need to get a number (or else you will be sitting outside for hours!). Numbers are given out at 4.00 pm and I had told Dad I would pick up one for us. Hence, my excursion to the hospital. I got the first number which would require us to be there at 7.30 pm. This is a rather antiquated way of giving out appointments to see a doctor--but hey, in some ways, India remains rooted in Medieval times!
I then walked to Hearsch to try to get croissants only to discover that they were all gone. Apparently they are available when the bakery opens at 8.00 am but there is no telling till how long they will have them as they literally sell like...well, like hot cakes! I walked back home and returned to work to transcribe the third interview that I had done with Francis.
It was about 6.00 pm by the time I finished all the items on my To-Do List and I needed to stretch after the long hours I had spent at my laptop. I dressed and went off to Dad's to spend the evening with Russel.
A Surprise Meeting at the Hospital:
Dad and I left by rickshaw for the doctor at 7.00 pm. At the hospital, we had a charming surprise. Waiting to see another doctor, Christopher D'Souza--an ENT specialist and a friend of mine--was Vivian, the brother of my school-friend Beulah with whom I had only very recently reconnected. He was with his wife Amrita whom I was meeting for the first time. Dad knew Vivian too when he was a little boy--it has been more than fifty years since I had last seen him so you can imagine how delighted we were to catch up. In fact, we had been family friends with Beulah, Vivian and their parents when we were kids; so Dad too had a lot of questions to ask of Vivian and Vivian, surprisingly, could still recognize Dad! It also turned out that Amrita's father, Joe Fonseca, had worked with Dad in the Reserve Bank of India and Dad did actually still remember him well! We took some pictures together so that Russel can see Vivian too--after all these years.
Meeting the Orthopedist:
Our meeting with the orthopedist, Dr. Derick D'Lima, went as well as can be expected. We discovered that we need to take x-rays now so that he can see how the fusing of the bones is occurring. We told him that Russel's knee has swollen again--and he says that it is understandable as the cavity needs to be filled with something! He told us that he can use a needle to aspirate it and remove the liquid. He asked us to bring Russel in for this procedure but when we told him that it would involve an ambulance, etc., he said that a portable x-ray machine could be sent to our home for the x-ray to be taken and that the aspiration could be done at the time that Russel comes to get his fiberglass cast removed. It turns out that the cast needs to be kept on for at least another month. After the x-rays are done, we will see him again and he will then take a call on when the cast can be removed. As for the knee, I discovered that calipers are applied outside the leg to hold the knee bones in place and to enable mobility (such as the kind worn by polio patients)--they do not involve another surgery as I had thought.
Both Dad and I feel rather dejected after our visit as it appears that Russel is going to have to fight a knee issue for the rest of his life and might never walk normally again. This has nothing to do with his fracture but everything to do with his arthritic knee. Dad feels very worried as he is conscious of his age and the fact that he does not have a lot of time left on this earth. He wanted to see Russel acquire more mobility for his own peace of mind before he goes. It is very sad and heartbreaking to see Dad often on the verge of tears as he tries to deal with the predicament that Russel's arthritis has put him in. I try to console him as best I can, but he keeps talking about praying for a miracle.
Before we left the hospital, I nipped into his office to see my friend Dr. Christopher D'Souza (whom I know as Chris) and to renew contact with him. We have chatted on the phone but it was good to see him again. Our visit was brief and with the promise that we would meet again in more social circumstances, I left to join Dad outside.
Dad and I got into a rickshaw together after our doctor's visit. He dropped me off at my place and continued on his own. I had my dinner while watching the last episode of Tunnel which has been simply brilliant. I have told Llew that he ought to catch it on You Tube.
I wanted to have an early night but by the time I caught up with folks in the US who were just awaking, it was about 11.00 pm when I switched off my light.
It had been a very busy but very productive day and I have caught up with all my work and am ready to launch on to a new work week tomorrow in the city.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Chained to my Laptop and a Visit to Russel's Orthopedist
Namaste from Bombay!
As I expected, my day was crowded with work and family activity--but I had steeled myself for just such a one. Accordingly, after a 5.30 am wake-up, I wasted little time as I read previous blogs, wrote a new blog post, caught up with world news on Twitter and responded to email.
Reconnecting with London friends through Current Research:
I am spending quite a lot of time emailing people to get interviews or because I am now able to make connections with friends in the UK who emigrated from Bombay but whose parents' names are coming up in the interviews I am now conducting. For example, one of the names that has come up twice is that of Charles Velu who used to be the choir master and conductor of the choirs at Cathedral and John Connon School and at St. Thomas' Cathedral in Fort. Another name that has come up is that of Sam Berkeley-Hill who used to be a Voice, Diction, Drama and Elocution expert in Bombay in the 1950s and 60s. As it turns out, I am friends with the sons of both these gentlemen--Sushil and Owen respectively--as I had occasion to meet them in London, ten years ago, when I was conducting research there on Anglo-Indians! It is good to be in touch with both of them again and to glean valuable information from them on their fathers and their family backgrounds in music and drama respectively. Sushil also scanned and sent me a ton of old brochures, flyers, programs, etc. from the concerts and recitals that his father had organized in Bombay in decades gone by. I am simply amazed that this archive is now in my hands and is adding to my research in incredibly meaningful ways.
Chained to my Laptop:
Knowing how much I had to do today, I decided to skip the gym. Instead, I had my breakfast of muesli and coffee and got straight to my laptop to work. I was there for the next few hours.
Among the things I did was update my Orissa-Calcutta itinerary to reflect the hotels we have booked. I looked at Lonely Planet to find out which pages I need to photocopy in preparation for our travel--in mid-December (but it is never too early to get organized!).
I also updated my List of Potential Interviewees by adding names and telephone numbers of the many people who have been suggested to me in the past few days.
Next, I began to make calls for more interviews in the weeks to come. I started off by calling Alyque Padamsee's secretary as I would now like to work with former members of Theatre Group (as most of my interviews at the NCPA are done). I had a chance to speak to Alyque himself and later with his secretary. We are still trying to work out a mutually convenient time.
More calls to people who had worked with the Motley Drama Group and who are known to Shahnaz--I have decided to do a group interview with the three of them--Shahnaz, Kenny and Shiv--and I have left it to Shahnaz to call them to pick out a suitable date for the interview which will take place in her home.
Meanwhile, I emailed folks--both at NYU as I stay abreast with what is happening in New York-- and in Bombay as I continue to make appointments. I was all set to have lunch with my friend Firdaus tomorrow after my interview with another person from the NCPA, but then he called, later in the afternoon, to reschedule as something had come up.
Also, Narain, a relative of my friend Leslie called. Leslie is visiting Bombay from Connecticut next week and has invited me to dinner at her in-laws' place next Saturday after I give her and her sister Bev a walking tour of downtown Bombay. Narain called to firm up plans. It was such a pleasure chatting with him.
It was only about 12 noon that I actually started to transcribe the interview I had done with Ivy yesterday. It did not take long as it was shortish. I was then able to move on to the next interview with Mark, but my laptop ran out of juice and I had to recharge it--this gave me the opportunity to actually stop for lunch: Goan shrimp curry, beans and cutlets with a guava for dessert. Next, I took a shower and got back to the drawing board, where I finished up transcribing the interview with Mark and then had a ten-minute power nap.
Getting a Number at Holy Family Hospital:
I awoke at 3.30 and got dressed to stroll down to Holy Family Hospital as Dad and I intended to see Russel's orthopedist this evening as it has been a month since his sutures were removed and the doctor wanted a report from us on how he was doing. In order to see the doctor during this Outpatient hours in the evening (starting at 7.30 pm), you need to get a number (or else you will be sitting outside for hours!). Numbers are given out at 4.00 pm and I had told Dad I would pick up one for us. Hence, my excursion to the hospital. I got the first number which would require us to be there at 7.30 pm. This is a rather antiquated way of giving out appointments to see a doctor--but hey, in some ways, India remains rooted in Medieval times!
I then walked to Hearsch to try to get croissants only to discover that they were all gone. Apparently they are available when the bakery opens at 8.00 am but there is no telling till how long they will have them as they literally sell like...well, like hot cakes! I walked back home and returned to work to transcribe the third interview that I had done with Francis.
It was about 6.00 pm by the time I finished all the items on my To-Do List and I needed to stretch after the long hours I had spent at my laptop. I dressed and went off to Dad's to spend the evening with Russel.
A Surprise Meeting at the Hospital:
Dad and I left by rickshaw for the doctor at 7.00 pm. At the hospital, we had a charming surprise. Waiting to see another doctor, Christopher D'Souza--an ENT specialist and a friend of mine--was Vivian, the brother of my school-friend Beulah with whom I had only very recently reconnected. He was with his wife Amrita whom I was meeting for the first time. Dad knew Vivian too when he was a little boy--it has been more than fifty years since I had last seen him so you can imagine how delighted we were to catch up. In fact, we had been family friends with Beulah, Vivian and their parents when we were kids; so Dad too had a lot of questions to ask of Vivian and Vivian, surprisingly, could still recognize Dad! It also turned out that Amrita's father, Joe Fonseca, had worked with Dad in the Reserve Bank of India and Dad did actually still remember him well! We took some pictures together so that Russel can see Vivian too--after all these years.
Meeting the Orthopedist:
Our meeting with the orthopedist, Dr. Derick D'Lima, went as well as can be expected. We discovered that we need to take x-rays now so that he can see how the fusing of the bones is occurring. We told him that Russel's knee has swollen again--and he says that it is understandable as the cavity needs to be filled with something! He told us that he can use a needle to aspirate it and remove the liquid. He asked us to bring Russel in for this procedure but when we told him that it would involve an ambulance, etc., he said that a portable x-ray machine could be sent to our home for the x-ray to be taken and that the aspiration could be done at the time that Russel comes to get his fiberglass cast removed. It turns out that the cast needs to be kept on for at least another month. After the x-rays are done, we will see him again and he will then take a call on when the cast can be removed. As for the knee, I discovered that calipers are applied outside the leg to hold the knee bones in place and to enable mobility (such as the kind worn by polio patients)--they do not involve another surgery as I had thought.
Both Dad and I feel rather dejected after our visit as it appears that Russel is going to have to fight a knee issue for the rest of his life and might never walk normally again. This has nothing to do with his fracture but everything to do with his arthritic knee. Dad feels very worried as he is conscious of his age and the fact that he does not have a lot of time left on this earth. He wanted to see Russel acquire more mobility for his own peace of mind before he goes. It is very sad and heartbreaking to see Dad often on the verge of tears as he tries to deal with the predicament that Russel's arthritis has put him in. I try to console him as best I can, but he keeps talking about praying for a miracle.
Before we left the hospital, I nipped into his office to see my friend Dr. Christopher D'Souza (whom I know as Chris) and to renew contact with him. We have chatted on the phone but it was good to see him again. Our visit was brief and with the promise that we would meet again in more social circumstances, I left to join Dad outside.
Dad and I got into a rickshaw together after our doctor's visit. He dropped me off at my place and continued on his own. I had my dinner while watching the last episode of Tunnel which has been simply brilliant. I have told Llew that he ought to catch it on You Tube.
I wanted to have an early night but by the time I caught up with folks in the US who were just awaking, it was about 11.00 pm when I switched off my light.
It had been a very busy but very productive day and I have caught up with all my work and am ready to launch on to a new work week tomorrow in the city.
Until tomorrow...
Friday, September 28, 2018
Back at Holy Family Hospital for Russel's Cast
Thursday, September 27, 2018
Bombay
Back at Holy Family Hospital for Russel's Cast
Namaste from Bombay!
Until about 8.00 pm last night, we had no idea whether or not Russel would be back at Holy Family Hospital today to get his fractured leg (currently bandaged) placed in a cast. But when it was discovered that his orthopedist, Dr. Derrick D'Lima would be going away for 20 days, the residents who work under him suggested that we bring Russel in so that the doctor could take a look at his leg and decide on further action before he leaves.
Accordingly, I awoke at 5.30 am and blogged for a bit before stopping for an early shower and breakfast of muesli and coffee before I left for my Dad's place. I reached there at 8.15 am. Dad was finishing up his own breakfast and about to break the news to Russel that he would be required to go back again to the hospital. Russel was not told earlier for fear that it would keep him awake all night. Once he was told, he worried that he would be left there. We promised him that he was only going into the Endoscopy Department to have his stitches removed and his leg placed in a cast.
Off to the Hospital:
And so we went through the drill again: calling for an ambulance, waiting for the arrival of the ambulance staff, rousing the other male help from my Dad's building (the watchmen and the gardener) to give the ambulance staff a hand as Russel was hauled up bodily from his bed and placed on the ambulance bed and into the vehicle. Dad, the day attendant Nagendra and I accompanied Russel as he made the journey from his home to the hospital at 9.30 am.
In Holy Family Hospital:
It's funny how one becomes so accustomed to a place that it ceases to be unfamiliar and becomes as comfortable as an old slipper. Well, this time round, knowing the ropes as well as I now do, I did not feel like a misfit once we reached the hospital. The ambulance staff wheeled Russel into the hospital and up to the Endoscopy Department where the nurses on duty were taken aback by the fact that one of Dr. D'Lima's patients had come in to see him. They told us that the doctor does not see patients on Thursdays and that he was in the Operating Theater. We assured them that we had an appointment at 10.00 am and that the doctor wished to see Russel as a special case as he was headed for a break of three weeks.
They then went into the Operating Theater and spoke to the doctor. About ten minutes later, he walked out of the Theater and into the Endoscopy Department where Russel had been wheeled. He took a look at Russel and at the dressing on his knee from which synovectal fluid was still oozing and collecting through a tube into a plastic pot or bag whose contents were measured daily.
About ten minutes later, the doctor came out and told us that the knee had settled down well. He would be placing Russel's leg in a fiberglass cast and sending him home. He said that the fact that the knee was oozing was a very good thing. It meant that the fluid was still coming out--which was preferable to having it trapped inside and causing possible infection. He wrote down the materials he required for the dressing to be done and requested me to go to the Pharmacy downstairs to pick up the supplies--which I did.
By the time I returned, the doctor had encased Russel's shin in a firm blue fiberglass cast--this would now allow him to stand under the guidance of a physiotherapist. He called me in, at this point, and told me that the knee would have to stay outside a cast but in a large knee brace that covered the length of Russel's leg. This would provide the support that the knee needed until it could also be placed in a cast. He also told me that if the dressing on the knee wound grew too soggy or bloody, it would need to be changed. He then proceeded to show me how to do the dressing myself at home! Needless to say, this sent me in a tizzy as I am not the sort of person who can look upon blood without feeling squeamish. But when he showed me the wound and it turned out to be no bigger than a pea, I was instantly comforted. With a little ointment and a bit of dressing, he said, the wound will scab over soon. At that point, we can decide how to support it further, he said. In the meanwhile, he showed me how to place Russel's leg in a leg brace--which was actually a very simple matter that involved Velcro straps and a bit of tugging to make it firm. Russel said that he was not in any pain at all through the entire process--which is a huge blessing.
When all of that was done (and the doctor gave us generously of his time, attention and his fullest expertise and skill), he told us that Russel could be taken home. A month from now, he would like me to call him to let him know how Russel is doing; depending on the situation, further actions and decisions will be taken.
So, the end result is that Russel is now ready to mend--with time, physiotherapy, prayers and positive thinking, he should make a good recovery and have the fractured shin bones set. Once the cast is removed, attention can be shifted back to the knee and a second surgery might be necessary to brace the arthritic knee bones. Though the prognosis is long, it is not grim and I feel certain that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I made a couple more trips, up and down, to get bills paid and to arrange and pay for the ambulance back home. Poor Dad looked dreadful and was very grateful when I told him to go and sit down as we waited for the ambulance to arrive as he was dog tired. I stood by Russel to keep him company as we waited.
About a half hour later, the ambulance staff arrived and wheeled Russel to their vehicle--a much larger and far more luxurious one. And then twenty minutes later, we were home and Russel was safely back in his bed again. Needless to say, he was hugely relieved that we had not left him in the hospital. We told him that the physiotherapist Lenita would teach him how to move about again with a walker and that slowly but surely he would be able to walk again. He stayed with the leg brace on for the rest of the day although it really has to be worn only at night and when he is doing the physiotherapy in order to provide extra support for his knee.
Back Home for Lunch and a Nap:
Needless to say, by the time I got home, it was 12.30 and I was starving and ready for lunch. I ate my chicken curry, snake gourd with lentils and cutlets with half a guava for dessert. Guavas are my favorite fruit and I am making the most of the season and enjoying them thoroughly. I had my 20 minute power nap and then began working on my computer--mainly by way of attending to email correspondence and making appointments for work that I would like to start next week. I also did a bit of reading: White Houses by Amy Bloom. It is well written but not absorbing me as much as I had thought it would. Perhaps the most interesting bits are yet to come.
I am also happy to have made contact with a Fulbright 'Host" named Monica James (a former Fulbrighter in the US herself) who works with Teach for India She has been appointed as my mentor and will provide guidance and companionship as I continue with my Fulbright assignment. Fortunately, she lives in Bandra too--I am, therefore, looking forward to a lot of fun times with her.
In the evening, I had a pot of tea with a slice of walnut cake and continued working. In the evening, my friend Ian called from New Jersey. It was a great joy to hear from him especially as he has been through serious surgery himself and is convalescing in rather a painful state. However, I had to cut our call short as I had to leave for the 7.00 am Mass.
Church and Dinner:
I met Dad and Russel at their home and visited with them briefly before Dad and I set out for Mass. After Mass, we were offered a ride by a man called Joe Cordo who is very active in the Western music scene in Bombay and will prove to be a very valuable resource for me in my field research. I took his phone number, told him about my work assignment and solicited his help in my venture. He said that he would be more than happy to help me and suggested that I meet him and his wife Celeste at their home so that we could discuss my project at leisure.
Back home, I had my dinner while watching Tunnel on my iPad through my Hoopla app and the Digital Library services of Fairfield Public Library. It is getting very interesting as it involves a transnational (British and French) inquiry into a murdered body found in the Euro Tunnel.
It was about 10.30pm when I switched off the light and dropped off to sleep.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Back at Holy Family Hospital for Russel's Cast
Namaste from Bombay!
Until about 8.00 pm last night, we had no idea whether or not Russel would be back at Holy Family Hospital today to get his fractured leg (currently bandaged) placed in a cast. But when it was discovered that his orthopedist, Dr. Derrick D'Lima would be going away for 20 days, the residents who work under him suggested that we bring Russel in so that the doctor could take a look at his leg and decide on further action before he leaves.
Accordingly, I awoke at 5.30 am and blogged for a bit before stopping for an early shower and breakfast of muesli and coffee before I left for my Dad's place. I reached there at 8.15 am. Dad was finishing up his own breakfast and about to break the news to Russel that he would be required to go back again to the hospital. Russel was not told earlier for fear that it would keep him awake all night. Once he was told, he worried that he would be left there. We promised him that he was only going into the Endoscopy Department to have his stitches removed and his leg placed in a cast.
Off to the Hospital:
And so we went through the drill again: calling for an ambulance, waiting for the arrival of the ambulance staff, rousing the other male help from my Dad's building (the watchmen and the gardener) to give the ambulance staff a hand as Russel was hauled up bodily from his bed and placed on the ambulance bed and into the vehicle. Dad, the day attendant Nagendra and I accompanied Russel as he made the journey from his home to the hospital at 9.30 am.
In Holy Family Hospital:
It's funny how one becomes so accustomed to a place that it ceases to be unfamiliar and becomes as comfortable as an old slipper. Well, this time round, knowing the ropes as well as I now do, I did not feel like a misfit once we reached the hospital. The ambulance staff wheeled Russel into the hospital and up to the Endoscopy Department where the nurses on duty were taken aback by the fact that one of Dr. D'Lima's patients had come in to see him. They told us that the doctor does not see patients on Thursdays and that he was in the Operating Theater. We assured them that we had an appointment at 10.00 am and that the doctor wished to see Russel as a special case as he was headed for a break of three weeks.
They then went into the Operating Theater and spoke to the doctor. About ten minutes later, he walked out of the Theater and into the Endoscopy Department where Russel had been wheeled. He took a look at Russel and at the dressing on his knee from which synovectal fluid was still oozing and collecting through a tube into a plastic pot or bag whose contents were measured daily.
About ten minutes later, the doctor came out and told us that the knee had settled down well. He would be placing Russel's leg in a fiberglass cast and sending him home. He said that the fact that the knee was oozing was a very good thing. It meant that the fluid was still coming out--which was preferable to having it trapped inside and causing possible infection. He wrote down the materials he required for the dressing to be done and requested me to go to the Pharmacy downstairs to pick up the supplies--which I did.
By the time I returned, the doctor had encased Russel's shin in a firm blue fiberglass cast--this would now allow him to stand under the guidance of a physiotherapist. He called me in, at this point, and told me that the knee would have to stay outside a cast but in a large knee brace that covered the length of Russel's leg. This would provide the support that the knee needed until it could also be placed in a cast. He also told me that if the dressing on the knee wound grew too soggy or bloody, it would need to be changed. He then proceeded to show me how to do the dressing myself at home! Needless to say, this sent me in a tizzy as I am not the sort of person who can look upon blood without feeling squeamish. But when he showed me the wound and it turned out to be no bigger than a pea, I was instantly comforted. With a little ointment and a bit of dressing, he said, the wound will scab over soon. At that point, we can decide how to support it further, he said. In the meanwhile, he showed me how to place Russel's leg in a leg brace--which was actually a very simple matter that involved Velcro straps and a bit of tugging to make it firm. Russel said that he was not in any pain at all through the entire process--which is a huge blessing.
When all of that was done (and the doctor gave us generously of his time, attention and his fullest expertise and skill), he told us that Russel could be taken home. A month from now, he would like me to call him to let him know how Russel is doing; depending on the situation, further actions and decisions will be taken.
So, the end result is that Russel is now ready to mend--with time, physiotherapy, prayers and positive thinking, he should make a good recovery and have the fractured shin bones set. Once the cast is removed, attention can be shifted back to the knee and a second surgery might be necessary to brace the arthritic knee bones. Though the prognosis is long, it is not grim and I feel certain that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I made a couple more trips, up and down, to get bills paid and to arrange and pay for the ambulance back home. Poor Dad looked dreadful and was very grateful when I told him to go and sit down as we waited for the ambulance to arrive as he was dog tired. I stood by Russel to keep him company as we waited.
About a half hour later, the ambulance staff arrived and wheeled Russel to their vehicle--a much larger and far more luxurious one. And then twenty minutes later, we were home and Russel was safely back in his bed again. Needless to say, he was hugely relieved that we had not left him in the hospital. We told him that the physiotherapist Lenita would teach him how to move about again with a walker and that slowly but surely he would be able to walk again. He stayed with the leg brace on for the rest of the day although it really has to be worn only at night and when he is doing the physiotherapy in order to provide extra support for his knee.
Back Home for Lunch and a Nap:
Needless to say, by the time I got home, it was 12.30 and I was starving and ready for lunch. I ate my chicken curry, snake gourd with lentils and cutlets with half a guava for dessert. Guavas are my favorite fruit and I am making the most of the season and enjoying them thoroughly. I had my 20 minute power nap and then began working on my computer--mainly by way of attending to email correspondence and making appointments for work that I would like to start next week. I also did a bit of reading: White Houses by Amy Bloom. It is well written but not absorbing me as much as I had thought it would. Perhaps the most interesting bits are yet to come.
I am also happy to have made contact with a Fulbright 'Host" named Monica James (a former Fulbrighter in the US herself) who works with Teach for India She has been appointed as my mentor and will provide guidance and companionship as I continue with my Fulbright assignment. Fortunately, she lives in Bandra too--I am, therefore, looking forward to a lot of fun times with her.
In the evening, I had a pot of tea with a slice of walnut cake and continued working. In the evening, my friend Ian called from New Jersey. It was a great joy to hear from him especially as he has been through serious surgery himself and is convalescing in rather a painful state. However, I had to cut our call short as I had to leave for the 7.00 am Mass.
Church and Dinner:
I met Dad and Russel at their home and visited with them briefly before Dad and I set out for Mass. After Mass, we were offered a ride by a man called Joe Cordo who is very active in the Western music scene in Bombay and will prove to be a very valuable resource for me in my field research. I took his phone number, told him about my work assignment and solicited his help in my venture. He said that he would be more than happy to help me and suggested that I meet him and his wife Celeste at their home so that we could discuss my project at leisure.
Back home, I had my dinner while watching Tunnel on my iPad through my Hoopla app and the Digital Library services of Fairfield Public Library. It is getting very interesting as it involves a transnational (British and French) inquiry into a murdered body found in the Euro Tunnel.
It was about 10.30pm when I switched off the light and dropped off to sleep.
Until tomorrow...
Sunday, September 23, 2018
What a Day! Russel is Discharged and Dinner at Bandra Gymkhana
Saturday, September 22, 2018
Bombay
What a Day! Russel is Discharged and Dinner at Bandra Gymkhana
Namaste from Bombay!
So it is over! Our vigils of countless hours in the hospital over Russel came to a close at the end of today. But, to begin at the beginning..
A Friend's Blog:
I awoke, as usual, at 4. 30 pm and began working. In addition to blogging myself, I am reading the blog posts of my Fulbright colleague Richard Chen See who is teaching Modern Dance under the Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship at dance schools in Bombay. Thanks to Russel's sudden hospitalization, it has not been possible for us to meet yet. But it is interesting to read his impressions of Bombay in his blog and to 'see' the city from the perspective of a foreigner--an American with no previous experience of the state capital. Things that I take for granted, he finds daunting. Like taking a local commuter train to get downtown--granted, I too had to steel myself to withstand the initial discomfort of crowds. From reading his blog, I had to wonder why Uber does not accept my credit card when I select it as my preferred mode of payment. I decided to go into my Uber settings and find out if I had done something wrong. And lo and behold--I found that I had not programmed the 3-digit security number. The default number was in there! Well, I changed that pronto. Let us hope Uber will now accept my US credit card the next time I take a ride. Thanks Richard!!!
I also finalized my plenary address for the Conference at Maulana Azad University in Hyderabad to which I have been invited early next month. It is now ready and meets the time limit of 45 minutes for delivery. Next, I began work on the Powerpoint presentation that will accompany my speech. As I require the internet to source images, this is not something I can do while seated at the hospital when my duty begins. However, I had to stop at 7.00 am to hop into the shower, dress and have my
breakfast (muesli and coffee), and leave for the hospital at 8.00 am as I did want to be there with Dad.
Getting a Move On at the Hospital:
Today was a big day as we all lived in anticipation of Russel's discharge from the hospital. Going by what the doctors had told me last night, I had conveyed to Russel that he would be discharged today. Hence, at the hospital, I found him calm and eager to get the heck out. He was eating his breakfast when I got there (boiled egg, 2 slices of bread and butter and coffee) and was in good spirits.
The morning passed slowly as I read Julian Barnes The Only Story. It is slow going--the plot is dragging on. As in most of Barnes' novels, he is very much the experimentalist. He tells us early in the novel that it is about memory--or more properly about the memories garnered by the protagonist-- 19 year old "Casey Paul"--of his affair with a married mother of two grown-up daughters, who was in her late-forties when he got entangled with her. It is a sort of stream of consciousness novel and so there is very little of a story to it. However, Barnes' telling of the tale is compelling. Like all great writers, his words are so powerful, so evocative of a mood and of a certain mental state in a young man's life that I keep wanting to find out what happens next. A good book, certainly.
Dad and I went down for lunch together to the hospital cafeteria where he introduced me to something called Bread Pakoras--it is basically half a sandwich (a triangle) that is filled with spicy potatoes and then batter fried. He had it with a coffee while I had a Frooti--a mango drink. The sandwich was delicious! We chatted during lunch about what lies ahead for Russel and what sort of arrangements we need to make, going forward for his recovery at home.
Some More Impressions About Holy Family Hospital:
When after lunch, there was still no sign of a doctor to order Russel's release, I had to get cracking to get things moving along. While I have to say that overall I am very satisfied with this hospital, there are some things about it that are simply infuriating. Nothing gets done unless relatives step in and push things along. There is zero coordination between doctors and nurses (who function mainly as admin support). Doctors tell patients one thing but there is no recording made of it in the patients' file--hence, nurses often do not act on doctors' orders. On two occasions, Dad who is ultra-vigilant, found a nurse altering Russel's dosage of a certain medication. When questioned, she said, "Doctor said..." When my Dad persisted and said, "Which doctor said?" she was nonplussed. She darted off to the Nurse's Station and then retracted her statement without so much as an apology.
When the patient Paul was in the next bed, his nephew Melroy who happens to be a physician (a liver and pancreas specialist) in Stockholm, Sweden, found a tablet that ought to have been given to Paul lying on the floor. He told me, "Where I practice Medicine, this would constitute gross negligence. Here, anything goes..." And he is right. Everything associated with the Nurses in this hospital is a disgrace.
I have learned not to compare US health care with what I find here--comparisons are odious and if you are going to compare, then in all fairness, you ought to take into consideration the colossal cost differences between what patients pay for health care in the US and what we are expecting to pay in this hospital. So, let me not sit on my American high horse and judge. That said, I have found the nurses to be responsive when you sit on their case and insist that something gets done. Sr. Sevika, who has been assigned to Russel, is lovely--she is soft-spoken, kind and efficient. But she is not always on duty and the ones who work in her stead...well, the less said about them the better. Besides, how can I expect nurses to nurse when they are required to do so much routine admin work for which the hospital really ought to employ a host of secretarial staff?
Anyway, only after I went to the Nurse's Station and demanded I speak to a doctor did things start moving. Dad and I were concerned as Russel's tension continued to mount as the morning progressed. While we had kept him in check all morning with the line, "The doctor will be here soon..." it also became apparent that no doctor was likely to materialize. Hence, my prodding--which produced instant results. Dr. Vijay was called on the phone; he spoke to me and said that Russel could be discharged. He would give the order right away and billing processes would begin. He would also come around at 3.00 pm to give us instructions on how to manage the drainage tube and bag still attached to Russel's knee.
Phew! What a relief! We conveyed the good news to Russel that he would be discharged and the long and arduous process of leaving the hospital began. Again, Russel did not sleep a wink today. He was wide awake and alert and wished to participate in every aspect of his discharge. It was 1.00 pm then and I was on my feet from that point on until 6.15 pm when the ambulance finally arrived to take Russel from his ward to the vehicle to his flat. I made countless trips up and down elevators to pay the bill (far less than we had imagined--I told you! Health care costs are very reasonable in this hospital) and then get a refund (for we had paid an advance far in excess of the actual bill). I returned drugs that had not been used (yes, in India, they do take them back provided they are unopened and still in their original packaging) at the pharmacy and received a refund for the visitors' passes that we were issued to get in and out of the hospital as attendants.
I texted the physiotherapist to find out if she would give him a last hospital session--she said she would be there at 4.00 pm. I also went to the Historiography Department to pick up the biopsy report on Russel's synovec and knee bone--but it was not ready and I was told to expect a call on Monday or Tuesday. Bone biopsy, they informed me, takes longer as the bone has to de-calcify before they can analyze it. Next, I met with the Residents, Dr. Vijay and Dr. Parth, who showed our day attendant how to manage Russel's knee drainage bag and also gave Dad and me further instructions on returning to the hospital this coming Thursday to remove stitches and to place his knee in a fiberglass cast. They explained that the cast will go all the way up and cover the knee cap. It will be molded in such a way that he will be able to flex it slightly so that he can move around gradually under guidance from a physiotherapist.
Lenita, the physiotherapist, arrived at 4.00 pm at which point I had to organize an ambulance to take Russel back home. Given the hour of the day--evening peak hour rush--it was caught somewhere in traffic and would take at least an hour, they said, for them to pick up Russel. He grew more anxious as time passed and with it Dad's stress levels also grew. I watch my Dad's reactions and I thank the Lord silently each time that He has endowed me with calm in the face of calamity. I tried hard to quell growing levels of stress all around me as I coped with the tasks of the afternoon. Somewhere along the way, the drainage tube started leaking and Dr. Parth had to be called in to redo the knee dressing.
Eventually, the ambulance guys did arrive and a super-eager Russel (who had supervised our packing of all our stuff into our bags and who demanded to know the amount of the final bill!) was wheeled out of the ward, into the elevator and into the ambulance. We were home about 20 minutes later--thankfully, the hospital is very conveniently located. It took six grown men to haul him up the few stairs to my Dad's apartment but he was finally in his room and on his bed and his relief was palpable although he does not really express emotion easily.
I stayed around for about a half hour to make sure he and Dad were comfortable and then I left. I stopped at the local grocery store to buy things like Bisleri water, a roll of paper towels (which I learned is called "kitchen roll" in India!), Schweppes Tonic water and a new local cereal I am trying called Harvest Crunch. I asked them to home-deliver my buys and then walked to my place.
Unwinding at Bandra Gym:
I simply had to get back to my own space after what had been a harrowing day and find a way to decompress. I called my friend Shahnaz and asked her if she would join me at the Bandra Gymkhana for a drink and a bite. She was up to her eyes in paper work but jumped at the chance to get away from it for a while. We made plans to meet at the Gym at 8.00 pm and I got dressed.
We met at 8.00 at the Gym entrance as scheduled and rode in the elevator up to the third floor dining hall which was already fairly full. We settled down with drinks (G and T for me, Heineken for her) and starters: the most delicious stir-fried garlic-pepper prawns with whole peppercorns that were amazingly flavorful and 'crostini' which was a selection of four bruscehtta--cheese, tomato, mushroom and olives--all fab. For dinner we chose to share a Jungli (veg) Pizza which was amazing with kulfi (Indian ice-cream) which we shared for dessert. The food at the Bandra Gym is excellent and I am so glad that I took the plunge to use my membership, for the first time since I have arrived in Bombay, over drinks and dinner with a friend. I could unwind completely from all the stress and running around of the day.
What I Have Learned Over the Past 13 Days:
What were my final reactions about the entire hospital experience? Well, I patted myself on the back for the quick learning through which I mastered all the hospital systems--13 days ago, I felt like a fish out of water in the hospital. By the time we left, I could guide other people about how to get on!
I managed to get a whole lot of work done while keeping vigil with Russel--so although I did not do any field research as planned, I was able to proof read a whole forthcoming book on Goa and begin and finish the drafting of a plenary address for my next conference. I was able to do a great deal of reading as well.
Plus, I got to know doctors, nurses, even menial staff--when I went around thanking and tipping everyone from the sweeper who cleaned the toilet and bathroom in our ward to the smiling girls who served Russel his meals, etc. they were amazed that their contribution was even acknowledged. I do not believe that anyone tips the cleaning and wait staff here. But every single one of these people worked as a team to make Russel's hospital experience as pleasant as it could be--including his ward-mates over 12 days who were wonderfully co-perative and understanding.
In the hospital, I saw the best side of human nature--kindness, understanding, co-operation from doctors, staff, fellow-patients and their loved ones--and the worst side of it: cruelty meted by a shrew of a sister belittling her vulnerable polio-stricken brother for getting malaria and putting her through "trouble".
Best of all were the doctors and interns who were not only astoundingly knowledgeable, but compassionate and kind and communicative. I know now why Indian doctors are among the finest in the world and are in demand all over the planet. Long may their kindness and expertise reign!
And finally, I need to reiterate that I consider it a pleasure and a privilege to be here in Bombay at this time and to be able to support my Dad and my brother through this experience which has been such a fantastic learning curve for me. I do not for a second resent the intrusion into my life or my work. Indeed what I have seen of human devotion between my father and his 'special' son during this experience has been a marvelous opportunity for me to reflect on how blessed we are to have Russel in our lives and how blessed he is to have had parents like my Mum and Dad who nurtured him with such constant love and unstinting patience. I learned so much about being a parent and about the kind of devotion that the job calls for--even at this stage it my life, it is never to late! What I can contribute, in my own advanced years, is such a joy and such a blessing that I cannot express it in words.
Thanks for sharing this hospital journey with me. I know that although none of you comment on my posts, many of you read my rumination. It feels good for me to know that you are out there and that I have friends who stand in solidarity with me through the best and worst times I experience in life. I have no words to thank you.
Until tomorrow....
Bombay
What a Day! Russel is Discharged and Dinner at Bandra Gymkhana
Namaste from Bombay!
So it is over! Our vigils of countless hours in the hospital over Russel came to a close at the end of today. But, to begin at the beginning..
A Friend's Blog:
I awoke, as usual, at 4. 30 pm and began working. In addition to blogging myself, I am reading the blog posts of my Fulbright colleague Richard Chen See who is teaching Modern Dance under the Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship at dance schools in Bombay. Thanks to Russel's sudden hospitalization, it has not been possible for us to meet yet. But it is interesting to read his impressions of Bombay in his blog and to 'see' the city from the perspective of a foreigner--an American with no previous experience of the state capital. Things that I take for granted, he finds daunting. Like taking a local commuter train to get downtown--granted, I too had to steel myself to withstand the initial discomfort of crowds. From reading his blog, I had to wonder why Uber does not accept my credit card when I select it as my preferred mode of payment. I decided to go into my Uber settings and find out if I had done something wrong. And lo and behold--I found that I had not programmed the 3-digit security number. The default number was in there! Well, I changed that pronto. Let us hope Uber will now accept my US credit card the next time I take a ride. Thanks Richard!!!
I also finalized my plenary address for the Conference at Maulana Azad University in Hyderabad to which I have been invited early next month. It is now ready and meets the time limit of 45 minutes for delivery. Next, I began work on the Powerpoint presentation that will accompany my speech. As I require the internet to source images, this is not something I can do while seated at the hospital when my duty begins. However, I had to stop at 7.00 am to hop into the shower, dress and have my
breakfast (muesli and coffee), and leave for the hospital at 8.00 am as I did want to be there with Dad.
Getting a Move On at the Hospital:
Today was a big day as we all lived in anticipation of Russel's discharge from the hospital. Going by what the doctors had told me last night, I had conveyed to Russel that he would be discharged today. Hence, at the hospital, I found him calm and eager to get the heck out. He was eating his breakfast when I got there (boiled egg, 2 slices of bread and butter and coffee) and was in good spirits.
The morning passed slowly as I read Julian Barnes The Only Story. It is slow going--the plot is dragging on. As in most of Barnes' novels, he is very much the experimentalist. He tells us early in the novel that it is about memory--or more properly about the memories garnered by the protagonist-- 19 year old "Casey Paul"--of his affair with a married mother of two grown-up daughters, who was in her late-forties when he got entangled with her. It is a sort of stream of consciousness novel and so there is very little of a story to it. However, Barnes' telling of the tale is compelling. Like all great writers, his words are so powerful, so evocative of a mood and of a certain mental state in a young man's life that I keep wanting to find out what happens next. A good book, certainly.
Dad and I went down for lunch together to the hospital cafeteria where he introduced me to something called Bread Pakoras--it is basically half a sandwich (a triangle) that is filled with spicy potatoes and then batter fried. He had it with a coffee while I had a Frooti--a mango drink. The sandwich was delicious! We chatted during lunch about what lies ahead for Russel and what sort of arrangements we need to make, going forward for his recovery at home.
Some More Impressions About Holy Family Hospital:
When after lunch, there was still no sign of a doctor to order Russel's release, I had to get cracking to get things moving along. While I have to say that overall I am very satisfied with this hospital, there are some things about it that are simply infuriating. Nothing gets done unless relatives step in and push things along. There is zero coordination between doctors and nurses (who function mainly as admin support). Doctors tell patients one thing but there is no recording made of it in the patients' file--hence, nurses often do not act on doctors' orders. On two occasions, Dad who is ultra-vigilant, found a nurse altering Russel's dosage of a certain medication. When questioned, she said, "Doctor said..." When my Dad persisted and said, "Which doctor said?" she was nonplussed. She darted off to the Nurse's Station and then retracted her statement without so much as an apology.
When the patient Paul was in the next bed, his nephew Melroy who happens to be a physician (a liver and pancreas specialist) in Stockholm, Sweden, found a tablet that ought to have been given to Paul lying on the floor. He told me, "Where I practice Medicine, this would constitute gross negligence. Here, anything goes..." And he is right. Everything associated with the Nurses in this hospital is a disgrace.
I have learned not to compare US health care with what I find here--comparisons are odious and if you are going to compare, then in all fairness, you ought to take into consideration the colossal cost differences between what patients pay for health care in the US and what we are expecting to pay in this hospital. So, let me not sit on my American high horse and judge. That said, I have found the nurses to be responsive when you sit on their case and insist that something gets done. Sr. Sevika, who has been assigned to Russel, is lovely--she is soft-spoken, kind and efficient. But she is not always on duty and the ones who work in her stead...well, the less said about them the better. Besides, how can I expect nurses to nurse when they are required to do so much routine admin work for which the hospital really ought to employ a host of secretarial staff?
Anyway, only after I went to the Nurse's Station and demanded I speak to a doctor did things start moving. Dad and I were concerned as Russel's tension continued to mount as the morning progressed. While we had kept him in check all morning with the line, "The doctor will be here soon..." it also became apparent that no doctor was likely to materialize. Hence, my prodding--which produced instant results. Dr. Vijay was called on the phone; he spoke to me and said that Russel could be discharged. He would give the order right away and billing processes would begin. He would also come around at 3.00 pm to give us instructions on how to manage the drainage tube and bag still attached to Russel's knee.
Phew! What a relief! We conveyed the good news to Russel that he would be discharged and the long and arduous process of leaving the hospital began. Again, Russel did not sleep a wink today. He was wide awake and alert and wished to participate in every aspect of his discharge. It was 1.00 pm then and I was on my feet from that point on until 6.15 pm when the ambulance finally arrived to take Russel from his ward to the vehicle to his flat. I made countless trips up and down elevators to pay the bill (far less than we had imagined--I told you! Health care costs are very reasonable in this hospital) and then get a refund (for we had paid an advance far in excess of the actual bill). I returned drugs that had not been used (yes, in India, they do take them back provided they are unopened and still in their original packaging) at the pharmacy and received a refund for the visitors' passes that we were issued to get in and out of the hospital as attendants.
I texted the physiotherapist to find out if she would give him a last hospital session--she said she would be there at 4.00 pm. I also went to the Historiography Department to pick up the biopsy report on Russel's synovec and knee bone--but it was not ready and I was told to expect a call on Monday or Tuesday. Bone biopsy, they informed me, takes longer as the bone has to de-calcify before they can analyze it. Next, I met with the Residents, Dr. Vijay and Dr. Parth, who showed our day attendant how to manage Russel's knee drainage bag and also gave Dad and me further instructions on returning to the hospital this coming Thursday to remove stitches and to place his knee in a fiberglass cast. They explained that the cast will go all the way up and cover the knee cap. It will be molded in such a way that he will be able to flex it slightly so that he can move around gradually under guidance from a physiotherapist.
Lenita, the physiotherapist, arrived at 4.00 pm at which point I had to organize an ambulance to take Russel back home. Given the hour of the day--evening peak hour rush--it was caught somewhere in traffic and would take at least an hour, they said, for them to pick up Russel. He grew more anxious as time passed and with it Dad's stress levels also grew. I watch my Dad's reactions and I thank the Lord silently each time that He has endowed me with calm in the face of calamity. I tried hard to quell growing levels of stress all around me as I coped with the tasks of the afternoon. Somewhere along the way, the drainage tube started leaking and Dr. Parth had to be called in to redo the knee dressing.
Eventually, the ambulance guys did arrive and a super-eager Russel (who had supervised our packing of all our stuff into our bags and who demanded to know the amount of the final bill!) was wheeled out of the ward, into the elevator and into the ambulance. We were home about 20 minutes later--thankfully, the hospital is very conveniently located. It took six grown men to haul him up the few stairs to my Dad's apartment but he was finally in his room and on his bed and his relief was palpable although he does not really express emotion easily.
I stayed around for about a half hour to make sure he and Dad were comfortable and then I left. I stopped at the local grocery store to buy things like Bisleri water, a roll of paper towels (which I learned is called "kitchen roll" in India!), Schweppes Tonic water and a new local cereal I am trying called Harvest Crunch. I asked them to home-deliver my buys and then walked to my place.
Unwinding at Bandra Gym:
I simply had to get back to my own space after what had been a harrowing day and find a way to decompress. I called my friend Shahnaz and asked her if she would join me at the Bandra Gymkhana for a drink and a bite. She was up to her eyes in paper work but jumped at the chance to get away from it for a while. We made plans to meet at the Gym at 8.00 pm and I got dressed.
We met at 8.00 at the Gym entrance as scheduled and rode in the elevator up to the third floor dining hall which was already fairly full. We settled down with drinks (G and T for me, Heineken for her) and starters: the most delicious stir-fried garlic-pepper prawns with whole peppercorns that were amazingly flavorful and 'crostini' which was a selection of four bruscehtta--cheese, tomato, mushroom and olives--all fab. For dinner we chose to share a Jungli (veg) Pizza which was amazing with kulfi (Indian ice-cream) which we shared for dessert. The food at the Bandra Gym is excellent and I am so glad that I took the plunge to use my membership, for the first time since I have arrived in Bombay, over drinks and dinner with a friend. I could unwind completely from all the stress and running around of the day.
What I Have Learned Over the Past 13 Days:
What were my final reactions about the entire hospital experience? Well, I patted myself on the back for the quick learning through which I mastered all the hospital systems--13 days ago, I felt like a fish out of water in the hospital. By the time we left, I could guide other people about how to get on!
I managed to get a whole lot of work done while keeping vigil with Russel--so although I did not do any field research as planned, I was able to proof read a whole forthcoming book on Goa and begin and finish the drafting of a plenary address for my next conference. I was able to do a great deal of reading as well.
Plus, I got to know doctors, nurses, even menial staff--when I went around thanking and tipping everyone from the sweeper who cleaned the toilet and bathroom in our ward to the smiling girls who served Russel his meals, etc. they were amazed that their contribution was even acknowledged. I do not believe that anyone tips the cleaning and wait staff here. But every single one of these people worked as a team to make Russel's hospital experience as pleasant as it could be--including his ward-mates over 12 days who were wonderfully co-perative and understanding.
In the hospital, I saw the best side of human nature--kindness, understanding, co-operation from doctors, staff, fellow-patients and their loved ones--and the worst side of it: cruelty meted by a shrew of a sister belittling her vulnerable polio-stricken brother for getting malaria and putting her through "trouble".
Best of all were the doctors and interns who were not only astoundingly knowledgeable, but compassionate and kind and communicative. I know now why Indian doctors are among the finest in the world and are in demand all over the planet. Long may their kindness and expertise reign!
And finally, I need to reiterate that I consider it a pleasure and a privilege to be here in Bombay at this time and to be able to support my Dad and my brother through this experience which has been such a fantastic learning curve for me. I do not for a second resent the intrusion into my life or my work. Indeed what I have seen of human devotion between my father and his 'special' son during this experience has been a marvelous opportunity for me to reflect on how blessed we are to have Russel in our lives and how blessed he is to have had parents like my Mum and Dad who nurtured him with such constant love and unstinting patience. I learned so much about being a parent and about the kind of devotion that the job calls for--even at this stage it my life, it is never to late! What I can contribute, in my own advanced years, is such a joy and such a blessing that I cannot express it in words.
Thanks for sharing this hospital journey with me. I know that although none of you comment on my posts, many of you read my rumination. It feels good for me to know that you are out there and that I have friends who stand in solidarity with me through the best and worst times I experience in life. I have no words to thank you.
Until tomorrow....
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Doing Hospital Duty and Attending a Memorial Service for a Former School Mate, Shahnaz Masojee Pinto
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Bombay
Doing Hospital Duty and Attending a Memorial Service for a Former School Mate
Namaste from Bombay!
Today was a more unusual sort of day because in addition to doing regular hospital duty, I also attended a Memorial Service for a friend who passed away, five days ago.
I awoke, as usual, at about 4.30 am and began working right away. It is amazing how much work I can get done in the first four hours of the day when Morning Brain kicks in and kicks butt. I blogged, almost finished proof-reading my Goa book, communicated via email with a host of folks across the world and then stopped to eat my breakfast.
I decided to eat something else for a change and I broke out the Skippy Chunky Peanut Butter and the Nutella that I had carried from the US (only to find, of course, that all these things are available here--although you pay a pretty penny more!). I had multi-grain bread in the fridge that I warmed in my microwave oven. I slathered mayonnaise on one slice and topped it with slices of Britannia cheese--this cheese, by the way, is superb. I love the taste (very similar to the Australian Kraft processed tinned cheese of the sort we ate as kids) and the texture--it is creamier than Amul. One slice received a healthy helping of Peanut Butter and another Nutella with mixed chopped nuts. I dearly dearly missed a toaster at this point and kept imagining how great it would have been to enjoy these goodies on toasted multi-grain bread. Oh well, the bread was not too bad. Hot coffee washed it all down well as I watched Escape to the Continent.
I spent the entire morning at my laptop finishing off the editing of the Goa book and sending my list of corrections to my publisher for the final proofs. At last, it seems as if this book is getting somewhere. I am trying to do the rest of the work with enthusiasm but it is so difficult to muster any since the project has been more than two years in the making.
At about 11.00 am, it felt very drowsy and decided to take a nap. I slept for about half an hour and was hugely refreshed by it. When I awoke, I checked email and responded.
At 12.00 noon, I went in for a shower--there was still banging and hammering next door. This will probably go on for a few days. I can only hope and pray that they will not move on to another room once the kitchen is done. Just my crummy luck! To find a studio I adore just next door to someone who is getting married (great news!) but who then needs to renovate her apartment while I try to work from home (lousy news!)
At 12.30, I had my lunch: very good chicken curry (I am eating more curry in Bombay now than I have done for the last thirty years), eggplant with potatoes and chicken cutlets. I discovered that the Kissan Tomato Ketchup I bought has a stopper that needs to be opened with a bottle opener. I do not have one--shall have to borrow one from my Dad. Lunch was delicious and I ate it while watching Escape to the Continent. The couple searching for a home were in Cyprus. Heavenly!
By 1.15 pm, I was at the hospital and getting an update from Dad on Russel's condition. Overall, today we both found him far more alert and responsive. Dad left to go and get some lunch and rest. I requested him to return at 5.00 pm as I had a Memorial Service to attend. Either Dad or I are constantly at Russel's side--we do not leave him alone except at night when we get home to sleep.
The afternoon passed by quietly as I did some reading. On my iPad, I had dowloaded from my local Fairfield Library, a copy of Julian Barnes' novel The Only Story which is opening up nicely. Lenita, the physiotherapist, came in at 4.00pm and put Russel through his exercises. You can see that he struggles while doing some of them--which means that he is experiencing pain--although he probably has a higher threshold for it than most folks. I also managed to get Russel to turn on his side and to sit up a bit while reading an article in his Charis India. He is resistant but with some persuasion, he co-operates.
I had made plans to meet my friend Shahnaz at the entrance of the hospital at 5.25 pm so that we could attend the Memorial Service at 5.30 pm--which, coincidentally enough, happened to be on the sixth floor--in the Morello Hall--of the same hospital in which I was located.
The Memorial Service was for a classmate named Shehnaz Masojee Pinto, who was one year junior to me at St. Agnes' High School in Byculla from which we had both graduated. Her sister and only sibling, Nilufer, older to her by a year, had been my batch mate. My friend Shahnaz had been the deceased Shahnez's batch mate. It was Shahnaz who told me that Shehnaz had passed away, five days ago. The news was shocking to me in the extreme. I also heard that she had passed away of cancer and had been diagnosed only about three months ago. I guessed immediately that it would have been pancreatic cancer as I have so much experience with this awful illness in the US--two of our closest fiends in Connecticut, Lucy Roberts and Arthur Pinto, had both succumbed to it.
The place was simply mobbed. Crowds far in excess of what the family had anticipated simply thronged the hall. It was truly a fire hazard and I felt afraid when I saw the long lines waiting to condole with the family members. Shehnaz's mother Kamela, now a frail but still elegant 88, was seated to accept condolences as was Nilufer, my classmate. On the other side, were Shehnaz's husband, a cardiologist at the same hospital called Brian Pinto and her two grown-up children, Vikram and Soniya, who bore a slight resemblance to the Shehnaz I remembered from our school days.
The service began with a hymn (David's composition 23 from the Book of Psalms--"The Lord Is My Shepherd"--my own favorite) and included a projected audio-visual segment from the other famous passage from Ecclesiastes--"To Everything There is a Season..." Several speeches followed--from Soniya paying tribute to her mother, from Farzana Contractor, Shehnaz's best friend from school days to the present, who commented on their friendship, from Brian who spoke as a husband of their very happy marriage, from Nilufer who, as a sister, spoke of their mutual love for poetry (clearly, they are gals after my own heart!), from Vikram who broke down when trying to thank a vast range of people who assisted through her illness.
Sitting through the beautiful service I was reminded of my own days with Shehnaz: we rode the same school-bus to school and back during our early teenage years in Bombay Central. I remember her as a quiet, well-behaved teenager with her thick dark hair in two pony-tails on either side of her face. When she and her sister Nilu persuaded their parents to get them a dog, Fluffy, a gorgeous pomeranian, entered their lives and ours. I can remember the two sisters walking Fluffy every morning and evening in our neighborhood. I could remember going over to their lovely flat in Balmad building that was right opposite our Reserve Bank Colony in Byculla where I had grown up. There I would visit with her mother whom I called "Auntie", who was always warm and hospitable, sharp and ultra-intelligent. She too had graduated from our school, St. Agnes', and had left quite a mark on the teachers of her own time--some of whom ended up teaching her daughters!
Shehnaz, like her sister, was extremely bright and a class-topper for her entire school career. Unlike Nilu who emigrated to the US to earn a doctorate in Maths and became a professor of Mathematics, Shehnaz married an Indian cardiologist named Brian Pinto and ran a business in finance and investments. I had last met her about 12 years ago when I had visited her at her office on Perry Cross Road in Bandra and spent about a hour reminiscing with her about the old times and catching her up on my own life.
Tributes to Shehnaz spoke eloquently of her gentility and kindness, her many talents (as home maker, interior decorator, gardener), of her intellect and prowess as a business woman, of her love of animals and birds, of her poise and elegance and of her inner and outer beauty. I was very happy to have been present to participate in a service that included prayers for the repose of her soul.
After the service ended, there were refreshments available and a chance to interact with the many classmates that crowded the place. I felt overwhelmed and needed to find a quiet spot where I could reconnect with so many friends that I had not seen in years. All of them wanted to know when I had come down and how long I would be staying in Bombay. I told them that I was on a Fulbright Fellowship, would be in Bombay for a year and hoped to see more of them in happier circumstances.
Two of my school friends with whom I had grown up, Iris and Nayana, then inquired about my family members and when I told them that Russel and my Dad were just two floors downstairs in Ward 409, they decided to visit them. My former teacher Aruna Fernandes was also present and as she knows Russel, she too came downstairs. Hence, towards the end of the day, Russel was overwhelmed with visitors all of which made him happy and excited and brought some of his old enthusiasm back. I exchanged phone numbers with them all and then said goodbye as it was past the visiting hours by then.
Dad informed me that Dr. Vijay had come by to see Russel but still finds fluid draining from his knee and has decided to continue to keep him under observation for the next few days to see how things pan out. It looks as if Russel will be in the hospital until next Tuesday at least when his stitches will be removed. He seems to have accepted the inevitability of this fact and is more relaxed now.
As Dr. Derrick D'Lima does not see patients on Thursday, we waited until Russel received his dinner and until his night attendant arrived before Dad and I left the hospital--at about 8.15 pm.
Home earlier than usual, I had my dinner while watching Line of Duty and fell asleep at about 11.00pm. after going over the Goa Page proofs once more.
Until tomorrow...
Bombay
Doing Hospital Duty and Attending a Memorial Service for a Former School Mate
Namaste from Bombay!
Today was a more unusual sort of day because in addition to doing regular hospital duty, I also attended a Memorial Service for a friend who passed away, five days ago.
I awoke, as usual, at about 4.30 am and began working right away. It is amazing how much work I can get done in the first four hours of the day when Morning Brain kicks in and kicks butt. I blogged, almost finished proof-reading my Goa book, communicated via email with a host of folks across the world and then stopped to eat my breakfast.
I decided to eat something else for a change and I broke out the Skippy Chunky Peanut Butter and the Nutella that I had carried from the US (only to find, of course, that all these things are available here--although you pay a pretty penny more!). I had multi-grain bread in the fridge that I warmed in my microwave oven. I slathered mayonnaise on one slice and topped it with slices of Britannia cheese--this cheese, by the way, is superb. I love the taste (very similar to the Australian Kraft processed tinned cheese of the sort we ate as kids) and the texture--it is creamier than Amul. One slice received a healthy helping of Peanut Butter and another Nutella with mixed chopped nuts. I dearly dearly missed a toaster at this point and kept imagining how great it would have been to enjoy these goodies on toasted multi-grain bread. Oh well, the bread was not too bad. Hot coffee washed it all down well as I watched Escape to the Continent.
I spent the entire morning at my laptop finishing off the editing of the Goa book and sending my list of corrections to my publisher for the final proofs. At last, it seems as if this book is getting somewhere. I am trying to do the rest of the work with enthusiasm but it is so difficult to muster any since the project has been more than two years in the making.
At about 11.00 am, it felt very drowsy and decided to take a nap. I slept for about half an hour and was hugely refreshed by it. When I awoke, I checked email and responded.
At 12.00 noon, I went in for a shower--there was still banging and hammering next door. This will probably go on for a few days. I can only hope and pray that they will not move on to another room once the kitchen is done. Just my crummy luck! To find a studio I adore just next door to someone who is getting married (great news!) but who then needs to renovate her apartment while I try to work from home (lousy news!)
At 12.30, I had my lunch: very good chicken curry (I am eating more curry in Bombay now than I have done for the last thirty years), eggplant with potatoes and chicken cutlets. I discovered that the Kissan Tomato Ketchup I bought has a stopper that needs to be opened with a bottle opener. I do not have one--shall have to borrow one from my Dad. Lunch was delicious and I ate it while watching Escape to the Continent. The couple searching for a home were in Cyprus. Heavenly!
By 1.15 pm, I was at the hospital and getting an update from Dad on Russel's condition. Overall, today we both found him far more alert and responsive. Dad left to go and get some lunch and rest. I requested him to return at 5.00 pm as I had a Memorial Service to attend. Either Dad or I are constantly at Russel's side--we do not leave him alone except at night when we get home to sleep.
The afternoon passed by quietly as I did some reading. On my iPad, I had dowloaded from my local Fairfield Library, a copy of Julian Barnes' novel The Only Story which is opening up nicely. Lenita, the physiotherapist, came in at 4.00pm and put Russel through his exercises. You can see that he struggles while doing some of them--which means that he is experiencing pain--although he probably has a higher threshold for it than most folks. I also managed to get Russel to turn on his side and to sit up a bit while reading an article in his Charis India. He is resistant but with some persuasion, he co-operates.
I had made plans to meet my friend Shahnaz at the entrance of the hospital at 5.25 pm so that we could attend the Memorial Service at 5.30 pm--which, coincidentally enough, happened to be on the sixth floor--in the Morello Hall--of the same hospital in which I was located.
The Memorial Service was for a classmate named Shehnaz Masojee Pinto, who was one year junior to me at St. Agnes' High School in Byculla from which we had both graduated. Her sister and only sibling, Nilufer, older to her by a year, had been my batch mate. My friend Shahnaz had been the deceased Shahnez's batch mate. It was Shahnaz who told me that Shehnaz had passed away, five days ago. The news was shocking to me in the extreme. I also heard that she had passed away of cancer and had been diagnosed only about three months ago. I guessed immediately that it would have been pancreatic cancer as I have so much experience with this awful illness in the US--two of our closest fiends in Connecticut, Lucy Roberts and Arthur Pinto, had both succumbed to it.
The place was simply mobbed. Crowds far in excess of what the family had anticipated simply thronged the hall. It was truly a fire hazard and I felt afraid when I saw the long lines waiting to condole with the family members. Shehnaz's mother Kamela, now a frail but still elegant 88, was seated to accept condolences as was Nilufer, my classmate. On the other side, were Shehnaz's husband, a cardiologist at the same hospital called Brian Pinto and her two grown-up children, Vikram and Soniya, who bore a slight resemblance to the Shehnaz I remembered from our school days.
The service began with a hymn (David's composition 23 from the Book of Psalms--"The Lord Is My Shepherd"--my own favorite) and included a projected audio-visual segment from the other famous passage from Ecclesiastes--"To Everything There is a Season..." Several speeches followed--from Soniya paying tribute to her mother, from Farzana Contractor, Shehnaz's best friend from school days to the present, who commented on their friendship, from Brian who spoke as a husband of their very happy marriage, from Nilufer who, as a sister, spoke of their mutual love for poetry (clearly, they are gals after my own heart!), from Vikram who broke down when trying to thank a vast range of people who assisted through her illness.
Sitting through the beautiful service I was reminded of my own days with Shehnaz: we rode the same school-bus to school and back during our early teenage years in Bombay Central. I remember her as a quiet, well-behaved teenager with her thick dark hair in two pony-tails on either side of her face. When she and her sister Nilu persuaded their parents to get them a dog, Fluffy, a gorgeous pomeranian, entered their lives and ours. I can remember the two sisters walking Fluffy every morning and evening in our neighborhood. I could remember going over to their lovely flat in Balmad building that was right opposite our Reserve Bank Colony in Byculla where I had grown up. There I would visit with her mother whom I called "Auntie", who was always warm and hospitable, sharp and ultra-intelligent. She too had graduated from our school, St. Agnes', and had left quite a mark on the teachers of her own time--some of whom ended up teaching her daughters!
Shehnaz, like her sister, was extremely bright and a class-topper for her entire school career. Unlike Nilu who emigrated to the US to earn a doctorate in Maths and became a professor of Mathematics, Shehnaz married an Indian cardiologist named Brian Pinto and ran a business in finance and investments. I had last met her about 12 years ago when I had visited her at her office on Perry Cross Road in Bandra and spent about a hour reminiscing with her about the old times and catching her up on my own life.
Tributes to Shehnaz spoke eloquently of her gentility and kindness, her many talents (as home maker, interior decorator, gardener), of her intellect and prowess as a business woman, of her love of animals and birds, of her poise and elegance and of her inner and outer beauty. I was very happy to have been present to participate in a service that included prayers for the repose of her soul.
After the service ended, there were refreshments available and a chance to interact with the many classmates that crowded the place. I felt overwhelmed and needed to find a quiet spot where I could reconnect with so many friends that I had not seen in years. All of them wanted to know when I had come down and how long I would be staying in Bombay. I told them that I was on a Fulbright Fellowship, would be in Bombay for a year and hoped to see more of them in happier circumstances.
Two of my school friends with whom I had grown up, Iris and Nayana, then inquired about my family members and when I told them that Russel and my Dad were just two floors downstairs in Ward 409, they decided to visit them. My former teacher Aruna Fernandes was also present and as she knows Russel, she too came downstairs. Hence, towards the end of the day, Russel was overwhelmed with visitors all of which made him happy and excited and brought some of his old enthusiasm back. I exchanged phone numbers with them all and then said goodbye as it was past the visiting hours by then.
Dad informed me that Dr. Vijay had come by to see Russel but still finds fluid draining from his knee and has decided to continue to keep him under observation for the next few days to see how things pan out. It looks as if Russel will be in the hospital until next Tuesday at least when his stitches will be removed. He seems to have accepted the inevitability of this fact and is more relaxed now.
As Dr. Derrick D'Lima does not see patients on Thursday, we waited until Russel received his dinner and until his night attendant arrived before Dad and I left the hospital--at about 8.15 pm.
Home earlier than usual, I had my dinner while watching Line of Duty and fell asleep at about 11.00pm. after going over the Goa Page proofs once more.
Until tomorrow...
Saturday, September 15, 2018
It's S-(for Surgery) Day! My Brother Has an Operation
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Bombay
Russel's S-(for Surgery)Day!
Namaste from Bombay!
With Russel's surgery set for 11.00 am, today was a significant day for our family. I woke at 4.30 am and swiftly went through my morning rituals--blogging, responding or drafting email and setting myself up for my day. I washed, breakfasted on birschersmuesli and coffee, then showered, got dressed and left my studio at 8.20 am. I arrived at the hospital at 8.30 am--Dad has been there for an hour already.
Russel was quiet, preparing for the inevitable. He knows now that he has surgery scheduled for 11.00 am and he seemed serene. The night attendant had taken time off to celebrate Ganpati with his family. The day attendant did double duty and seems to have tended to Russel well. I am not a fan of his although I do like the night guy. Still, I suppose to have one good attendant and one not-so-good one is the best one can expect in the circumstances.
A Word About Holy Family Hospital in Bandra:
Having spent most part of nearly a week in Holy Family Hospital, I can tell you a thing or two about it. Overall, it is a very nice place. The staff are friendly and polite. Everyone is kind and helpful--except for the nurses who, in my opinion, need to go back to medical school and take Nursing 101 in which they will, hopefully, learn this time, that Nursing involves well, actual nursing. They are mainly Keralite girls--I call them girls because no one looks older than twenty! They jabber away in Malayalam among themselves (which I have always thought very rude). Today, one of them called me "Aunty". She got the shock of her life when I told her, "Excuse me, please do not call me Aunty. I am not your Aunty". She responded, "Sorry Ma'am". And I said, "Thanks, That's better." I do believe that just as they and their attitude seems out-of-whack to me, they have probably not come across anyone like me and must think me the strangest oddball.
All they do is sit on hospital phones and make calls--whenever you ask them to do anything, they 'outsource' the task to someone else by picking up the phone and calling, as it were, for reinforcements. If it were not so irritating, it would be hilarious. They also say that they will do something "just now". And an hour later, your task is still unaccomplished. Yesterday, I put on my best professorial (i.e. stentorian) tones, marched up to the counter and said, "Excuse me. But you told me you would do this in ten to fifteen minutes. It has been one and a half hour now. This is not a joke and I am not laughing." They were in shock. One of them said, "Ok, I will do it right now"And she sent someone into the ward, pronto! And my job was done!
Dad told me that this is a common complaint with this hospital, i.e. the nurses do not nurse. Relatives are expected to do everything. They will occasionally undertake medical tasks such as taking temperature or blood pressure. But other than that, you are on your own or expected to hire an attendant to get things done. They do not even dispense medicines--they will hand you over a strip of tablets and say, "You have to give this after dinner". I was aghast. Hello? Aren't you the nurse? Why am I being asked to give a patient's medicine?
In the evening, Dad lost it with them and yelled his head off--and boy, you do not want to be at the receiving end of one of Dad's rants! After his surgery ended, Russel was supposed to have been fasting for 3 hours--i.e. until 6.00 pm. But they had not given the order for his dinner to be brought in and he almost went without it. Dad went to see what was going on and the kitchen staff told him that the Nursing Counter had told them he was fasting. Dad really ploughed into the nurses then. He said that a doctor was present and listened to him, but that did not stop him. Good for him! You can get away with a multitude of sins if you have a few silver hairs on your head--that's for sure!
That's one side of the picture. The doctors are great--Indian medical science and health care is among the best in the world (as everyone knows)--which is why Indian physicians are in demand in every corner of the world. Dr. Derrick D'Lima and his interns, Dr. Parth and Dr. Vijay, have been very good--personalities differ, of course, but by and large, they have kept us informed at every stage in the game and taken us into confidence. They have also been sensitive to Russel's mental challenges and accommodated them at every stage. They have compassion and they have understanding and that is what we ask of doctors today--more than just an ability to spout knowledge.
The atmosphere of this hospital is lovely--you see nuns walking up and down the corridors (mainly of them are qualified physicians and many of them are qualified nurses). Priests also can be spied often. The Catholic atmosphere of this hospital is very inspiring. In every room, there is a crucifix or a picture of Christ's Divine Mercy. Posters with quotes from Scripture are all over the place.
The administrative staff that mans the pharmacy, the lab, the cashier counter, etc. are professional, polite and efficient.
The demographics in this place are a study in Indian diversity: you see women completely shrouded in their black burquas--when I was growing up in Bandra, this was a sight I rarely saw. There are men in beards sporting salwar-kameez (again, it was a sight I never saw in Bandra in years gone by--the little suburb's population has changed dramatically). There are women in sarees and salwar-kameez and people speak a variety of tongues--Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Gujarati. Catholics mill around, of course, the women wear dresses, jeans, even shorts, all speaking English Most of the doctors are Catholics too. Within a couple of days, I felt very much at home.
Fellow patients are friendly, their family members pass time chatting to each other and getting to know each other. Fellow patients are also tolerant of other patients and their idiosyncrasies. For instance, in the next ward, there is a woman (whom I have not yet seen) who chants loudly and moans for most of the day. Our hearts go out to her but, of course, there is nothing any of us can do. I keep thinking to myself: that could be my mother or that could be me, but for the grace of God.
On the first night, Russel stayed wide awake with anxiety. He kept talking loudly to his night attendant Ram and kept the other patients and their attendants awake too. A sweet lady named Rolanda who was tending her husband Mario on the next bed, came coming up to him and telling him, "Go to sleep, Russel. You will be fine. Don't worry, we are with you," She told me that he kept asking for his Dad. When Russel shifted wards and went to one with just two patients in a room, I apologized to his fellow-patients for Russel's having kept them awake. Every one of them and their attendants told me it was quite okay and they smiled and just shrugged it off. In their tolerance and understanding of Russel, I see God's grace personified. This is what I hope to learn as I go through life myself--to be compassionate and understanding and have good grace when coping with other people's limitations.
The man in the next bed has an inexplicable viral fever. His daughter Priyanaka who is doing her Masters in Commerce is a delight to speak to. Her father, the patient, speaks a variety of Indian languages but not English. In communicating with him and the attendants, my own Hindi is getting a fantastic workout here--I am loving the fact that I can speak without having to think about what I am going to say. Give me another month in Bombay and my Hindi will be something I can actually be proud of.
So now back to Russel:
Dad and I whiled away time till 10.45 am reading--he was with his newspaper, I was on my iPad reading Harlan Coben's Let It Go. At 10.45 am, we followed Russel as they wheeled him off to the Operating Theater. By 12 noon, the surgery had begun. Once again, we sat outside the theater reading. My former student (and family friend) Romanee (the same one who was the stewardess who operated my Air-India flight to Bombay) dropped in for half an hour and kept us company as my sister-in-law Lalita had informed her about Russel's surgery. It was great to see her again and chat with her. My lovely loving cousins (Blossom, Ruby, Bonnie, Veera, Meera and Zita) kept calling to tell me that they were praying and lighting candles for Russel. I told them that he was in surgery and that I would keep them informed. They are mostly Bandra-based and keep inviting Dad and me to their homes for lunch in-between our hospital stays. We, of course, are too preoccupied and have not yet taken them up on their offers. The sort of kindness, support and hospitality that you get from extended family in Bombay, I really and truly do miss in Southport, Connecticut.
For lunch, I slipped out at12.30 pm and walked to Hearsch Bakery. The line there was so long that it took me more than half an hour to get to the counter. I ordered a chicken roll for myself and a mutton hot dog for dad with ginger-lemon drinks for the two of us. I ate my roll and sipped my drink in the shade of a tree in the compound. They were delicious--which explains why the place was mobbed. I returned to the hospital, three minutes away, and told Dad to come downstairs (no food can be taken inside). He sat down and had his roll and drink while I returned upstairs.
At 2.00 pm, Dr. Derrick D'Lima came outside to tell us that "Russel is okay". He said that they had set the fractured bones and removed more than 2 liters of water from his knee--which will be sent, routinely, for biopsy. They also removed the synovec--the layer that cushions the knee but also causes the fluid to accumulate. They do not expect too much fluid to accumulate from now on. He told us that they will have him rest today and tomorrow under observation, after which a physiotherapist will work with him to teach him now to move again. In Russel's case, because of his mental limitations, they will make sure he has bed rest for 2 weeks at least to allow the operation to stabilize. After that, they will teach him to walk with a walker and a stick. Three months from now, when they expect the bones will have been fused together with the titanium plates they have inserted (that will remain inside permanently), they will turn to the knee. Apparently, the tissue between his knee cap bones has worn away and rubbing of the bones together has caused erosion. They will have to put a brace (similar to the one used on the shin bones) to keep them together and prevent dislocation or they will have to put in a caliper. Either way, they will need to find the means by which the bones will stay together to prevent repeated dislocation. The present sutures will be removed in 12 days' time. I got the impression that Russel will be sent home within 4 days, if there are no complications, God forbid, from the surgery.
Dr. D'Lima also told us that for some reason Russel has lost the ability to feel pain--this means that the healing will be much more difficult. The upside is that he will not suffer and we do not have to watch him go through agony; the downside is that it will be difficult to gauge when the bones are actually set, as, in normal people, the lack of pain finally indicates to them that their bones have fused well together. As Russel cannot feel or express sensations, a lot of guess work will have to be done.
Russel was brought back to his ward where he spent most of the rest of the afternoon very restless and wanting to know when they would send him home. It is clear he is quite miserable in the hospital, but we were able to make him understand that they need to monitor his progress over the next few days. The physiotherapist, Lenita D'Souza, who has worked with Russel before on his fractured wrist, a couple of years ago, will take over. She will show him muscle strengthening exercises for starters and then come home to teach him how to walk. She agrees that he cannot put any body weight on his fractured foot for at least 2 weeks.
Dad seems relieved. There is now some light at the end of the tunnel for him. I undertook the task of texting all my relatives about the outcome of Russel's surgery and prognosis. It is amazing how responsive all my relatives are. I am deeply touched.
By the evening, Russel's restlessness grew: maybe the local anesthesia had worn way and although he says he feels no pain, there was probably some discomfort. His friend, Fr. Austin Norris arrived to pay him a short visit prior to hearing Confessions in his church.
At 8.00 pm, his night attendant Ram arrived and took over. He fed Russel his dinner (after Dad made a scene to bring him his tray) and Dad and I left and got home.
Boy, oh boy! Why a day! Did I need a stiff drink!!!! At home, I fixed myself a gin and tonic and sat down to watch Line of Duty--getting more hairy now. Llew told me that it is not available on Netflix in the States. Which leads me to believe that there are different copyright laws for different countries because Midsomer Murders that I was watching on Netflix in the US is not available here in India. Shame! I had my dinner which was delicious and finished off with wonderful Custard Apple Ice-cream from Naturals--because believe me, after today, I could do with every treat in the house!
A long chat with Llew, another long chat with Chriselle followed as my closest family members in the US wanted to know how the surgery and my day had gone--everyone had been praying, of course. And responding to texts from so many of my friends in America and the UK (who had also been praying) kept me awake until well past midnight.
I apologize for the length of this post and my verbal diarrhea--I rarely go off-tangent as much as I have gone in this one. But I am sure you understand that today was an unusually stressful day and I needed to vent. Having said that, I do not for a single second, resent this sudden crisis in my life. As an astute traveler, I will tell you that this is a marvelous lesson in Cultural Studies for me and having gone through health care systems in the US, the UK and France, I can actually see the funny side of health care in India.
And in terms of my family commitments, well, I can honestly say that I feel thankful that the Lord brought me here to support and help my Dad at this time as much as I can. I would go so far as to say that it is a privilege and an honor to be able to lend a hand as a daughter and as a sister and I am so very glad to do so.
Until tomorrow....
Bombay
Russel's S-(for Surgery)Day!
Namaste from Bombay!
With Russel's surgery set for 11.00 am, today was a significant day for our family. I woke at 4.30 am and swiftly went through my morning rituals--blogging, responding or drafting email and setting myself up for my day. I washed, breakfasted on birschersmuesli and coffee, then showered, got dressed and left my studio at 8.20 am. I arrived at the hospital at 8.30 am--Dad has been there for an hour already.
Russel was quiet, preparing for the inevitable. He knows now that he has surgery scheduled for 11.00 am and he seemed serene. The night attendant had taken time off to celebrate Ganpati with his family. The day attendant did double duty and seems to have tended to Russel well. I am not a fan of his although I do like the night guy. Still, I suppose to have one good attendant and one not-so-good one is the best one can expect in the circumstances.
A Word About Holy Family Hospital in Bandra:
Having spent most part of nearly a week in Holy Family Hospital, I can tell you a thing or two about it. Overall, it is a very nice place. The staff are friendly and polite. Everyone is kind and helpful--except for the nurses who, in my opinion, need to go back to medical school and take Nursing 101 in which they will, hopefully, learn this time, that Nursing involves well, actual nursing. They are mainly Keralite girls--I call them girls because no one looks older than twenty! They jabber away in Malayalam among themselves (which I have always thought very rude). Today, one of them called me "Aunty". She got the shock of her life when I told her, "Excuse me, please do not call me Aunty. I am not your Aunty". She responded, "Sorry Ma'am". And I said, "Thanks, That's better." I do believe that just as they and their attitude seems out-of-whack to me, they have probably not come across anyone like me and must think me the strangest oddball.
All they do is sit on hospital phones and make calls--whenever you ask them to do anything, they 'outsource' the task to someone else by picking up the phone and calling, as it were, for reinforcements. If it were not so irritating, it would be hilarious. They also say that they will do something "just now". And an hour later, your task is still unaccomplished. Yesterday, I put on my best professorial (i.e. stentorian) tones, marched up to the counter and said, "Excuse me. But you told me you would do this in ten to fifteen minutes. It has been one and a half hour now. This is not a joke and I am not laughing." They were in shock. One of them said, "Ok, I will do it right now"And she sent someone into the ward, pronto! And my job was done!
Dad told me that this is a common complaint with this hospital, i.e. the nurses do not nurse. Relatives are expected to do everything. They will occasionally undertake medical tasks such as taking temperature or blood pressure. But other than that, you are on your own or expected to hire an attendant to get things done. They do not even dispense medicines--they will hand you over a strip of tablets and say, "You have to give this after dinner". I was aghast. Hello? Aren't you the nurse? Why am I being asked to give a patient's medicine?
In the evening, Dad lost it with them and yelled his head off--and boy, you do not want to be at the receiving end of one of Dad's rants! After his surgery ended, Russel was supposed to have been fasting for 3 hours--i.e. until 6.00 pm. But they had not given the order for his dinner to be brought in and he almost went without it. Dad went to see what was going on and the kitchen staff told him that the Nursing Counter had told them he was fasting. Dad really ploughed into the nurses then. He said that a doctor was present and listened to him, but that did not stop him. Good for him! You can get away with a multitude of sins if you have a few silver hairs on your head--that's for sure!
That's one side of the picture. The doctors are great--Indian medical science and health care is among the best in the world (as everyone knows)--which is why Indian physicians are in demand in every corner of the world. Dr. Derrick D'Lima and his interns, Dr. Parth and Dr. Vijay, have been very good--personalities differ, of course, but by and large, they have kept us informed at every stage in the game and taken us into confidence. They have also been sensitive to Russel's mental challenges and accommodated them at every stage. They have compassion and they have understanding and that is what we ask of doctors today--more than just an ability to spout knowledge.
The atmosphere of this hospital is lovely--you see nuns walking up and down the corridors (mainly of them are qualified physicians and many of them are qualified nurses). Priests also can be spied often. The Catholic atmosphere of this hospital is very inspiring. In every room, there is a crucifix or a picture of Christ's Divine Mercy. Posters with quotes from Scripture are all over the place.
The administrative staff that mans the pharmacy, the lab, the cashier counter, etc. are professional, polite and efficient.
The demographics in this place are a study in Indian diversity: you see women completely shrouded in their black burquas--when I was growing up in Bandra, this was a sight I rarely saw. There are men in beards sporting salwar-kameez (again, it was a sight I never saw in Bandra in years gone by--the little suburb's population has changed dramatically). There are women in sarees and salwar-kameez and people speak a variety of tongues--Hindi, Marathi, Malayalam, Gujarati. Catholics mill around, of course, the women wear dresses, jeans, even shorts, all speaking English Most of the doctors are Catholics too. Within a couple of days, I felt very much at home.
Fellow patients are friendly, their family members pass time chatting to each other and getting to know each other. Fellow patients are also tolerant of other patients and their idiosyncrasies. For instance, in the next ward, there is a woman (whom I have not yet seen) who chants loudly and moans for most of the day. Our hearts go out to her but, of course, there is nothing any of us can do. I keep thinking to myself: that could be my mother or that could be me, but for the grace of God.
On the first night, Russel stayed wide awake with anxiety. He kept talking loudly to his night attendant Ram and kept the other patients and their attendants awake too. A sweet lady named Rolanda who was tending her husband Mario on the next bed, came coming up to him and telling him, "Go to sleep, Russel. You will be fine. Don't worry, we are with you," She told me that he kept asking for his Dad. When Russel shifted wards and went to one with just two patients in a room, I apologized to his fellow-patients for Russel's having kept them awake. Every one of them and their attendants told me it was quite okay and they smiled and just shrugged it off. In their tolerance and understanding of Russel, I see God's grace personified. This is what I hope to learn as I go through life myself--to be compassionate and understanding and have good grace when coping with other people's limitations.
The man in the next bed has an inexplicable viral fever. His daughter Priyanaka who is doing her Masters in Commerce is a delight to speak to. Her father, the patient, speaks a variety of Indian languages but not English. In communicating with him and the attendants, my own Hindi is getting a fantastic workout here--I am loving the fact that I can speak without having to think about what I am going to say. Give me another month in Bombay and my Hindi will be something I can actually be proud of.
So now back to Russel:
Dad and I whiled away time till 10.45 am reading--he was with his newspaper, I was on my iPad reading Harlan Coben's Let It Go. At 10.45 am, we followed Russel as they wheeled him off to the Operating Theater. By 12 noon, the surgery had begun. Once again, we sat outside the theater reading. My former student (and family friend) Romanee (the same one who was the stewardess who operated my Air-India flight to Bombay) dropped in for half an hour and kept us company as my sister-in-law Lalita had informed her about Russel's surgery. It was great to see her again and chat with her. My lovely loving cousins (Blossom, Ruby, Bonnie, Veera, Meera and Zita) kept calling to tell me that they were praying and lighting candles for Russel. I told them that he was in surgery and that I would keep them informed. They are mostly Bandra-based and keep inviting Dad and me to their homes for lunch in-between our hospital stays. We, of course, are too preoccupied and have not yet taken them up on their offers. The sort of kindness, support and hospitality that you get from extended family in Bombay, I really and truly do miss in Southport, Connecticut.
For lunch, I slipped out at12.30 pm and walked to Hearsch Bakery. The line there was so long that it took me more than half an hour to get to the counter. I ordered a chicken roll for myself and a mutton hot dog for dad with ginger-lemon drinks for the two of us. I ate my roll and sipped my drink in the shade of a tree in the compound. They were delicious--which explains why the place was mobbed. I returned to the hospital, three minutes away, and told Dad to come downstairs (no food can be taken inside). He sat down and had his roll and drink while I returned upstairs.
At 2.00 pm, Dr. Derrick D'Lima came outside to tell us that "Russel is okay". He said that they had set the fractured bones and removed more than 2 liters of water from his knee--which will be sent, routinely, for biopsy. They also removed the synovec--the layer that cushions the knee but also causes the fluid to accumulate. They do not expect too much fluid to accumulate from now on. He told us that they will have him rest today and tomorrow under observation, after which a physiotherapist will work with him to teach him now to move again. In Russel's case, because of his mental limitations, they will make sure he has bed rest for 2 weeks at least to allow the operation to stabilize. After that, they will teach him to walk with a walker and a stick. Three months from now, when they expect the bones will have been fused together with the titanium plates they have inserted (that will remain inside permanently), they will turn to the knee. Apparently, the tissue between his knee cap bones has worn away and rubbing of the bones together has caused erosion. They will have to put a brace (similar to the one used on the shin bones) to keep them together and prevent dislocation or they will have to put in a caliper. Either way, they will need to find the means by which the bones will stay together to prevent repeated dislocation. The present sutures will be removed in 12 days' time. I got the impression that Russel will be sent home within 4 days, if there are no complications, God forbid, from the surgery.
Dr. D'Lima also told us that for some reason Russel has lost the ability to feel pain--this means that the healing will be much more difficult. The upside is that he will not suffer and we do not have to watch him go through agony; the downside is that it will be difficult to gauge when the bones are actually set, as, in normal people, the lack of pain finally indicates to them that their bones have fused well together. As Russel cannot feel or express sensations, a lot of guess work will have to be done.
Russel was brought back to his ward where he spent most of the rest of the afternoon very restless and wanting to know when they would send him home. It is clear he is quite miserable in the hospital, but we were able to make him understand that they need to monitor his progress over the next few days. The physiotherapist, Lenita D'Souza, who has worked with Russel before on his fractured wrist, a couple of years ago, will take over. She will show him muscle strengthening exercises for starters and then come home to teach him how to walk. She agrees that he cannot put any body weight on his fractured foot for at least 2 weeks.
Dad seems relieved. There is now some light at the end of the tunnel for him. I undertook the task of texting all my relatives about the outcome of Russel's surgery and prognosis. It is amazing how responsive all my relatives are. I am deeply touched.
By the evening, Russel's restlessness grew: maybe the local anesthesia had worn way and although he says he feels no pain, there was probably some discomfort. His friend, Fr. Austin Norris arrived to pay him a short visit prior to hearing Confessions in his church.
At 8.00 pm, his night attendant Ram arrived and took over. He fed Russel his dinner (after Dad made a scene to bring him his tray) and Dad and I left and got home.
Boy, oh boy! Why a day! Did I need a stiff drink!!!! At home, I fixed myself a gin and tonic and sat down to watch Line of Duty--getting more hairy now. Llew told me that it is not available on Netflix in the States. Which leads me to believe that there are different copyright laws for different countries because Midsomer Murders that I was watching on Netflix in the US is not available here in India. Shame! I had my dinner which was delicious and finished off with wonderful Custard Apple Ice-cream from Naturals--because believe me, after today, I could do with every treat in the house!
A long chat with Llew, another long chat with Chriselle followed as my closest family members in the US wanted to know how the surgery and my day had gone--everyone had been praying, of course. And responding to texts from so many of my friends in America and the UK (who had also been praying) kept me awake until well past midnight.
I apologize for the length of this post and my verbal diarrhea--I rarely go off-tangent as much as I have gone in this one. But I am sure you understand that today was an unusually stressful day and I needed to vent. Having said that, I do not for a single second, resent this sudden crisis in my life. As an astute traveler, I will tell you that this is a marvelous lesson in Cultural Studies for me and having gone through health care systems in the US, the UK and France, I can actually see the funny side of health care in India.
And in terms of my family commitments, well, I can honestly say that I feel thankful that the Lord brought me here to support and help my Dad at this time as much as I can. I would go so far as to say that it is a privilege and an honor to be able to lend a hand as a daughter and as a sister and I am so very glad to do so.
Until tomorrow....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)