Friends and Friendships

E-mail from Cyril Ernest.

Antony Ernest	8 Dec 2018, 23:23 (8 hours ago)
to me

Dear Lucky,

The years are rapidly going by and soon it will be the end of our earthly existence. Through the brainchild of your Medical School blog that was created by you and maintained with your tenacity with the help of regular contributors we have been very fortunate indeed to follow the exploits of our classmates in Sri Lanka and abroad. We have been able to rejoice in acclamation of the individual achievements and also sadly lament the loss of dear friends and classmates over the years and the list is steadily growing.It is hard to imagine that it is almost 60 years since the day we entered Medical School in 1962. I am no literary genius to make a contribution to the blog in comparison to your regulars - however, I received an e mail from a close friend Allan Gunasekera my cricket and hockey team mate at St. Benedict’s re friends and friendship which fascinated me that I thought I should share with you. Here it goes -

"Everyone has a friend during each stage of life, but only the lucky ones have the same friend in all stages of life.
We have 3 types of friends in life -
Friends for a reason, Friends for a season and friends for a lifetime.
Remember that the the most valuable antiques are dear old friends.
A good friend listens to your adventures, and a best friend makes them with you.
If you have nothing in life but a good friend you are rich.
Happiness is meeting an old friend after a long lapse and feeling that nothing has changed.
Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out but to see who cares enough to break them down - Socrates.
Good times become good memories and bad times become good lessons.
A strong friendship doesn’t need daily conversation, doesn’t always need togetherness, as long as the relationship lives in the heart - true friends will never part.
Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.
We don’t meet people by accident - they are meant to cross our path for a reason.
Childhood friendship is the most beautiful memory that can’t ever be replaced.
It is not what we have in life but who who we have in our life that matters.
Good friends are like stars - You don’t always see them, but you know they are always there.
Sometimes I sit and think of all the memories I ‘ve made and smile. Then I smile more at the thought of memories yet to be made.
Life always brings tears,smiles and memories. The tears dry, the smiles fade, but the memories last forever.
Letting go doesn’t mean  you forget the person completely. It just means that you find a way of surviving without them.                                                                                           
The most frightening thing about seeing an old friend again is the fear that your friendship is nothing more than a memory.
Friends come and go like waves of the ocean, but true ones stick like an octopus on your face.                   
The most painful goodbyes are ones that are never said and never explained.
Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
Friends may change but the memory lasts forever.                                                         
No matter what happens, some memories can never be replaced.                               
Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart".                                                                                                                              
Cyril Ernest.   

Sinhala songs from a Bygone Era 2 - "Ranee Enko"

This is a copy from an old Hindi movie ("Patita") but which became very popular with Sinhala lyrics in the Sinhala movie "Irangani" which was screened in 1954.

Click on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heMOmYj3sRQ

What you will hear is the original version by Rukmani Devi and Mohideen Baig and the visual is of the 78 rpm HMV record with which we were all familiar.

Viewers will recall an old post where our own Speedy sang his version accompanied by his old Tyros.

Book Review by Indra Anandasabapathy

                                                                                                                                

 THE GARDEN UNIVERSITY OF PERADENIYA, SRI LANKA

                                                                                                                                                         

RATNAYAKE and ZUHYLE

                                                                                                                               

NEPTUNE PUBLICATIONS, 302, PAHALAWELA ROAD, PELAWATTA

                                                                                  

 BATTARAMULLA

 The book traces the origins of the University in Peradeniya, and covers the halls of residence, the campus, the various faculties, places of worship, and sports venues. It is beautifully illustrated with color photographs, many showing the campus in bloom and

 proves to the reader that this has to be among the prettiest university campuses in the world.

 There is a write up about those who contributed to its formation, starting with Sir Ivor Jennings.

 Did the book succeed in its mission? The answer is an emphatic yes. It is a collectors item, especially for those fortunate enough to learn in this idyllic setting.

 I bought it at BAREFOOT, Kollupitiya. There were no books the following week, presumably they sold out their stock.

 Indra Anandasabapathy

PS. This is the entrance to the Stanford Campus in California (see Indra's reply to Sumathi under comments).

Sinhala Songs from a Bygone Era - 1

As you know, we have had long periods of "droughts" which have turned out to be a nightmare personally to me as the Blog Administrator. I am referring of course to "droughts" as far as new posts / contributions are concerned, and not the dreaded droughts which we have been facing in recent times - natural disasters.

I have been thinking hard as to what I should do to keep audience interest and enthusiasm alive during such times. I am well aware that at least some of you, even those based abroad, still enjoy old sinhala music from the past. I can name a few of them from the top of my head because we have exchanged private e-mails on the subject culminating in publishing on the blog, some of those songs which we felt were worth sharing with a larger audience. Among such batch colleagues are Speedy (Mahendra Gonsalkorale), ND (Nihal Amerasekera and Zita (Zita Perera Subasinghe) who are all Professional Consultants in their chosen fields (Neurologist turned Geriatrician, Haematologist turned Radiologist, Ophthalmologist etc.)

Even under that large topic, I count old sinhala film songs, not so old ones and of course singers belonging to two main eras, as distinct categories. Examples of each such category are: Mohideen Baig, Rukmani Devi, CT Fernando, Sunil Shantha, Nanda Malini, HR Jothipala, Sunil Edirisinghe, Milton Mallawarachchi, TM Jayaratne, Angeline Gunatilake, Sujatha Attanayake, Neela Wickramasinghe, Gunadasa Kapuge, Sisira Senaratne, Indrani Wijebandara , Clarence Wijewardene, Athula and Samitha Mudunkotuwa, Bhathiya and Santhust to name a few.

I propose to use them as "fillers" when there is a lull and all our regular contributors have gone into a shell. Sriani Dissanayake Basnayake has already gone into a shell. So are Lucky Weerasuriya, Razaque Ahamat for reasons of ill health. Then there are others who still remain active - Indra Anandasabapathy, Srianee (Bunter) Fernando Dias who contribute in fits and starts and the ever active Speedy, ND and Zita. Although he doesn't make any contributions as such, AHT Sumathipala hardly ever fails to make a comment under published posts.

Today, I start the new series with this lovely song "Mihikatha Nalawala" . The original version is by Sunil Shantha (his worthy successor being Ivor Dennis). But what I am presenting today is a largely unheard of version by a new singer with different musical accompaniments. It is from the Sinhala Teledrama called "Sakuge Kathawa". If you are not a Sinhala Teledrama fan, I strongly recommend that you become an addict today. There are also some very good TV programmes which feature new, emerging musicians. Look out for violinist Dinesh Subasinghe! All local TV channels could be viewed online by those based abroad.

Creative Spot - The First Snowfall by Srianee Fernando Dias

Softly the shimmering snowflakes flutter down

transforming the black surface of the driveway,

and the un-raked piles of leaves on the lawn and footpaths.

The dark night is gently illuminated by a glowing,

thick white pristine blanket.

The beams of light from the lamps along the footpaths glisten,

like an image on a Christmas card.

I look out the window at the cold silent scene,

enjoying the peace outside and the warmth indoors.

Minutes go by…

…and I hear them, the grating sounds of the snow removal trucks,

scraping the driveway, pushing the snow aside, clearing the way.

In readiness for the morning.

Life will resume.

Cars will once again be driven on the snow cleared streets.

But me? I’m retired,

and will probably push the ‘snooze’ button on the alarm…

The YouTube link if you like it that way.

Creative Spot by Mahendra (Speedy) Gonsalkorale

This presentation by Speedy was done combining music

he composed and performed on his new Yamaha Genos,

photos from his mobile and a poem on the 

English Countryside he had done a while ago .

As you know, autumn is one of the most beautiful times 

of the year in England.

Click on:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mws1ICegkZY&t=13s

Speedy has attached a photo to go with it if any viewer 

has  a problem getting the YouTube clip photo and can 

only post the link.

Attachments area

Preview YouTube video An English Autumn

An English Autumn

DR. Darrel Weinman's Obituary

Many viewers had not known that our beloved teacher and former Neurosurgeon of the GHC Dr. Darrel Weinman had passed away recently. For their benefit, I have published below an Appreciation by another teacher - Dr. PR Wikramanayake who was VP/OPD, GHC when we were medical students in the 1960s. This article was published in the three main Sunday newspapers in Sri Lanka namely the Sunday Times, The Island and the Sunday Observer.

Note by the Blog Administrator: Regarding ND's comment under Speedy's article 
("A lasting recollection from my time in the Faculty") as mentioned in Dr. PRW's  Appreciation, he had resigned from his post in the GHC and left the country in 1970 and had first gone to UK to take up a position there (and not to Australia to which country he had migrated later).

Nihal AmerasekeraNovember 12, 2018 at 6:06 PM

"PRW too left our shores to serve as a physician in Sydney. He had his own personal reasons for leaving SL just like many of us who now live in ‘exile’. Life’s journey is never a straight road it’s many twists and turns take us in paths beyond our wildest dreams".

Appreciations

View(s): 272

Wonderful man and brilliant Neurosurgeon

Dr. Darrel Felix Weinman

Darrel Weinman was born on November 20, 1929.

He attended St. Peter’s College Colombo where he was a brilliant student and excelled at sport. He was the school cricket captain. A few years ago when a mutual friend, Dr. Tony Don Michael passed away, and I informed him, he said, “He was my protégé.” Tony had played cricket for St. Peter’s under Darrel.

Darrel was a good student and I am reliably informed by his classmate (from 2nd year at  St. Peter’s) Dr. Derrick Nugara who graduated with  him, that he qualified with 1st class honours. I didn’t know him as a student as he was a few years senior to me, but in 1957, when he was studying for the primary FRCS, he borrowed a box of pathology slides from me. Needless to say, he passed first and won the Hallet Prize.

We were next in London in 1960 when he was studying for the FRCS and I, the MRCP. We both returned to Ceylon in 1962, after passing our exams, to begin our careers at the General Hospital Colombo. I was appointed to the OPD, as Physician in 1964  and we saw a lot of each other.

But it was in 1968 that our close friendship began. When Dr. George Ratnavale, Neurologist took six months off, I had to act for him. Fortunately, after my MRCPE I had spent three months at the Maida Vale Hospital, following the post graduate Neurology course with some of Britain’s foremost Neurologists. I remember, in particular, presenting to Lord Russell Brain. This helped me to fit in easily to the job. We immediately set up a partnership – me the acting Neurologist and he, the Neurosurgeon. To say that he was brilliant is an understatement. We would do weekly joint ward rounds with our junior staff.

A new close relationship then began. At least two or three times a week, we would go out in the evenings and have dinner(just the two of us).We would start at the Officers’ Mess at Galle Face, he was in the Army, then on to the Akase Kade or GOH (names fade!). All the waiters knew Weinman Mahathaya ! The routine after dinner was that we would visit the NSU (sometimes at midnight). He wanted to review the patients he had operated on that morning. Such was the dedication of the man. Many nurses would be sleeping on the floor, not knowing that the Boss was visiting!

It was at that time, his romance blossomed. His junior, Brinda and he fell in love. It was quite a romance. Rumour has it that when Brinda was a student, she had said, “One day I will marry Darrel Weinman”. Only Brinda can confirm this. They lived happily married for almost 50 years.

He used to come home for my children’s birthdays. On one occasion, I was giving a talk to the post graduate institution on Diabetes which he attended. After the talk he came to me and said, “You are mad, giving your secrets away.”

I left for UK in 1970. Around 1973, Brinda came to London to sit for her FRCS. Darrel accompanied her. They visited my house in London. During the day, we took them to the races at Royal Ascot. We were near the stables when the Queen came round. Darrel the Army man, stood to attention and saluted the Queen. I was quite amused. That night, they came home for dinner. After dinner, he and I sat in a room, the others in the next room. After a few drinks, he became quite emotional and said, “I will go wherever you go.” We were both contemplating moving to Australia

In 1975,I got a job as Consultant Physician to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. He wrote to me suggesting, that if I came over, we could start a group practice. Me as the physician, Brinda as the surgeon and he, the neurologist. As I had a hospital appointment, I had to turn down the offer.

We arrived in Sydney in February 1975. Two days after we arrived, he came home and drove us around the eastern suburbs particularly, Bondi Beach. We remained close and often visited each other.

His love was Neurosurgery. It was difficult to get a teaching hospital post as a neurosurgeon. He was appointed Neurosurgeon to Canterbury & Banks town hospitals. But neither had an ICU to look after neurosurgical patients. So, after some time he turned his talents to general practice. He had a huge practice and his patients loved him.

The last occasion we probably met was when out mutual friend, Dr. Tony Don Michael visited Sydney. Her stayed with me and one evening we went to Darrel’s for dinner. Darrel was a gifted pianist and played by ear. After dinner, Darrel sat at the keyboards, Tony (a brilliant tenor) and all of us had a typical Sri Lankan “sing-song”.

I had cardiac surgery in 2015 and now don’t drive much. Never at night. So although we spoke about getting together, it never happened.

He was a wonderful man and brilliant Neurosurgeon. He cared for his patients and loved his wife.

He will be sadly missed.

Ranji Wikramanayake