MY PAINTINGS OF FRUITS - 3rd Instalment, with their Health Benefits. Dr C D Jayaweera Bandara

MY PAINTINGS OF FRUITS -  3

WITH THEIR HEALTH BENEFITS

Dr   C. D. JAYAWEERA BANDARA

(My next post will be on Dragon Fruit Cultivation in Sri Lanka)

I have given the scientific names of each. Some of the claimed Health Benefits as described may not be strictly Scientifically verified and are debatable. Some claims are highly generalised and open to question. Readers can make up their own minds, and I'd appreciate your feedback.                                

LIME    15                                               GRAPEFRUIT 16                         

Scientific Name: Citrus aurantifolia         Scientific name Citrus paradisi          

CUSTARD APPLE  17                     SOURSOP  18          

Scientific Name Annona reticulata     Scientific name Annona muricata        

WATERMELON  19                      WARAKA  20

Scientific name  Citrullus lanatus     Scientific name Artocarpus heterophyllus 

                                                                                                                                                          

SAPODILLA  21                               DRAGON FRUIT  22       

Scientific Name Manilkara zapota    Scientific name Selenicereus undatus

HEALTH BENEFITS OF FRUITS   3

ANTIOXIDANTS ARE PRESENT IN ALL  8 ABOVE FRUITS

ANTIOXIDANT FRUIT BENEFITS

Epidemiological prospective studies show that higher intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits are associated with a lower risk of chronic oxidative stress-related diseases like cardiovascular diseases, carcinoma and death from all causes.

Benefits of Antioxidants

1. Reduce Oxidative stress

2. Support disease prevention

3. Support Eye Health

4. Aid in brain function

5. Contribute Mental health improvements

6. Reduce inflammation

7. Support healthy ageing processes

 

LIME  15
Scientific Name   Citrus aurantifolia
In addition to the above benefits of Antioxidants

       8.  Reduce heart disease risk factors
 9.  Prevent kidney stones
10.   Aid Iron absorption
11.  Promote healthy skin 

GRAPEFRUIT  16

           Scientific Name    Citrus paradisi

In addition to the above benefits of Antioxidants

               8. Weight loss benefits
               9. Help prevent Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
             10. May improve heart health
             11. May reduce risk of kidney stones
             12. Has hydration benefits
             13. Has benefits for skin
             14. Prevent constipation
             15. Healthier Cholesterol levels    

CUSTARD APPLE (ATHA) 17

Scientific Name    Annona reticulata

In addition to the above benefits of Antioxidants

            8.  May prevent high blood pressure
            9.  May promote good digestion
            10.  May have anticancer properties 

SOURSOP (KATU ATHA) 18

Scientific Name    Annona muricata

In addition to the above benefits of antioxidants

          8. Used to increase breast milk after childbirth
          9. Control Cholesterol
       10. Good for Diabetes
         11.  Prevent constipation
         12.  Potential anticarcinogenic effects
         13.  Stabilize BP 

WATERMELON   19

Scientific Name   Citrullus lanatus

In addition to the above benefits of antioxidants 

  8. Helps skin to stay soft, smooth and supple
  9.  Improve skin elasticity and blood flow to skin
 10. Helps to keep you hydrated
 11. Healthy digestion
 13. Help with weight management
 14. May improve heart health
 15. Reduce Cancer risk 

WARAKA   20

Scientific Name   Artocarpus heterophyllus

In addition to the above benefits of antioxidants

   8.  May help to prevent Gastric ulcers
   9.  Control Blood sugar
  10. Help lower BP
  11. Help protect against heart disease and stroke
  12. Lower Cholesterol
  13. Keep skin firm and strong
  14. Might have Cancer fighting benefits
  15. Strengthens the bones and prevent Osteoporosis    

SAPODILLA  21

Scientific Name   Manilkara zapota

In addition to the above benefits of antioxidants

     8. Helps lower BP
      9. In folk medicine, Sapodilla has been used to treat a variety of illnesses, such as
          Arthritis, Rheumatism, Fever, Ulcers, Diarrhoea and Constipation 

DRAGON FRUIT   22

Scientific Name   Selenicereus undatus

In addition to the above benefits of antioxidants

        8.  Blood sugar regulation
        9.   Healthy circulation
  10.   Promotes gut health. Prevents constipation. Treat Irritable bowel Syndrome
  11.   May reduce risk of Colon Cancer
  12.   Fights against ageing skin
  13.   Good for hair
  14.   Healthy bones
  15.   Can boost Iron levels
  16.   Elevation of Haemoglobin level

To Blog or not to Blog- by Speedy

Keeping in touch- "To Blog or not to Blog, that is the question"

Mahendra "Speedy" Gonsalkorale

This was posted in January 2016, and I thought it might be useful to revisit it. It appears as it did in the original, unedited. Come on my friends, release those thoughts lurking in the background and share them with us!

If I pose that question by dropping the ‘l’, the answer is easy! I was tempted to write as I have been wondering for some time why our Blog is not as popular as I was hoping it would be. This view may be erroneous if we base popularity on the number of hits as nearly 890,000 is not bad for a Blog! But we must remember that this is probably not a true representation of popularity as quite a number are automatically generated by surfing robots, as I have pointed out before. These are automated mini-programs, which search Blogs hoping to dredge useful data such as emails of people. Even if for argument’s sake we regard that 50% are robotic hits, it still leaves a healthy 400,000 plus hits. But if we consider how interactive it is, by looking at numbers who comment, then we do fall short by quite a margin. The total number of persons who have commented is below 20 and of these there are less than 10 very active people.

The questions I am posing are these. Why is the comment rate low? How can we get more people involved? How many of our Batch colleagues actually use it? Is it worth sending a questionnaire by email to get the answers? Does the Blog serve a purpose? Is the time and effort made by Lucky so unselfishly, worth it?

Or is this a wider issue about how school friends or University friends keep in touch? We have moved in different directions and we have built up new friendships and we may feel a need to move on putting our past behind us, especially if that part of our past is something we want to forget. We have formed groupings within us based on where we live and our own interests. Our circles have widened and those who we consider worth keeping in touch, we still do but the criterion has to be much wider than “he/she was my batch colleague”. The bonds that we had then have to be very strong for them to survive the ravages of time. We are pleasant when we see each other, but life has taken us in different directions, and we have moved on. We may not feel the need to rekindle the relationship.

Then there is the question of priorities. There never ever is enough time to do what we wish to do and looking at the Blog may not be a priority. Like a good restaurant, if we enjoy the experience, we will come back!

There are other possible factors such as familiarity with computers and the Internet. I still have friends who get their children to set up their TV, check their email!

How much a person uses anything depends a lot on how useful (enjoyable) it is to that person. The Blog may be an avenue to display their talents (music/poetry with me and Zita, and writing in ND’s). It may be a pleasant way to spend time reminiscing. It may rekindle old friendships (e.g., with Razaque in my case). It gives us an opportunity to rejoice at the success of colleagues (e.g. Lama), it may be a medium to recall with pleasure a time we were together at a critical phase of our life, it can be a way to show our appreciation to our Teachers, it could be a medium to enlist help for a good cause connected with our Medical Faculty. It has also been a reminder of our mortality with the growing number of obituary notices.

I have posed many questions and tried to indicate why I feel that the Blog has a lot to offer. I am a firm believer in putting the past behind and moving on. There is no time like the present moment but the present moment could be enriched by learning from the past, but not dwelling in it pondering on the “what might have been”. That kind of reflection, the “what might have been”, is pointless and corrosive and is a recipe for discontent.

But to me, what is important in the final analysis is not how frequently we keep in touch but the ability to pick up and continue from where we left. I felt that very much at the last Batch Reunion when I met colleagues after so many years.

So come on my friends, pull out your fingers and start typing on your keyboards either as a comment, or as an email to one of us. As for me, I enjoy reading the Blog and contributing to it and shall continue to do so.

With best wishes,

Speedy

Achievers All

Hi Everyone,

This is just a request to members of my Colombomedgrads1962 batch. I would like to make this a regular feature on this blog. I want each and everyone out there to contribute. You can send me details pertaining to a batchmate of any noteworthy achievement/s (professional or otherwise) ranging from a newly acquired professional qualification to anything that the person you are citing has done for fellow human beings. It could even be something significant in his/her personal life, or that of the spouse, child or grandchild.  

Surely, nothing is too small to be shared with your colleagues. This is our own blog! It's meant for that. However, in making your contributions, please don't forget to get permission from your colleague for it to appear in the Blog. This is best done by sending what you email to me to the person concerned first. Once it has been cleared, it's best that you send such news and information in concise form to my personal e-mail address, (which is adnl1102@gmail.com.)

Big or small, it will be published after an initial dialogue (if necessary) with the sender.

Thank you.

Lucky

Important Announcement on Remembrance Day Post

Remembrance  Day post as it appears now, includes the comments from the original post which I have copied to the amended second post (which is now the only post appearing on the Blog). This appears to be causing some confusion as viewers are clicking on the "reply" part on the original comment and find that nothing happens. Furthermore, Vedavanam's wife Dhushyanthi had just e-mailed Speedy that she is unable to see her son Krish's comment, and this was because she was not clicking on the currently "17 comments", but was looking at the area above where it says "Comments".  Please note that the initial comments which are seen when you access the post are copied from the original post which had to be replaced with the modified one now appearing. That was done to preserve the old comments. If anybody wants to comment or reply now, please do not use the comments that appear in the post but go right down and click on the "xx comments" (where "xx" is the current number of comments which keeps rising and hence variable. I cannot put down a figure to replace the "XX").

BA

Creative Spot - Sunsets by Indra Anandasabapathy

As you can see from this e-mail, there was a dire need for an easy way of looking back at older posts and comments. That is why we  had to intervene and break the line.  

Indra Ananda	Wed, 6 Feb, 23:03 (3 days ago)
to me

I sent you TWO SUNSET PICTURES FOR THE BLOG, and there are additional comments on ORCHID GROWING from me under my write up. Any way of drawing attention to newer comments?

The two sunsets:

Keeping track of comments

 Before I proceed any further, I wish to acknowledge with thanks the part played by my friend and colleague Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale, who conceived the idea of posting the above lines as a new post under the heading - "Keeping track of comments".  The following few short paragraphs (in a different font) were actually drafted by Speedy almost in toto, to be posted as the Blog Administrator's own work, without divulging any other details. This is typical of the man whose main goal is to see that our batch blog lasts as long as possible. That is at least as long as one survivor in the batch remains in control of his or her faculties to read or write the last lines.

You will see two changes on the dashboard on your Right side.

There is a "Latest 5 comments" section and this is a "fill from above and the last one falls" type of column. As a new comment appears at the top, notification of the 5th one drops out. You will also see the name of the author and date posted and the first few words of the comment. If you click on it, you will be taken to the relevant post. Sadly, this method allows only 5 such comments at a time.

There is also a "Latest comments - first words" and this shows 10 posts, but it will reveal only the first words without the author or date. But nevertheless, if you click on it, you will be taken to that post but on a new tab on your browser.

I hope these changes make it easier for colleagues to identify a new comment as it appears. Please note that even if you go back to a post some months ago and post a new comment on it, that will be identified in the two panels. In this way, you are free to roam the blog and add comments which wouldn't be lost.

Further extension to "Time"

As the previous post wherein I have tried to accommodate Indra's request, this too is being published as a new post because there is no easy way in which viewers' attention could be drawn to older posts. As I have explained before, viewers have to simply click on "Older Posts" and keep looking at them!
(vide Speedy's first "Speedy Dialogue" (Episode 1) with Zita herself.

doczita@aol.com	Thu, 31 Jan, 16:17 (7 days ago)
to mahengonsal, me

https://ideas.ted.com/when-you-eat-can-be-just-as-important-as-what-you-eat/

We discussed 'TIME' in one of the Speedy Dialogues.

Today I found this link to an article which talks of Time as given by the Body Clock which gives man the Circadian Rhythm.

So it appears that TIME as applied to the human body is a very real thing and can determine the difference between Health and Disease.

I do not think this concept was known and therefore it was not taught to us during our days of medical training.

So it is important for us to be acquainted with this knowledge so we can help our families, friends and the general public whenever possible.

Zita

Republishing Indra's last comment made under "Orchids".

Indra Ana feels that viewers may have missed his last comment under "Orchids". Therefore, I am republishing it as a new post. Although I have tried to assist visitors to draw attention to older posts,
no final decision has been taken.

Indra AnandaFebruary 6, 2019 at 9:25 AM

Several years ago I was at the New York ORCHID SHOW that is an annual spring fixture in the beautiful large glassed ATRIUM in downtown, Manhattan, not far from the World trade center building that was attacked later .They even had palm trees here.The atrium too,which was shared by American Express was damaged and the orchid show moved to Rockefeller center for several years. There were vendors from several countries but mainly from Thailand and the state of Hawaii.
There was a time I was getting a white infestation on some of my plants and on closer look I noticed very small white insects. I tried liquid soap spray, and insecticide spray without much success.
During my visit to the show I met a nun from the Bronx about whose orchid exhibits there was a write up in the local press.I happened to see her and I walked up to her and while talking to her about her interest I inquired about my problem with some of my orchids. She advised me to spray the plant with isopropyl alcohol, available in most plant supply stores and often in hardware stores too. One spray is often all that was needed. It took care of my problem.
A fan set at slow speed helps to keep the air around orchids circulating and they like that .
Right now I am in the process of down sizing and have only about 20 orchid plants.
ia

More on Birthdays

What prompted me to write this brief article was the series of comments following the publication of Sarva's official Obituary.

When I compiled the Batch Directory, I had to leave out the dates of birth for obvious reasons. Firstly, you will recall that I got your consent before placing the information in the public domain. Some gave their consent and some did not. That explains why there are so many gaps, missing information etc. Moreover, I had to restrict such information to a bare minimum due to lack of space.
But it is a pity that all members are not making use of it. I get so many e-mails and telephone calls to get members' contact information. That is okay and I always oblige. But what you can do is to archive the document for future reference. I always try to update it whenever new information comes in. In fact, I will shortly post the updated Directory on this blog's "Latest News" section. All you have to do then will be to look it up on the blog.

Going back to the subject proper now that it has been opened up (particularly the discussion on who the youngest in the batch is) I shall try to write a few words. I must confess at the outset that this information may not be accurate and I am recalling from memory what I know. As in any medical batch, we had members whose dates of birth ranged from 1936 to 1944. Those who were born in 1944 are obviously the youngest. I can count them based purely on information that falls into my lap: Mahendra Gonsalkorale, Suriyakanthi Karunaratne Amarasekera, Srianee Dias Fernando, Virginia Swan de Vos, Manohari Navaratnarajah Shanmuganathan, Ravi Nadarajah, Padmini Karunanayake Wijeratne. I doubt very much that Vedavanam was born in 1944. I think it was 1943.

In my opinion, I must also add that being born in the 1930s is nothing to be ashamed of. It shows their perseverance, dedication and determination to enter the medical profession. I know of some who had no choice but to seek employment for a short period prior to embarking on a medical career because their families simply could not afford to put them through medical school. On the contrary, such individuals should be admired and cheered all the way.

I was born at the tail end of 1941 and I wish to explain very briefly why I happen to belong to the middle categories. I had already lost three solid years when I finally entered the Medical Faculty along with you all in June 1962. Until December 1956, I had breezed through all exams. But I failed to get five credits at one and the same examination which was the December 1956 Senior School Certificate (SSC) exam. That was also the last batch of students whose medium of instruction in all schools was compulsorily English. We had to do mathematics, all science subjects and even Buddhism in English.

According to prevailing rules, students could still continue in the bio stream (or incorrectly termed "medicine") if he or she managed to get four credits and get the fifth at a subsequent exam. I got the required five credits at the very next exam which was held in July 1957, but by then, I had already lost an year. Thus, I ended up in the HSC (Lower VI) in January 1958 to prepare for the University Entrance exam in December 1959. Further disaster was to follow because I got passes only in Botany and Zoology. Another year was lost! I repeated the exam in December 1960, but only to follow the so called 6 months course at the Science Faculty starting June 1961. Incidentally, the six months course that we followed was to be the last. All successful candidates  were admitted "Direct" to the Medical Faculty from June 1963. By that time I had lost three years. Had I passed all examinations in one shot, I would have graduated in March 1964.

During our time as medical students from 1962 to 1967, there were many 21st birthday parties, especially those of females. Carefully screened "boys" were invited  to some of these parties, but they were attended mainly by close friends of the birthday girl concerned. Although I did not attend any of these parties, my bosom pal Sunil Abeysuriya used to give me a ball by ball commentary of the event because his sister Sura attended most of them. That way, I was always kept updated with the latest gossip and so called inside stories circulating in the batch.

Now dear friends, I have a feeling that you have been itching to say something while reading through the above article. So, now you have the opportunity to make unlimited comments in the appropriate place.

Effecting improvements to our batch blog

With the sole intention of improving our blog, some changes have been made. "Latest News" (see horizontal column at the top) which hitherto carried some items pertaining to the 2017 Batch Reunion has been completely revamped and updated. It now carries the latest revised list of members of the batch who have passed away. 2017 Reunion news have been moved to "Archive" which is also new. Thus, we now have a home page followed by Latest News, Useful Links and Archive. 

As always, Mahendra Gonsalkorale (Speedy to me and to most of us) has helped me in making these changes. I acknowledge his input and thank him immensely for helping me run this blog. 

Lucky

An Ode to the Blog

By Nihal (ND) Amerasekera

This is a corollary to what Mahendra has written with such elegance. I will reiterate what I had said before on this blog – “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.”  Despite all this our lives have moved on in a myriad of ways and in multiple directions sometimes even without our knowledge. We all have changed mentally and physically to become different people. This makes it more interesting to meet many years later if we accept things have changed. While some of us remained in Sri Lanka others have dispersed far and wide and we have acquired the characteristics and the psyche of our adopted country. This I am sure is evident whenever we meet at reunions. For good reason I am not a great fan of reunions but appreciate its value as so many do. I have enjoyed enormously the company of my medical school friends when we have met at the London reunions. There was that emotional element of nostalgia which was the main driving force. Although they live so near to me, we haven’t kept in contact by phone or seen any of them ever since. This fact can both support and dispute the worthiness of reunions.

 As Shakespeare has said in Julius Caesar there is one person I know who has remained as ‘constant as the northern star’ and he is Mahendra Gonsalkorale. I am certain he would refute this but I mention it as a compliment. When I speak with him the years simply melt away to return to the noise and the din of the Faculty Common Room of the 1960’s.

To meet together as a group in medical school for 5 years was a chance meeting and perhaps our destiny. I think of it no more than that. There were some whom we met on a corridor or a lecture room and became friends for life. There were a few whom we met in our formative years we learnt to avoid. That experience would be common to anyone attending any institution anywhere in the world. During reunions our emotions take over and before we say our goodbyes we plan our next reunion. But infact our lives don’t revolve round reunions as so much goes on in between. We do have our own lives. This is different for those living in Sri Lanka as there are so many of them concentrated in Colombo where space is never a problem and fine catering services are just a phone call away. They are like one family, all have remained close for so many years and have grown up together since medical school.

The loss of friends due to death is inevitable but when they have been close like ‘Claude’ Bernard was to me it leaves an echoing void that cannot be filled. But we all have learnt to accept that and move on as our time will come. So many from our batch have now departed this world. May they find Eternal peace.

Now I come to the Blog which for me is the mainstay, the pillar and the centrepiece of our batch. I have the ability to keep in touch with everyone at anytime. I can say what I like without using profanities. I can write as much or as little as I like. Amazingly when I write to someone on the blog the image I have of the person is what I hold from medical school days. There are the regulars who prop up the blog, the infrequents who enlighten us and the intermittents who mesmerise us. They all provide an invaluable service and long may it continue. Importantly it is a free service for us through the kind courtesy of Lucky Abeygunawardene who has managed it with such meticulous care. It is a labour of love. Reunions will come and go and have their place in our psyche but for me personally for its mere presence 24X7 and ease of use I value the blog more than anything else.

Blogs, Batch mates – Reminiscing and Reliving

When Lucky started the Blog, it was an electronic medium to supplement and enhance our Reunions. It has achieved that and more.

I began to ask myself questions like, “what is the purpose of bringing together people who shared a significant era of their lives but have since drifted apart?”. Some have maintained contact others haven’t. A lot of water has flown under the bridge and it is unrealistic to have the view that 50 years of eventful life since we were together has not changed us. When we meet a batch fellow after 20 years or more, we begin by conjuring up a mental image of that person as he/she used to be including the personality, character and even physical appearance. We then await with eager anticipation the first meeting. This is often a bit of a shock and could be quite disappointing. But very soon, the gap in years seem to melt away in most cases we hear expressions such as “you haven’t changed at all- apart from a few grey hairs and loss of cephalic foliage”. The interesting thing is that from that moment, your mental image of the person changes from the stored memory of 50 years ago to that most recent contact. A new relationship could arise depending on common interest but more often, life reverts back to the familiar. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that and one must never lose the reality behind that.

We shared 5 years of formative life together in varying degrees of intimacy (some were very intimate!). The intimacy depended firstly on your Surname as that determined your immediate neighbours. There were other groups such as school mates and sports and other recreational interest. Within this, close friendships arose and persisted for varying lengths of time depending on circumstances. It is a strange fact that some very close associations made at that time also drifted away slowly to the extent that some were attenuated while others were totally lost. This is perfectly natural. Change after all, is the only permanent variable. When circumstances such as a Reunion arose, a kind of hope arose when looking forward to meeting your once close mate but sometimesresulted in disappointment, for the simple fact that both parties have changed so much that the meeting really is of two very different people who once shared the same spot on Mother Earth.

My own feeling is that Reunions and Blog chat is rewarding if one’s expectations are realistic. We are now old enough and mature enough to know where we stand in the Community we live in. Close family and close friends come first and this centre is surrounded by rings of others according to time, associations, and interests and so on. A Batch colleague may be within that circle of close friends but not because he was a batch colleague. That was the start but what happened between then and now is the determining factor. Human nature is such that we prefer some to others and we have our own preferences when it comes to long term friendships. On the other hand, you may have a very negative image of a person and find it a pleasant surprise to see a very changed person, much more to your liking. New friendships are created and maintained.

What is important in my view is to reflect on the fact that there is something we all share, and that is the good fortune to have had a wonderful education is a Country which has free education. (I for one, would never have been a Doctor without Free Education. My parents had 6 sons and 1 girl!).  I don’t think we should ever forget that and whenever the opportunity arises; we must support our Institutions and indeed, not wait for opportunities to arise but create them. I hasten not to use the term Patriotism. Being grateful and thankful is a good human characteristic, it has nothing to do with Patriotism which is questionably not a worthy attribute to have when what we need in the World today is Humanism and love for all human beings with as few barriers as possible.

So let us communicate, reminisce and be aware of our good fortune. . Let us never forget our Teachers both academic and clinical. Let us not expect too much when we meet. Let us accept people as they are and rejoice in our common medical heritage and let us help each other in any way we can. Let us use the Blog to be creative, share our experiences and rejoice in the successes of our colleagues and families.

Vivat Blog! Long live the Blog!

Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale

After all, it's not a thankless job at all!

It is my duty as the Blog Administrator to explain matters when needed. Regular bloggers (especially those based outside Sri Lanka) might wonder where Sanath Lama is these days and why he is so quiet. 

As with most blogs and bloggers, when a post is a week or two old, viewers tend to read comments under the latest post, but not read older posts and comments. But please note that Sanath had made a long comment under Rohini Ana's previous contribution (Dr. Rasalingam's Appreciation published on September 4th) wherein he has explained his prolonged absence, apart from adding to what has been said about "Ras" by Rohini.

Of course you know that Razaque and Lucky Weerasooriya are unable to contribute more often due to ill health. On top of that, LW had to move temporarily from Fort Myers in FL because of Hurricane Irma. You might also recall that Srianee (Bunter) flew to Peru in the first week of September and we have not heard from her since then. It so happened that my daughter Dilushi who lives in Virginia Beach, VA also went on holiday to Peru about the same time. She had to change flights in Miami on the way in to South America, and she was stranded in Lima once Irma hit FL. It is common knowledge now that the Miami Airport was closed for days. It was with much difficulty and after some delay that Dilushi got her return journey re-routed via Chicago and Canada. Thankfully, she is now back at home. I have a feeling that Bunter too had to change flights in Miami as she was flying in from CT. I have sent her an e-mail but not received a reply as yet. As explained by Speedy in his comment under Rohini Ana's latest post, he had been quite busy with another important matter.

So you see folks, the blog serves many purposes. When a regular contributor is "missing in action", other "regulars" begin to wonder!

To conclude this long comment on a happier note, I have now discovered (mainly through private e-mails) that many members of our batch do visit the blog regularly although they don't contribute. I must also take this opportunity to thank you all for keeping the blog going and giving a much needed wake-up call to others in the batch. I do appreciate your efforts to keep my enthusiasm alive at all times through your much valued contributions and comments!

This being a fairly long comment, I hope you won't mind if I publish it as a separate new post as well. 

Lucky

Is there a Fog you can't see the Blog?

There once was a guy named Lucky,
Doing Community Medicine he was happy.
In Sri Lankan shores he travelled afar
For preventive medicine and community care.

In time he succumbed to his itchy feet,
Flew to foreign shores more ambitions to meet.
To Malaysia, Carolinas, and around in the states
He cruised all over- no time did he waste.

A promise he made to himself while afar,
To return to his motherland- his heart lay there.
Though it certainly was a tricky affair
In those times in Sri Lanka when nothing was fair.

He settled himself down with pride and flair
His message to others was in the air !
Having dug his feet in , he needed a dare-
He started a BLOG! for us everywhere.

It reached million hits, he was as pleased as Punch-
Mahen, Nihal and Zita, your 'numbers' were 'crunch'.
Razaque ,Srianee, Sriani and Kumar
As well as Lama, joined their talents to share.

So did our quiet but talented friends
Indra, Ranee, Lucky Weera from United States.
Cyril Ernest, Sumathi - not the least- though late,
Appeared in the blog of this Lucky Abey !

Right now there's a lull, so It's time to cheer
The blog's maker who'd wonder what's gone so queer!
Have his friends abandoned him? oh dear oh dear !
This cannot be true - so don't shed a tear.

WAKE UP dear bloggers ! It's no time to snooze!
Get your pens, paint brushes, and play the 'Blues'.
Lucky's had a good rest  and is ready to move
Lets not wait till in grief he goes on the booze!

By Rohini Anandaraja

P.S. The above is just a few lines written in fun - some details may be inaccurate.
Most Importantly, I vouch for Lucky's sobriety !

Hooray! We have a million hits.

I have been very busy these last few days, especially with visitors, domestic travel, minor house repairs etc. In fact, I was trying to keep an eye on the magical figure, but sad to say, I missed it. I was hoping that the ever alert Speedy will come up with a brief message to viewers on my behalf. He has come up with a gem even without my requesting him to do it. I am so grateful to Speedy for coming to my rescue at such times. Here it is:

Mahendra Gonsalkorale	22:18 (10 hours ago)
to me

To all visitors of our Blog site, "Colombomedgrads 1962" which was started and maintained by Lakshman (Lucky) Abeyagunawardene.

On this day the 24th of July 2017, the number of page views reached the landmark figure of 1,000,000. This happened at about 5.10 pm UK time today.

This does not mean that the Blog was visited 1 Million times as we know that numbers are boosted by unwanted visitors known as "web crawlers", "bots" and other automated programmes seeking information from the web. But nevertheless, it is an indication of the popularity of the blog and in my view, a significant achievement.

I have attached a screenshot of the 1,000,000 hits to which I have added Lucky's photo and the very first Blog page in 2011.

I am sure the entire 1962 Medical Batch will join me in raising a hearty cheer for Lucky. Hip..hip..hip (I hear a loud hurrah!), Hip..hip.. hip..(I hear an even louder hurrah!), Hip..hip..hip (I hear a huge hurrah!)

Speedy