Speedy Virtual Group Gathering

 

Speedy group interview about our Blog

A very warm welcome to all my mates joining me virtually. Please make yourself comfortable and help yourself to a drink and prepare to be transported in your imagination.

Good! Let’s get down to business!

I want to talk about my Blog survey. It was really heartening to receive so many replies.

 

I must start by paying a special tribute to Lucky who as you know started our Blog in March 16^th 2011. This is what Lucky said- “When I started this blog in March 2011, it was primarily meant to be a part of the build-up towards the 50^th Anniversary Reunion”. Over the years he has spent a lot of time and effort maintaining it. It was my special privilege to be asked to introduce some changes which I hope has enhanced it. At the moment, because of health issues such as his post-herpetic neuralgia, he has entrusted me with managing the blog till he is ready to resume.

Lucky: Thanks Speedy. It was my pleasure to start the Blog and I have always valued your help. I do hope your efforts to make it more popular and act as a medium to keep us together will succeed.

Speedy: Thanks Lucky. I hope so too.

And now, let us commence. I do hope that this format would be more interesting. 

Let me start with you Anton. Good evening Anton.

Anton- Hi Speedy. I visit often and find it useful to be in touch after so many years.

Speedy:  Great Anton. We are seeing more and more of you.

Now moving on to my good friend Rajan. Hello Rajan. 

Rajan: Hello speedy. I do open the blog several times per week and do write comments occasionally. I plan to do the same and hopefully write more frequently.

Speedy: And you had a good suggestion Rajan, and that was- “why don't we ask our frequent contributors to contact one or two of our batch mates and walk them through the blog”. Come on guys! Don’t you think it is a great idea? If we cascade and even if one responds, we got one more. 

The next is our keen blogger, Sanath. Over to you Sanath. You are such a busy man and you still find time for us. 

Sanath: Thanks Mahendra. You may be surprised to hear that I visit the blog several times a day, on most days of the week.

Speedy: Not surprised at all. That is what I do too every day of the week. I know you are keen on the blog. 

And now to our poetess and musician, my next guest Zita. 

Zita: Hi Mahendra. I visit the Blog once a week on average but latterly due to ill health, I have had to make it once a month at times. I am very sad when I don't visit the Blog for any reason as it is something very relevant to my life. It is the sort of site that I love to visit online. I cannot understand why anyone would not want to visit the Blog. My message to my friends- hey fellow batch mates! Let us all contribute something as often as possible. Sometimes what happened on a day in your life would be something we'll all like to read about. And this is one medium which has succeeded in connecting us to our memorable medical student days and given us a chance to share things we have done, written, made, oh anything which you want to talk about as I bet it will be interesting to the rest of the gang. And please don't be offended if for some reason it is not published. Lucky and Mahendra take a lot of interest to help us all enjoy the last years of our existence and make it as interesting as possible but not to offend anyone or any organisation. Thanks, all! Aren't we lucky we have the medium of the Blog to make our voice heard?

Speedy: Thanks for your continued and unstinted support Zita. Not just for your comments but for all your contributions over the years. About rejecting a post. I think it is highly unlikely unless it is offensive or blatantly political, two unlikely events with our colleagues. 

I next move to our biggest contributor with immense literary talents, an author like no other- Nihal Douglas Amarasekera, best known simply as “ND”. Hello Nihal. It is so nice to see you and get a chance to seek your views. 

Nihal: Hello Mahen. Thanks for organising this. It is timely and very much appreciated. I access the blog 5-10 times a day. I think the blog is great. Well-structured and managed. Easy to use. Inability to use Safari is a great disadvantage. If password protected we can avoid the intrusions. It is a distraction.

Speedy:  Thanks Nihal. We have looked into password protection. Blogger has no formal password protection buy uses a ploy called permissions. It will undoubtedly make the site more secure and virtually stop unwanted intruders, often with inane comments but the downside is that it will put off many from using it. (see footnote). Another option is to moderate comments which means that the Administrator (Lucky or delegated me) has to see every comment first and authorise or reject. This is a lot of added work for Lucky and is not feasible. About Safari, you can use it to access but not to post comments. 

And next to our cheerful and beautiful ladymate (is there such a word?) who has contributed so much organising Batch Reunions. Hi Swyrie! 

Swyrie: Hi Speedy. Yes I visit the blog maybe about once a month or less. But I agree that we should make it a habit to do it more often. Now that there is all this blog talk I am sure that more and more batch mates will be accessing it. Thanks for all that you and Lucky are doing to keep us in touch. I am looking forward to the next reunion maybe early 2022

Speedy: Thanks Swyrie. I do hope that Covid won’t be a dampener again. It is salutary to reflect that we have lost just over 40 colleagues. 

Turning now to you Kumar, you mentioned how important the Remembrance day is to you. 

Kumar: Thanks for starting this conversation Mahen. If there is a gap of silence it’s usually due to “life having overtaken us. I really value, all that , Lucky, you, ND and many other contributors have done to keep the blog animated .Yes, you are right, if there is one thing I value above all else it is the Remembrance Day which helps us to commemorate, those who have gone before us, but whose memories the blog keeps alive. So please, do not get disheartened, and I will do my mite.

Speedy: Thanks, Kumar. The blog has brought out your literary talents too. 

And now I turn to another beautiful lady, Pram, who has done so much to keep us together. 

Pram: Hi Speedy, you are too kind! I love keeping in touch it is a kind of passion be it school friends, family, Med school friends church friends etc. So the blog that Lucky started was a great help. I do visit is once or twice a month. I love our zoom meetings very much which you and Patas started I am only sad the zoom meetings are soooo far apart. Anyway, my point is zooms and blogs are fantastic. Keep up the excellent work.

Speedy: So nice to hear your sentiments Pram. 

And now to another beautiful lady (what a lot we have!), Srianee, aka Bunter, another  blog stalwart!  

Srianee: Flattery will get you everywhere Mahen! Yes I do visit the blog.  I would say that I do it at least once a month or more, but sometimes life gets in the way!!  I think it is a great way to stay connected and share news. Thanks for doing this.

Speedy: You have enhanced and supported the blog in many ways. Most grateful. 

I had a few brief responses but they were important nevertheless. Starting with Sunil who is a regular at our London mini-reunions. 

Sunil: Hi Speedy, I do access about 1 or 2 a month. 

Hi Ranjit thanks for responding,

Ranjit: I use it now and again, About once in 2-3 months. 

And Gnaniss, hope you are Ok my friend.

Gnaniss: access it about once in2- 3 months. 

And Jimmy Wicks!, who is also a figure in our London mini-reunions.

Jimmy: Hi Gonsal. Thanks. I am not a regular, maybe once every 2-3 months. 

Greetings my good friend Cyril, who has gone a bit quiet lately. 

Cyril: Hi Speedy. Yes, I do follow the blog closely and read the interesting articles regularly. However, I have not been able to access the blog of the latest goings-on with our batch mates. I am not sure of the reason. 

Next is someone I had no contact for quite a while. Hi Nethya, it is lovely to hear from you after all this time. Of course I remember you well.

Nethya: Hi Mahendra, I read blogs as and when I remember maybe about once in a while but now that there seem some interest would do it more often. feel that it certainly is useful in bringing news about batchmates.

Speedy: Please do Nethya, it will be great to see you on the blog. 

And now to Bala. Hope you don’t mind me calling you by your affectionate name Con Bala!

Bala: That’s fine Speedy.  The blog is very useful giving information about updates on colleagues.

Speedy: Hope you will consider sending an article Bala.  You organised many reunions and produced some fantastic souvenirs, copies of which I have and treasure. Please put your thought on an email. 

And now to yet another beautiful lady who had the good sense to get married to a Mahendra.ok..ok, its not the same!

Suri: Hi Speedy! As you know I have woken up again! Thanks for that Interview you did on the Blog. I have visited the blog fairly frequently in the past but have failed to do so in 2019-2020 due to a multitude of reasons. I intend to mend my ways and be an active participant from now on. My failure was not due to lack of interest but rather ill health and also problems of access to a computer, (other than my smartphone ), which is difficult to use for any length of time considering my great age! 

Speedy: Thanks Suri. I am not sure about the “great age” bit! The youngest in the batch! Look forward to seeing more of you- in a figurative sense of course!

I now turn to my good friend Bora, a man who has good tastes, such as golf!

Bora: Hi Mahen. Thanks for doing this. I visit the Blog on most days and enjoy reading the interesting posts. The Blog is great, keep it going.

Speedy: Bora, your encouragement makes me and I am sure lucky, very happy. 

Now it is  Douglas Mulgirigama’s turn. Hello my friend. It is good to see you today, and on Zoom recently. 

Douglas: Hi Speedy. I have not been a very regular user of the Blog, doing about once in three months or less. I intend to start using it more often and even contribute to it.

I find the Zoom more useful in keeping touch, also because one could see the person. The idea of having a theme, like what happened last time, Hobbies, Projects, Family Circumstances, Grandchildren, Holidays, best places one would recommend, about the area, province, the country where you live, books, music, Topic of interest. The possibilities are endless. This should bring the batch more closure together. Some of what is presented can provide material to write into the Blog.

Speedy: The feedback I got from the zoom sessions has been very positive and I shall organise another soon. 

It is time to turn to the quiet and distinguished man with a wife of immense artistic ability. How do I know? Through the blog of course. Indra- welcome! 

Indra: Hi Speedy or Mahen, whatever! The sleeping giant has woken up. It seemed the blog was going to shut down for lack of interest on the part of its membership, but you touched a nerve with your last communication and the giant has stirred. There is obviously effort involved in maintaining the blog, thanks to Lucky who put in the effort over the years and now you have picked up the mantle. There was help over the years from notably Sanath, Speedy, Rohini and Nihal. Lucky and Speedy, I do visit it 3-4 times weekly. I find it interesting and useful to garner information on what’s going on within the batch and also stay in touch with friends. It also entertains. Think hard before putting it to the axe.  

Speedy: Thanks Indra. It is so nice to hear from so many on how they value the blog. 

No end to beautiful ladies and here is yet another one! Lovely to see you Rohini. I think we are all aware of your recent loss and extend our deepest sympathies to you again. You contribute a lot to the blog. 

Rohini Ana: Thanks Mahen. I appreciate that. Sorry about the delayed response. I have visited the blog in the past at least once a week - often more frequently to acknowledge the wonderful efforts by the contributors. I have found the blog very interesting and enjoyed the diversity of talents our batchmates and their families have shared with us. Besides, Not having come to know many of my batchmates (especially of the opposite gender) during my med school years,  I have had the great privilege of having several of them write me to share their friendship, introduce me to their families and update me on how their lives have panned out, which could not have occurred without the blog. The blog has been a great way to keep in touch with batchmates and of course. Thank you very much to Lucky, Speedy and all the fine contributors. I would need a break in the coming weeks but shall endeavour to be back. I hope the efforts in having the blog continues won’t overwhelm the administrators. 

I now turn to Malkanthie! Hi Malkanthie. The last time I met you with your husband was at the Reunion in Sri Lanka a few years ago. Hope you are well. 

Malkanthie: Hello Speedy. I remember that well. The blog is a great way to keep in touch. I try to visit this site at least once or twice a month. Thanks for keeping us connected.

Speedy: It is a great pleasure. 

Lalantha, nearly missed you standing in the wings! It was a pleasant surprise to hear from the Scrabble expert!

Lalantha: Hi Speedy. My involvement with the military hospital, private practice, scrabble and contract bridge leaves very little space in the betz cells to remember to visit the blog. However, I shall try to do better in the future. 

And finally, Sisira, how are you mate?

Sisira Ranasinghe: Hi Mahendra. I have visited the blog infrequently, as I am VERY BUSY finishing up my lifelong software project. I am sending my regards to ALL my batchmates and their families. Stay safe and take care of each other. 

Wait a minute, just spied Bertram Nana joining us. Hello Bertie. My apologies for wondering whether you were in the land of the living, quickly dispelled as fake news thankfully!

Bertram: Hi Mahendra. I visit Blog at least once a month now, I think I replied to Lakshman Abey initially. Hope you’re enjoying your free time now. Bertramnan. 

So there you have it. We have to be realistic and not expect to get huge participation in a blog but it is clear to me that it is being used and valued by a lot of our batchmates. Lucky and all the regulars, our efforts are not in vain! What you started is appreciated, and I am sure as we get older, it will be valued even more. I have spotted a lot of “new faces” in the last few months.

My plea to all of you is to keep accessing and even more importantly, please suggest what sort of articles you would like to see in it. We need your ideas on how we could entice more people to access the blog, to encourage posting comments and to contribute articles. I once again make the offer for any of you who have thoughts on a post. If you are reluctant to write a document, all you need to do is to send me your thoughts in an email and I shall turn it into an article. This will be first sent back to you for approval before publication. 

Thank you for joining me today and hope to see you again soon. Take care my friends and I hope Lucky and I can cope with the deluge of comments on this!

 

Footnote about permissions for those who are interested, not many I presume. With permissions, you can now choose either "Public," "Private - Only blog authors," or "Private - Only these readers." To restrict your audience to a select number of readers, choose the third option and manually add your reader's email addresses. These readers will receive an invitation email with a link giving them 30 days access to your blog without signing in. After the 30 days are up, they can only access your blog by signing in with a Google account, unless you send a second email inviting them for another 30 days.

A family lost in the English Channel

The quest for just an ordinary life- risks and rewards

By Zita Perera Subasinghe

This time of pandemic and lockdown is a time for reflection on what really matters. We were greatly saddened by a family swimming the ocean to reach their land of dreams when the boat they were being carried, along with many others, capsized. A mother, father and three children, one a mere baby, made a last desperate effort and tried to swim the ocean to reach the land.

I find comfort in penning my thoughts in poetry and sharing with my valued colleagues.

 A family is lost in the English Channel

 

 

 

Waves, waves swallowing up

A struggling little family

Whoosh! Crash! Bang! Wallop!

As these five swim crazily

 

Avoiding sharks, snails and whales

Breathless, frozen, nearly exhausted

Swimming away from rushing gales

On this crazy ocean, blasted

 

Mum hears end of a son’s crying

Dad has just begun to scream

A little family merely trying

To reach land and live their dream

 

One by one, each one gives up

While big waves just froth and foam

Dream in each somehow lives up

As given up spirits freely roam

 

Final observation: Any such attempts should be stopped at the start of their journey by controlling those who organise these attempts and enlightening the risk-takers of their folly and make them give up “the grass is greener on the other side” mentality.

Our rendezvous with destiny

 Our rendezvous with destiny by Nihal D Amerasekera

 This is a story of adversity and friendship with a happy ending. It all happened a long time ago, in fact, a very long time ago. Age does nibble into one’s memory, just a little at a time. Although some of the finer details of my narrative are clouded by the fog of time, I can still recall much of it so clearly. In our days as students in the Faculty of Medicine in Colombo, Sanath de Tissera, Nalin Nanayakkara and I have been close friends. Just out of our teenage years we still had to endure all that life could throw at us, sunshine, rain, thunder and gales. It was friendships that made those hardships bearable.

 Our parents lived through the 2^nd World War. They were turbulent times with enormous hardships and food rations. Our grandparents had to endure the turmoil and the vastly destructive first World War and then the deadly Spanish flu. Until the middle of the 20th century when antibiotics and vaccines made their appearance and the health services improved, life expectancy in Ceylon was around 52 years. Epidemics of typhoid, dysentery and malaria engulfed us in waves. Life then was a lottery and captured the dignity and despair of the people. Death occurred so early in every family that darkness and desperation descended upon us with monotonous regularity. My father lost both his parents within a period of 6 months. He was only 14 years old and had 5 younger siblings. In those dark days, a sense of apocalypse dominated the lives of people. This enhanced people’s interest and dependence on divine help to survive. Belief in an afterlife was rife entering the murky world of the occult and the paranormal. People invoked the support of these dark forces to get through life.

 Astrology is an ancient art that dates back to Babylon. Palmistry had its beginnings in India. They were in use a several thousand years BC. These were invoked when people had fallen on hard times. For centuries interest in astrology, palmistry and the occult were closely woven into our daily lives and were considered socially acceptable. We all have a desire to know our future and what lies ahead. Like me, many of my generation had horoscopes. Horoscopes were written in long strips of dried bark/leaves (rolled up like a coiled spring) and they had complex astronomical charts with our lives printed on them from cradle to grave.

 Friendships are natures great gift to the human race. Ones made in our youth had a certain closeness which we could never replicate later on in life.  Even now those friendships remain close despite the passage of years and the oceans that separate us. They seem priceless and have lasted a lifetime. We had just finished our 2nd MB and the dust was settling after a gruelling 2 years and a tough examination. It was our love for billiards that brought Nalin and I together. He took me home on his red shiny Moto Guzzi where I met his parents. They lived close to the Kirillapone canal in Havelock Town. The Nanayakkara’s were a close-knit family. Nalin’s parents treated me as a member of their tribe. I still remember the love, generosity and kindness they showed me. I cannot think of a kinder lady than Mrs. Nanayakkara for whom I have the greatest respect and affection.

 Although we prepared well for examinations there was a certain willingness to accept some divine assistance. Nalin’s mum was keen we should invoke the blessings of the Gods at Kataragama. So she organised a trip and we all travelled together. We stayed in Walahanduwa, Galle in a grand old mansion owned by Nalin’s relatives. The house was in a huge coconut plantation and had a charming central courtyard and a myriad of rooms. During our stay, I too was a part of their family. The next day we set off before the break of dawn and reached Kataragama about mid-morning. Mrs Nanayakkara had prepared all the necessary ingredients for the ritual ceremony and gave us instructions as to what needs to be done. We mingled with the crowd and happily waited for the ceremony to begin. The Chief Priest was taken in a procession to the sound of drums and the wailing of an oboe. We all danced the ‘Kavadi’ entranced by the occasion. Then the pooja began in the temple. There were massive crowds that clamoured for a part of the action. We burnt incense and made offerings to the Gods. On looking back it was an enjoyable ritual despite the blistering heat, clouds of dust and the deafening noise.

 Wedihiti-kanda is a rocky hill 3 miles from the Main Temple. Nalin and I climbed to the very top of the rock and got near to the Devale. There was a coconut breaking ceremony in progress. People paid money to buy the coconuts and a man dressed in white broke the coconuts. Being there was a unique spiritual experience. There was an old woman not far away from us with her hands held together in prayer. As a coconut was smashed a large white piece of coconut went spinning up into the air and fell on her hand. This seemed like a miracle to the many devotees who had gathered. There was loud applause and they started to chant and sing. In that spiritually charged environment, we were all mesmerised and overwhelmed by what we saw and felt invigorated. After a short time we returned to base and felt pleased it all went to plan. Mission accomplished we returned back to Galle late at night and then to Colombo the following day.

We had weathered the storms in Medical school and were nearing the “Finals”. It was our usual routine to enjoy a cup of tea in the canteen after the morning’s work in the wards. On one such occasion, Nalin casually mentioned that his horoscope had predicted a “Maraka”, a serious danger to his life lasting for a period of 6 months. This had much to do with the ‘unholy’ alignment of his stars which had a maleficent influence. We were young and such news didn’t have the same effect on us as it had on our parents. Naturally, Nalin’s mum was worried and Nalin much less so. In the next couple of days we met up and mulled over and discussed the grim nature of the prediction. There was a strange mixture of horror and fascination as we decided on what we should do to tide over this period.  After much probing and enquiry, Sanath T came up with a possible ‘solution’. He had a distant relative living in Kalutara who had recently acquired the power and the ability to go into a trance. She gave advice and provided help to those in trouble. We all felt we had nothing to lose and everything to gain if all went well. An appointment was made with the lady to meet up at her home. As they were well known to Sanath T we were invited for lunch. The lady provided the advice and help free of charge. We were told If any gifts or money changed hands she would lose her special powers.

 We made the journey in Nalin’s rugged and reliable black VW Beetle. The lady lived with her husband in a middle-class house in a leafy suburb of Kalutara. I do not recall much of the lunch or the conversation. They were a hospitable couple, affable and dignified. My vague recollection is that they both were teachers. After the niceties and the food, we proceeded to a dimly lit corner of their large lounge. There was an air of expectancy as we chatted away. During our conversation, without any warning, the lady closed her eyes and started to shake gently. Her face twitched and the lips moved but we could hear no voice. Then she began to speak in a voice completely different to her own natural voice. She asked Nalin a few questions and spoke about his horoscope and the impending danger. This was followed by a prolonged period of chanting. She stretched out her hands and they were empty.  She then raised her arms to the sky as if in supplication. The lady then stretched out her right hand and gave a shiny golden object to Nalin. It was a Talisman. We were simply astonished as to how it appeared seemingly from nowhere. Nalin was asked to wear this for 6 months.  Then after a brief spell of chanting, she returned back to her own self again.  We all felt deeply grateful to the lady for the help. We chatted for a while and departed pleased that our mission was successful. Nalin continued to live as he did before, speeding in his flashy Moto-Guzzi in the busy roads in Colombo, retaining his wit and humour and enjoying life to the full. He spent an uneventful 6 months. Whether there was a real danger to his life or if it was the lady’s kindness and the talisman that helped him we will never know.

 I have recalled events of over half a century ago when life and beliefs were different. In the 21^st century some of us are less religious and many of us are far less dependent on divine help. Astrology and Horoscopes are still in vogue both in the East and West but people are far less reliant on them. Palmistry has mostly been demoted to just a party trick. The psychology of the Trances are better understood now and hence it has lost its mystique.

 As to us, three friends, our paths couldn’t have diverged further. We live in different continents and rarely meet or communicate. But our time together still remains precious. Nalin was a charming and gracious host as was Sanath when I visited them on my travels. Nalin is still a busy medic in California relishing his work in Obstetrics and Gynaecology while enjoying life with the family. I appreciate his humanity and kindness. Sanath lives in Perth, Western Australia. He is delightful company and a man of enormous erudition. Sanath is in search of a deeper meaning to life and enjoys the peaceful tranquillity of monasteries, mindfulness and meditation. I retired in 2007 wanting to be rid of the onerous routines of hospital medicine, to travel the world. While at home I enjoy the dazzling beauty of the changing seasons in Regent’s Park in London. Walking in the Queen Mary Rose Garden when it is in full bloom in the summer is the closest I can ever get to Nirvana. Watching cricket at Lords with a glass of Champagne is my perfect Shangri-la.

As I write this narrative it makes me smile to think of those wonderful times spent chasing our dreams all those years ago. I still cherish those memories.

Ups and Downs- random recollections

Ups and Downs: Some random reflections ……Dr Suriyakanthi Amarasekera

November 2020

My special birthday

A joint 75th  Birthday  bash (mine was on the 4th  and hubby Mahendra  on the 9th) was  held at home last year with about 100 guests We started with a thanksgiving service and had a lovely time. J C proposed the Toast.  Our son Sean sang "Love changes everything”, and the bublets  gave a delightful  rendering of " So long. Farewell. ...": I was so sorry that of the many Batchmates invited, only Sura and J C, Swyrie, Lucky and Mangala and Chandra Silva were able to join us.

The Wijerama Oration

I recall with pride The Wijerama Oration in 2016. The title was “Meeting the challenge of Social Responsibility – The role of the SLMA”, Dr Suriyakanthie Amarasekera, Consultant Anaesthetist. The focus was on Tsunami Relief work.

Raising funds for disaster relief

In 2006, as the President SLMA, I was privileged to raise funds  and able to set up a Scholarship  for  Children  who  had  lost  one  or  both  parents through the  Tsunami  Disaster  of  Dec  2004.  We started with 25 recipients and over the years helped 21 to complete their education. We have among them an IT degree holder  from The University  of  Kelaniya, 2 Diploma holders  in Graphic design,  a Diploma  holder  in Hair and Beauty Culture, an  AA T Diploma holder (an accepted 3 year. course qualification in  Accountancy)  and several who followed technical courses such as motor mechanics, Backhoe loader operators. All of them are gainfully employed.  Some of course fell by the wayside and gave up their educational activities and ceased to be beneficiaries. One even eloped! We had invested the money collected and used only the interest generated (around Rs 50,000/- monthly) leaving the Capital intact.

When the Tragic Easter  Sunday  Bombing  took place last year  we had sufficient funds to initiate  a Scholarship for 9  children  who had  lost one or both parents  in the Zion Church in  Batticaloa.

Of fractures and friendship

I fractured my hip in 2018 and after a rough time, came through it fairly well with replacement hip prosthesis. It was J C and Sura who encouraged and persuaded me to take a break at a Hotel down South just 7 weeks after Surgery. Without them, I would never have had the guts to go out. let alone get into the pool. I was walking with the aid of a walking stick at that time. I consider myself very fortunate and blessed to have such staunch and loving friends.

 Disaster struck again recently. This disaster was really agonising and frightening.  I had slipped on dog pee (the pooch can’t be blamed it was a rainy day). I couldn’t move an inch without screaming in pain. The Ambulance came very quickly and wanted to rush me to Colombo South hospital as my BP had shot up to 200/ 174 mm Hg.  I pleaded with them to take me to SJGH  and that I won't get an ICH or Heart failure  I was so relieved that there was no fracture of spine or re-fracture of Femur or a head injury.

There was a posterior dislocation of my prosthetic hip and they did an M U A.  I  was not allowed to  walk at all for 2 weeks and have been  slowly ambulated and thank God can now walk unaided (though  rather slowly) on flat ground.  Have to wait for a couple more weeks before climbing stairs.  But I must declare with heartfelt gratitude that Every day  In Everyway   I am getting better and better. I thank my God for the amazingly rapid healing and the strength of mind, He has given me.

 

Max Koral Korner- Identity

Hello, it is "I" Max Koral again! I am sorry I left it so long since my last post but because of Covid, I have been very busy not being busy and it appears that time just disappeared. Today I discuss identity.

Identity

Identity is important to humans. We could also regard it as self-image. Philosophers and Theologists have views on this subject. Many religions teach that there is no self, it is just a delusion. Others say that self is intimately related to a non-material soul. Quantum physicists propound that self is a creation of your mind as is the rest of the material world.

The view that we can progressively reduce objects to smaller and smaller bits is not new. Around 450 B.C., the Greek philosopher Democritus introduced the idea of the atom. Democritus taught that atoms were infinite in number, uncreated, and eternal and that the qualities of an object result from the kind of atoms that compose it. He thought that the atom was the final indivisible part. Atoms get together and form objects, where the atoms although part of it, cannot be seen.

The Scientists who found that everything in the Universe is ultimately composed of waves and particles propose that what we see as objects do not in reality exist. I am not so sure about that. Bricks make a house and the house as a physical structure does exist. It is true that what we perceive is through our senses and we cannot in reality experience the real object, only the sensory image formed. The house you see and the house I see may be very different. While I agree that this image is very individual, it has basic characteristics which are common to all observers. For example, if there is an object which we call a wall in front of you, although it may appear different to each observer, all will recognise it as an object which would not allow you to walk through it and unless the person is blind, would not attempt to do so. My point is that the mere fact that an object is ultimately made up of very small components does not allow one to come to the conclusion that it does not exist.

Coming now to self and soul, the non-theistic religions stress the point that there is no soul and the concept of an individual or self is a delusion. There is no “I “or “him/her” they tell us, but all the time they use the same term “I” to teach how “I “ can achieve salvation. There is no “I “ the “I is told repeatedly but the “I “ is also told what “I “ must do to achieve bliss which is not-experienced by “I” as “I” does not exist.

What about Heaven? Who goes to heaven when you die? What does the person who reaches heaven look like? Couples are supposed to be reunited in Heaven, but as what? If the wife dies at the age of 35 and the husband dies at the age of 65 after 30 years, where was the wife in that time? All alone in Heaven? Doing what?  When the husband joins her, will she recognise this 65-year-old man…. Or do people in Heaven “exist” in some mysterious way which we humans cannot conceive? How do they spend their time? Does Time exist?

In spite of all these conundrums all of us have a concept of who we are and we proudly protect it. We are very concerned about how we appear to others. Women especially, go to great lengths to alter their appearance by the application of makeup, what they wear etc. Even Men do it although to a lesser extent. The “I” image varies all the time in a person. How you wish to look, sound and smell are often determined by the social context. It is often determined by what others expect from you. The “I” in one context is very different from another. The self or  “I” concept is so strong that people can be very disturbed angry and anxious if others do not recognise them according to the self-image or identity possessed by that person which they wish to project. “Sir X” is unhappy when addressed as “Mr X” and a person who has invested in time and money changing their appearance and persona will be very upset when the desired effect is not achieved. But all the time, there is a real “I” which only that person knows, or maybe doesn’t know!

The “I” maybe impermanent and subject to change but it is there….strengthened by our physical separateness and recollections and memories. If you ask most people what they would wish for them to be happy,  it would be to experience pleasant as opposed to unpleasant sensations or feelings and, not experience unpleasant sensations such as pain. At any one moment, your consciousness is a mixture of 3 things:- your current feeling at that moment, your feelings connected to your past experiences and lastly, your anticipation of your future experience.  All this operates within a feeling of identity. These are connected with philosophical concepts such as “Intentionality” – the ability of our minds to project outside and reach out to anywhere you wish to, and any situation you can imagine. I can in my thoughts travel to Sri Lanka or imagine what a fellow human being thinks of me. My construction (imagination) of the attributes of that person I am thinking of and what emotions I go through, are greatly influenced by the conclusion I reach of what I mean to that person. This is why it is so difficult to dislike somebody who likes you even if that person is disliked by everyone else. The “I” in you wants recognition and affection.

This is Max signing off… just have a think “I” say to “you”!

Clipped wings - a poem

 Clipped Wings……  By Srianee Dias

 

Winter approaches

Darkness encroaches

The last leafy holdouts glow against

A brilliant blue sky

 

Travels are curtailed

Due to the hassles entailed.

I must devise a serious strategy

To get by

 

There’s plenty I can do,

But do I feel I want to?

Staying in bed until nine-thirty

Feels just fine

 

My easel is set up,

But inspiration I have not.

I’m wishing for revelations

From the Divine

 

Word games from the New York Times,

Scrabble with a few friends sometimes.

I see one or two, and rarely

Maybe five

 

My living room is converted

To a gym with equipment

That sprawls in places which were

Earlier devoid

 

There’s a Zoom webinar tonight.

It is about the Covid blight.

Perhaps I should skip it and drink

A glass of wine!

 

Keeping body and mind

Stimulated, active and agile

Will surely make it possible

Somehow to survive

Ask the Expert, Strokes - what's new. Dr Channa Ratnatunga

STROKES - WHAT'S NEW?

By Dr Channa Ratnatunga

 (Admin wish to acknowledge reproduction of the article which appeared in the Sunday Island on-line on the 31st of October 2020. Ref: https://island.lk/strokes-whats-new/ )

Having been a victim of a disastrous stroke five years ago, I am reasonably well enough, that I can pen this ‘piece’ to you. Being a ‘medical man’, so to say, I probably have a better insight into the illness and the ‘road to recovery’ than most sufferers. I now would like to address stroke patients and their caregivers, to motivate them, in their time of need. I have found motivation, determination and self-reliance are the keys to a good result.

Formerly the brain was thought to be, when damaged, ‘damaged or good’. During the last decade, it was increasingly realized that this was not true. Let me expand on this concept. In the common type of stroke, the blood supply to an area of the brain gets blocked. Consequent to lack of oxygen to cells of the brain in the vicinity gets cut off. These cells then die. With the passage of time, the blood, finding it difficult to flow past the block, slows and eventually adds to the extent of the block, compromising the blood supply and the oxygen to the cells adjacent to the dead cells, making it worse. Time therefore, after the initial event, is of the essence and is crucial to prevent this progression. Over the many centuries of evolution, the brain has developed several protective ways to minimise this damage, but, in most cases, a time delay of more than four and a half hours is thought, at present, to be best avoided, as beyond this delay medical interventions may not yield gratifying results. However, in some areas of the brain, even a delay of 24 hours is now entertained.

During the first year of my rehabilitation, I had the opportunity to talk to many patients who had suffered strokes. This came to be, as we both attended the physiotherapy department of the hospital I had worked at. The conversations five years ago were most revealing. Many of them had come to hospital after strokes; one of them said that though investigated, no substantial treatment other than a nasogastric tube to feed had been done. The communication as regards his handicap had not been discussed with him or his relatives, who invariably sought ‘good ‘Ayurvedic practitioners, who were usually recommended to them. The treatment was oils rubbed onto his paralysed limbs, and ‘arishtayas’. Most patients found the treatment difficult to afford, especially as the family income sources had dried up with their illness. They had come back, after a year or so, for physiotherapy, as they yet hoped that they could get over their residual handicaps.

When I tried to explain the modern Allopathic way now uniformly practised in the advanced societies in the West and informed them of early admission to hospitals with stroke services, the dissolution of the block by drugs and the removal of the same by a catheter as a last resort, they listened politely, but with little enthusiasm. I informed them that of late the drug enabling dissolution of the block was becoming available free (though very expensive) in major teaching hospitals with CT facilities. The practice of seeking Ayurvedic treatment will remain unless the availability of the new treatment is made known to the public. I observe that most teledramas aired on the electronic media belittle ‘western’ treatment as being unsuccessful! The Suwasariya 1990, ambulance service provides an excellent service in bringing patients early, a boon for stroke care.

To update the public on the current scenario on stroke management in our state-run hospitals I interviewed, Neurologist Dr Manoji Pathiraja at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, She said, during the last two and a half years, 74 patients had been found suitable for block dissolution by the drug; 72 post-dissolution went home after a week almost normal. The others (600 odd) were found unsuitable as either they came late (i. e. more than 24 hours later) or had suffered a very dense stroke. The most common reason given for the delay in seeking treatment was the belief that weakness or paralysis would go away and the patient might get better. As usual, those at Peradeniya were very keen to mount a stroke care programme; they hoped they could start the interventional radiology programme necessary for catheter removal of the block. But, unfortunately, the DSA machine they had worked so hard for was sent elsewhere!

What I gather from a discussion with Dr Padma Guneratne, the retired neurologist at the National Hospital, a pioneer in many aspects of stroke-care, is that there are at present, 16 centres doing drug dissolution all over the country. They are done mostly in Emergency rooms in the OPDs, after CT data are vetted by a Neurologist, who says it is ‘OK’ to do so. This, together with the results now being obtained for dissolution of the block, augurs well for stroke care in the country.

Dr Padma Guneratne informs me that a Stroke Centre is at present being constructed at Mulleriyawa, a project that would make further inroads into this common disorder, which has a significant morbidity and mortality. To ensure a 24-hour service with trained staff of all categories, with the necessary drugs, catheters and expertise, requires a commitment of a high order. Further, the ‘in-hospital delays, e. g. CT facility far away from the emergency room, service delays, equipment non-availability, etc., are all realities at present. Besides, the removal of the block by catheter (thrombectomy) for those not responding to the dissolution drug, requires further steps. Although the latter procedure is available at Asiri Central, (where I was successfully thrombectomised), it must be available at all state-run hospitals. It is costly but looking at the wasteful expenditure seen around us, it is an imminently mountable project by the government. Neurologists have an active role to play in it.