Sunday, July 03, 2011

Thanking My Doctors

I had a blast with my friend Sangita today! Shopping at our favorite brand BIBA at the Inorbit Mall in Vashi. We returned tired and a dinner of Veg Pulao with mixed veg pickle and roasted papad was awaiting us made by my Dad! I made some fruit chat for desert. It was the first time this week the entire family sat down for dinner together. It feels so great to feel normal after 2 months of bad health. To feel like cooking, to feel like feeding, to feeling like going out and above all enjoy simple things in life.

Just before I started writing this post I filled up my calorie tracking sheet and I realized I had consumed almost 2000 calories today! Way beyond my prescribed 1400 intake. While filling the activity line I filled in 4hrs of walking which means 1200 calories burnt! Now will some one answer if mall walking can be considered as exercise? My legs are aching so I safely presumed I must have exerted myself enough to label it as some calorie burning activity which can be filled in my tracking sheet.

Well those who follow this blog know that I had a scare. Since 10th May I have been falling ill with small ailments. Was on antibiotics for first 2 weeks. It made me so weak and I felt very low.  I am in Mumbai for last 2 months had gone back to Blr for a short while in between but had to come back. 

In the first month I was struggling with family pressures and bad health. I was working from home, that is what kept my mind occupied. I made an attempt to get back to office in Blr but in vain. Then on returning to Mumbai I just lost immunity completely. An infection came back stronger. My family doctor was thrilled to see me, I was meeting him after 4-5 yrs. Dr. Akali suggested I undergo some investigations. I was depressed and that was unusual he said. He has been our doctor for 13years and he knows our medical histories. So off I was sent for urine tests, sonography, blood tests and after that sent straight to the hospital for treatment and further investigation. I am now able to write this lightheartedly that I have been overhauled in the last 2 months.

While this low immunity and health complexities I underwent Dental treatment, 1 root canal and some cavities. I am ashamed to mention the number. If I open my mouth now you can spot 3 metal islands! credit to Dr. Asif.

After I returned from Blr and went to the hospital and came back met other 2 new Docs a Gyanac and an Endocrinologist! Got the bombing of my life from Dr. P. S. Lamba!! I was shaken and threatened. If I wanted to live I had to loose a lot of the weight I had acquired over the years. The sonography revealed every organ was yelping for attention and had to be attended to! Dr. Lamba in his characteristic sarcasm said "You have someone in your life who loves you a lot so you are in hospital today! I said weakly but doc I'm not married. You don't cook a lot do you? Eating out or ordering a take out it easier, isn't it? I stayed mum, almost like a sheep of sacrifice. There is history in the family of cancer and stroke and I see money when I see people like YOU!"

You are going to get better and healthier! You will do it! I was laughing along with the doctor as he took a dig at me but inside I was ashamed that I had neglected my health and I had no choice now but to LOOSE A LOT OF MY WEIGHT.

Dr. Lamba does not know my medical history but the one person Dr. Akali knows it. He is such a sweet doc. He was more sympathetic towards me. He was on the phone with me all through the ordeal I went thru. It brought back memories of 8yrs ago when he suspected I might have spondilitis initiating and I went to him with a stiff neck and a frozen shoulder, he gave a medicated rub. The relief was from the medicine as much as the care and nursing!

In the last six years I have rarely gone to a doctor and I am so loyal to my doctors in Mumbai that I choose not to go for cough or fever to a local doc in Blr. My medicine for these has always been home remedies and over the counter medicine if I use, that too rarely.

My Dentist Dr. Asif is a friend and neighbor, only he has the privileged to pry open my oral cavity. LOL!!! He is now one of the well doing Dentists in Navi Mumbai but never forgets that we were his first few patients when he started out practice as a fresher just out of college. On other days we share high teas, Diwali sweets at ours and atleast once Iftar with him and Seema, his wife. When a party is to be organized he is generous to help with finalizing venues, menus and other things.

Then there is one Doctor the eye specialist Dr. K.L. Rao who we fear. He is the authority on eye treatment, a gold medalist of his times in medical college. When everyone else suggested eye surgery to correct my vision he strongly opposed it, that was way back in 1986. It was the time when eye surgeries were not without risk. I have been doing well with specs since then. He said no contact lenses for you, get used to wearing specs and I did and survived all thru my growing years and working years! Just yesterday I went for check up. There was no power and doc asked me and Dad to sit and chat while we waited for the electricians to fix the transformer down the lane. Chatting with Doc was unheard of! We did and we went down memory lane together. He remembered every detail of not only my case history but family too. We inquired about each others family. When the power was restored and as the check up was in progress I got a little too comfortable with the doc and just then I was asked to shut up and answer only to the point. That is old Dr. Rao! He did a thorough check up and wrote a couple of drug prescriptions for me and explained why I needed them. The prescription for specs was for 2 sets, one near and one distance. No variance glasses for me, says doc. Even the optician shook a bit or so I thought when he saw a prescription by Dr. K.L. Rao. Here is a Doc who has done a lot of charity, now only sees his old patients and you will not find a board outside his Clinic. His regret, only if one of his daughters had taken up his field he would have trained them with his rich experience. As I thanked him he warmly wished me goodnight and said I must visit him next when I am back in Mumbai. Yes doc I will.

Would like to hear from my readers the stories of their relationships with their doctors. Do such relationships exist with the new generation doctors?

Thanking all my Doctors old and new!

9 comments:

  1. right now when i am reading this am down with viral fever and pharyngitis. cant speak a single word and very weak. but thank God you are fine. keep up the good work. love.Sayantani

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  2. Sayantani You are so encouraging always! Please take care of your health.

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  3. Hey Anjali,

    Wish you good health and quick recovery.

    Am impressed with your writing skills and narrative. Wont be surprised if someday you write a book or a novel.

    Eating healthy is THE thing as you rightly said. Count your calories and keep up the cheer ...the path I would love to follow.

    Recently I underwent an MRI for a ligament tear(ACL) of a knee and I felt exactly as you might have facing all the docs :)The docs asked me to get rid of 25 pounds so that it puts less stress on knee.


    Good Luck

    Bye for now

    Ameet Bakshi

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  4. Ameet, Gosh! how did you have a ligament tear? You take care buddy. Thanks for you wishes and do try to loose some like docs advised. We both have a disposition on the higher side. Cheering one another is what we can do :) and share notes may be to make our efforts a success.

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  5. Hi Anjali, Nice to hear about your recovery, keep it up,God is always with you, take care.
    - Anjala.

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  6. Thanks Anjala! Our names differ only by the last letter.

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  7. hi, I was just reading your post and it was really good to know that you are feeling better!! lots of love, kiran

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  8. Thank you Kiran and it was lovely talking to you today.

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  9. Anjali, how are you now? I haven't been reading any blogs at all, and came here almost by accident. After I read your articel, I was looking for an email address to write to you, but didn't find any. Do take care, and if you'd like, send me a mail to evolvingtastes@gmail.com. I just hope everything is well for you.

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