Blood tests

As a student, I wanted to become a doctor just like all other girls of my age, but my scores didn't allow me to become one. The closest I came to working in a hospital was as a paramedic. I worked as a laboratory technologist for a couple of years in a reputed hospital. Handling scores of patients everyday, it was a nightmare to work round the clock. Sometimes, I would be so tired at the end of the day, that preparing blood test reports as the last duty of the day used to be a very tiresome one. I never attached any importance to the numbers I put down as test values. The fact that a patient's blood sugar was too low or that his urea was high didn't matter to me. They all boiled down to just figures which I had to fill up, wind up and go home.
But now, as a responsible wife, daughter and mother, my attitude towards the blood test reports has changed drastically. Every time I take my mother to the doctor or my husband goes for a check up , I am so nervous about the test results. I don't want my husband's blood sugar level to go up by even one milligram and I can't stand the sight of a red mark (sign of high value). I pray fervently that this doesn't mean something grave. Every time I take my children for a blood test , I forge deals with God-an offering for a perfect blood test report.
The same numbers which didn't matter to me as a paramedic is of utmost importance to me now. Now I realize how much it must have mattered to that person involved; how many prayers would have been said while collecting a report. I wish I had more understanding of the responsibility I had towards the patients while preparing those reports. I wish I understood the pain of the person who saw a not- so- good report. Most of the times, our sympathy for people in distress is very superficial and we actually don't connect with their pain.
We never realize the plight of another person unless we're forced into their shoes.

I Met VISHWANANTHAN ANAND!! Twice!!!

Not many opportunities come our way, to meet celebrities in person (this, despite living amidst celebrities like Sachin and hordes of Bollywood film stars in Bandra). But years back, when I was in college, I literally rubbed shoulders with Vishwananthan Anand who was invited as Chief Guest for our college Sports Day (and the surprising aspect was that he too was a college student then). I was part of the reception committee as a member of Students' Union. We had the privilege of spending a few exclusive minutes with him. But the thought of taking his autograph slipped my mind. Now exactly 20 years later, my daughter, as a junior journalist of a newspaper got the opportunity to meet Anand again.
But the amazing feature of this celebrity was his simplicity. He still retains the boyish charms of his younger days , with lot more feathers in his cap. He is also very humble. His wife, Aruna, seems to be a pillar of support to him and personally, I was thoroughly impressed with her sweet smile and concern in giving the people who vied for Anand's attention the opportunity to chat up with him.
Anand is a truly gifted player and a gifted human being with such a supportive better-half.

Ranjithas of different colours

Recently the name Ranjitha has been in the news quite often. First it was actress Ranjitha's involvement with Nithyananda and now Ranjitha, the hockey player who has filed a complaint against her hockey coach for sexual abuse. But what amazes me is the total contrast in the reactions of these two Ranjithas for the same problem, namely, sexual abuse. Though much has been written about the video exposures of actress Ranjitha with Nithyananda, I feel she has been totally wronged by the media. The focus of exposure should have been Nithyananda and not the actress. But I also feel she didn't have the guts to stand against a "holy" man of poor moral ethics. Whereas the hockey player, despite the threat of losing her position in the team, and the prospect of giving up her passion, has chosen to stand against the wrong doing and has dared to go against the system.
But does this not reflect the attitude of women in our society towards sexual abuse? I always thought, uneducated women from lower classes are bolder than their educated counterparts in dealing with sexual abuse. A uneducated woman or even a villager doesn't mind dragging her man on to the streets to expose him, if he sexually abuses her. But the so-called educated women, from middle and upper classes of society silently put up with so much crap from the men in the family and are scared to seek legal help. I know of a highly educated acquaintance of mine being pushed to insanity by her husband, who doesn't want her to socialise or mingle with her family or friends . She is a nervous wreck and there is no trace of the once bubbly, active and highly talented girl in her. I just hope that more middle class and upper class Ranjithas, like the hockey player come out boldly, make a statement and seek justice for any wrongdoing against them.

Drama in real life

My husband and I always start the week with brisk walks in the mornings in the picturesque Promenade (past midweek, the enthusiasm wanes and we totally stop going for a walk by the weekend........you know, the usual valid reasons-rains, hectic working day or got to leave early for office). These are the times we discuss our life and its problems (read argue). I have always had this humble opinion that I am a brisk walker and a more active person than my husband and at any given opportunity, I remind him of that.
On this particular day we were walking and were just about to enter the Promenade when suddenly, I felt a hand on my neck. Before I could react, I heard my better half shouting and realised that there were two guys on the bike who were trying to snatch my mangalsutra...gosh! How can this happen to me? My first reaction was to see whether the chain was intact. And then I had to rub my eyes in disbelief when I saw my usually lethargic husband chasing the thieves who were riding away on their bikes.
But the worst part was two more accomplices of the thieves who had been following on another bike started chasing my husband. All the drama was happening before my eyes and I was standing there like a stupid, dumb spectator. The whole scene had shifted to the highway and I could not actually see what was happening.........but I realised that the guys on the second bike were hitting my husband. I was shocked and suddenly realized that this incident could really turn into a nightmare........but then the thieves too , I think, were too shocked that a middle aged man can chase a bike on foot and still keep up with them. Anyhow they gave up on him and fled the scene. Thankfully, my husband was not injured and I could see the incident in a lighter vein (of course only after a few days and not immediately, silly!). Now-a-days I don't challenge him about his excercising routine or tease him saying that he can't even dream of taking part in the Mumbai Marathon.
Such an incident could have turned for the worse for us......I could have lost a valuable chain or my husband could have been injured badly........but I thank our stars that none of this happened. I have promised myself never to take my life for granted. Just one small incident or one mishap can change the entire colour of life. I think all of us must appreciate each and every day, every moment of life with more spirit and happiness.

Child abuse

Blogging after a long time! The vacation in May and few disturbing happenings made me think about what I should write. And then, the news that a pre-teen dyslexic girl was raped by her tutor has made me really want to put down my thoughts on this topic. It is sad that this girl had undergone the mental and physical torture for over four months without her parents' knowledge. I feel that this is the zenith of ignorance today's parents show towards their children. How can somebody leave such a small girl all alone at home at the mercy of such a monstrous tutor? Why is materialism given so much importance, that parents tend to think that the child needs all comforts, more than their presence? This child, who has grown up all alone and has undergone so much, won't have any respect for her parents. How can a mother ignore the signs of physical abuse in her child for so long? How many parents realize that when they are slogging far away in an office, the child could be physically abused by watchmen, servants, car drivers, courier boys or even the next door neighbour?

As a teenage girl, even after having led a protected life, with a mother around all the time for any help, I felt there was physical abuse which I had to face either while travelling or attending classes. Or while walking back home a bit late in the evenings, or sometimes even with the ward boys when I had late night duty in the hospital where I worked. I used to feel so terrible about being a girl or a woman. But when I read such articles of child abuse by teachers or even fathers, my heart bleeds for such children. People who have the moral responsibility to protect innocent children, themselves turning into monsters is really something to be taken a serious note of! Its time for mothers/women to buck up and do something against this malice. It's the duty of every mother to ensure that they are alert enough to note any change in the child and be good listeners to their children rather than being money making machines.

Tuitions and coaching classes

My daughter is in the tenth standard. The pressure on her is ten times more than the pressure I experienced. Even about ten years back, attending coaching classes or going to tuitions was considered to be for weak students and those who were unable to cope. But now it is more of a necessity, which of course, is made to seem so by the parents. They think that it is good for the child to get all the extra help, to score more marks and get admission into prestigious colleges. But from the students' point of view, it is sheer stress and nothing else. The teachers at school often complain in PTA meetings that children are always sleepy in the classes after running to various tuition classes till late evening and then doing the school homework till very late in the night. Children are exhausted with 8 hours of classes at school and another 4-5 hours at tuition classes. They hardly ever relax or play games to de-stress.
I strongly feel that with few hours of rest after returning from school and studying for a couple of hours would be more beneficial than attending these extra classes. So I have not put my daughter in any extra class and she is absolutely fine with it. But I have to admit that I have started feeling left out in the conversations among parents which is, of course, centered around the analysis of various tuition centers and how the school doesn't care about this subject or that exam etc. Let me wait and see, how this no-extra-classes decision of mine and my daughter's helps her in the Board exam. But even if she scores an average percentage I can vouch for the fact that I will be a proud mother of a daughter who has done it all by herself.

Indian Idol season-5

I like to watch music programs on TV . The talent hunts and reality shows on music throw light on such great talents, that I don't want to miss some of the popular shows like Idea Star Singer on Asianet or Indian Idol on Sony. But the disturbing trend I notice in the talent shows in the north is that South Indians are completely left out. In fact, that Indian Idol should be renamed "North Indian Idol" is my strong opinion. They go to remote areas of UP and MP to hold auditions and yet, ignore even major cities like Cochin, Chennai or Hyderabad in the south. Why is there this biased view towards south? The only city they had auditions last year was Bangalore and the only South Indian singer who got selected for the final ten was eliminated in the first round itself. The fact is that this singer had already won the Asianet contest which has far superior talent than the national talent shows. Indian Idol persisted with some horrible singers till the last round due to the stupid SMS voting system. Even a person without any musical knowledge could point out that particular singers were really awful.
I am just waiting to see some South Indian talents at least this time. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa on Zee TV, at least, had one South Indian winner years back. That's the last I remember the South Indian talent being recognized on a national level. Otherwise, whether it is singing or dancing, it's North Indians all the way . I hope that the trend changes and south gets its due.
But until then, "Vadakku vazhgiradhu, therkku theigiradhu"