The death of Australian actor Heath Ledger last January 22 at age 28 was judged the top entertainment story of 2008 by U.S. newspaper and broadcast editors polled by the Associated Press
This scares me. Since when was a person's death a source of entertainment? I expected more from the The IMDB than to publish this.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
When I tell people that I am studying to be a psychiatrist, they always say "Oh!" with a raised eyebrow and a sort of high tone towards the end of that exclamation, whereas if I were to say that I am a surgical resident,their response would be more "Oh!" with a punch and enthusiasm at the end of that remark.
Another thing I tend to notice in the response of my esteemed colleagues in a general hospital set up is that "Could you counsel this patient? He's just been admitted for consumption of Organophosphorous Compound poisoning." While I realize and appreciate the role I will play in helping counsel people, I must emphatically point out that Psychiatry is not about only counseling, or listening to people's problems. It's about sifting and sorting out details that others would readily write off as too trivial, and using those details to come to a conclusion about the person's diagnosis, and hence come up with a rational treatment option for them.
Many people tend to scoff at such a task, and I myself have found it a tad tedious and "What's the use of finding all this out?", but it is only after seeing the way the faculty here at NIMHANS use those very same details to reach a tentative diagnosis that I find out the value of it.
Psychiatry has been given a fairly bad press by everybody. People tend to think of it as too trivial a specialty for it to be taken seriously. But I believe that this specialty helps me improve the quality of people's lives more than any other medical branch.
I am saying this not to boast my choice or sound holier-than-thou, but I would like this to be a way of telling people that there is nothing wrong in psychiatry or in seeing a psychiatrist, because there is nothing wrong with mental illness. It's not about going "mental" and being admitted in a "mental hospital". It's about an illness, just like Diabetes or Asthma, that has only recently gained recognition in Medicine.
Most of the problem arose from the lack of a proper pharmacological arsenal to counter Schizophrenia and Psychosis. Traditionally, people with psychosis were treated with cold water baths,or were put in an insulin induced coma!
Compare that with anti psychotics that are now available, and for the most part, efficient. They are, however, not fool proof ,and there have been times when they have failed. Now, instead of saying that "That's mental illness for you!" I would like to put it like this : That there is much about the biological basis of mental illness that is yet to be discovered, and this only opens more avenues for research and growth.
It should be worth pointing out that many times treatment is life-long, for the psychoses and the Schizophrenics. But which medical disease, save from infectious disease(excluding AIDS and Hepatitis B and C) promises a brief treatment followed by absolute cure? Nil.
By administering psychiatric treatment, we can give families a chance to be normal again ,we can give a man or woman the chance to go back to work and make a living for him or herself. What's wrong about that?
Depression is a chronic disorder that does not, as is commonly thought, always arise from traumatic life events or a troubled childhood. It is caused due to a deficiency of Serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a key neurochemical in the brain that helps modulate mood. A lack of it causes people to be depressed. So, it need not only be that a guy with some family issues and stress at work ends up "Depressed". It can also mean that a person who is working normally, with a loving family and a strong friends circle ends up depressed.
Features of this disorder include fatigue, waking up in the morning 2 hours before the normal wake up time (for eg: waking up at 3 or 4 am instead of 6 am), feelings of sadness that are continuous, persistent, and which does not abate with activities that are usually pleasurable, such as watching a good movie, or going out for a walk. Feelings of worthlessness, feeling hopeless, that one is better off dead than alive,and suicidal thoughts and plans.
The major risk of Depression is suicide, and if you see the families of people who have taken their lives, you will know how traumatic an event that is for them. Very often, they feel that it was their fault ,that they could have done something to help. The fact of it is that the depressive will be so wound up in his world that there is precious little that one can do in terms of an intervention. But it is always helpful to keep track of your loved ones for any of the symptoms listed above.
Again, this is not to sound haughty and this is not meant to be a scientific lecture. This is meant to spread the word around that mental illness is prevalent, and that it is treatable, and that it is still stigmatized to this day. It is my hope that this stigma reduces in the days to come.
Another thing I tend to notice in the response of my esteemed colleagues in a general hospital set up is that "Could you counsel this patient? He's just been admitted for consumption of Organophosphorous Compound poisoning." While I realize and appreciate the role I will play in helping counsel people, I must emphatically point out that Psychiatry is not about only counseling, or listening to people's problems. It's about sifting and sorting out details that others would readily write off as too trivial, and using those details to come to a conclusion about the person's diagnosis, and hence come up with a rational treatment option for them.
Many people tend to scoff at such a task, and I myself have found it a tad tedious and "What's the use of finding all this out?", but it is only after seeing the way the faculty here at NIMHANS use those very same details to reach a tentative diagnosis that I find out the value of it.
Psychiatry has been given a fairly bad press by everybody. People tend to think of it as too trivial a specialty for it to be taken seriously. But I believe that this specialty helps me improve the quality of people's lives more than any other medical branch.
I am saying this not to boast my choice or sound holier-than-thou, but I would like this to be a way of telling people that there is nothing wrong in psychiatry or in seeing a psychiatrist, because there is nothing wrong with mental illness. It's not about going "mental" and being admitted in a "mental hospital". It's about an illness, just like Diabetes or Asthma, that has only recently gained recognition in Medicine.
Most of the problem arose from the lack of a proper pharmacological arsenal to counter Schizophrenia and Psychosis. Traditionally, people with psychosis were treated with cold water baths,or were put in an insulin induced coma!
Compare that with anti psychotics that are now available, and for the most part, efficient. They are, however, not fool proof ,and there have been times when they have failed. Now, instead of saying that "That's mental illness for you!" I would like to put it like this : That there is much about the biological basis of mental illness that is yet to be discovered, and this only opens more avenues for research and growth.
It should be worth pointing out that many times treatment is life-long, for the psychoses and the Schizophrenics. But which medical disease, save from infectious disease(excluding AIDS and Hepatitis B and C) promises a brief treatment followed by absolute cure? Nil.
By administering psychiatric treatment, we can give families a chance to be normal again ,we can give a man or woman the chance to go back to work and make a living for him or herself. What's wrong about that?
Depression is a chronic disorder that does not, as is commonly thought, always arise from traumatic life events or a troubled childhood. It is caused due to a deficiency of Serotonin in the body. Serotonin is a key neurochemical in the brain that helps modulate mood. A lack of it causes people to be depressed. So, it need not only be that a guy with some family issues and stress at work ends up "Depressed". It can also mean that a person who is working normally, with a loving family and a strong friends circle ends up depressed.
Features of this disorder include fatigue, waking up in the morning 2 hours before the normal wake up time (for eg: waking up at 3 or 4 am instead of 6 am), feelings of sadness that are continuous, persistent, and which does not abate with activities that are usually pleasurable, such as watching a good movie, or going out for a walk. Feelings of worthlessness, feeling hopeless, that one is better off dead than alive,and suicidal thoughts and plans.
The major risk of Depression is suicide, and if you see the families of people who have taken their lives, you will know how traumatic an event that is for them. Very often, they feel that it was their fault ,that they could have done something to help. The fact of it is that the depressive will be so wound up in his world that there is precious little that one can do in terms of an intervention. But it is always helpful to keep track of your loved ones for any of the symptoms listed above.
Again, this is not to sound haughty and this is not meant to be a scientific lecture. This is meant to spread the word around that mental illness is prevalent, and that it is treatable, and that it is still stigmatized to this day. It is my hope that this stigma reduces in the days to come.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The world is, officially as of now,the most dangerous place to live in.
The attack in Mumbai has shown us many things-that life tends to be a bit senseless once in a while, that good people die for no reason, that governments will NOT do what they say they would do, that our police force and security have much to work on, and that even terrorists will stoop to such depths so as to hold a hospital hostage, where people are treated and their health improved regardless of what religion they belong to.
It showed us that some families in neighbouring countries are so hard up that anyone willing to raise and take responsibility for one of their kids are welcomed with open arms, and that even though their kids are raised well and taught to speak english and dress in jeans and a t-shirt, the fact that they are in that situation is because their families do not have the money to provide for them, hence foster care is most welcome.
Whether the provider is one who plans to train the young ward to kill people and hold up guns is immaterial. I suppose that, as an afterthought, the young one might actually realize, while he is in the thick of all that gunfire, that he might not get out of this particular chore alive.
It's a vicious cycle. Poverty-Terrorism-Death/Incarceration/Escape. Only Education will help at this point. People who can think for themselves and not being scared to do so, people thinking for themselves, confident in the knowledge that the wrong answer will not see their cerebrospinal fluid bathing the walls. People who can be detached from a particular situation and see the merits and demerits as they are and not as how others say they are.
The attack in Mumbai has shown us many things-that life tends to be a bit senseless once in a while, that good people die for no reason, that governments will NOT do what they say they would do, that our police force and security have much to work on, and that even terrorists will stoop to such depths so as to hold a hospital hostage, where people are treated and their health improved regardless of what religion they belong to.
It showed us that some families in neighbouring countries are so hard up that anyone willing to raise and take responsibility for one of their kids are welcomed with open arms, and that even though their kids are raised well and taught to speak english and dress in jeans and a t-shirt, the fact that they are in that situation is because their families do not have the money to provide for them, hence foster care is most welcome.
Whether the provider is one who plans to train the young ward to kill people and hold up guns is immaterial. I suppose that, as an afterthought, the young one might actually realize, while he is in the thick of all that gunfire, that he might not get out of this particular chore alive.
It's a vicious cycle. Poverty-Terrorism-Death/Incarceration/Escape. Only Education will help at this point. People who can think for themselves and not being scared to do so, people thinking for themselves, confident in the knowledge that the wrong answer will not see their cerebrospinal fluid bathing the walls. People who can be detached from a particular situation and see the merits and demerits as they are and not as how others say they are.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Why is it that we can’t stop living in the past? Why are we drawn to it like moths to a flame? I mean, the present moment to us, is challenging, and difficult, and for the life of us we wish we weren’t in the situation to begin with. But as we look back at those times, we feel a sense of peace, of regret, of lessons learned that we didn’t in the past, when we were cursing it and wishing to God these times would end, and soon at that.
The sense of kinsman ship, if I could call it that, might perhaps be a defense mechanism, to keep us from making any real effort towards solving the present predicament that we are in at this time. I don’t know, really. To the psychoanalyst the past is always a goldmine to dig deep in, and it does have its rewards, as long as we learn from it, and not let it control us to the extent that we cannot work efficiently in the present, and as long as it doesn’t give us our own personal balloon to float in before reality succeeds in bursting it.
Those who have done it, have succeeded in a way few others have. And it is difficult. But the point is that it can be done. At least I hope so, with all my heart. Because we all tend to have these mental cushions of the past that we turn to when we are troubled by the present. But it is only to learn from, and not live from. Because we are not our past. And we can change thinking like that but it’ll take a helluva lot of effort for us to live in the here and now. Hell, if I were living in the here and now I wouldn’t have to type this cathartic entry!! But that’s the way it is.
There may be aspects of us that we lost in the past that we need now. For example, being more patient, more giving, and more compassionate, the intensity of which tends to erode with time, leaving us self absorbed and drained. And there are definitely parts of us that we are glad that we changed. One of which I’m sure many would relate to : being a pushover. A doormat.
How may countries tend to live in the past, following the same policies that have been perpetrated for centuries, but which they continue to execute, just because it’s what has been done before?
Change is often difficult, and almost always a life long struggle. Why do it, if it takes so long? Because there is nothing else, and because there is no other way!!
Couple of other things I would like to say:
1) You know you’re a doctor when people tell you that you’re responsible for working 6.5 days a week, with almost no respite in between.
2) You know you’re a doctor when your most vivid fantasies involve a pager and a cricket bat, with violent contact between the aforementioned objects.
3) You know you’re a doctor when you have this sudden panic attack ‘cos you fear that you may have a personality disorder, a prolapsed intervertebral disc, and amoebiasis in the time frame of 4 hours, with or without chronic bronchitis.
4) You know you’re a doctor when people ask you everytime they meet you what exactly it is that you’re doing.
5) You know you’re a doctor when people ask you out of a sense of bewilderment and more commonly sadism how many more years it is that you’re going to be studying. An apt response in most of the recipient’s mind in such situations is : “Just wait till the day it burns while you pee, mutherfucker, and we’ll see if my diagnosing a Chlamydia infection then is reason enough why I trained so fucking hard!”
6) You know you’re a doctor when your old schoolmates talk about the stock market and you’re trying to recall the latest research findings of your thesis.
7) You know you’re a doctor when you can say “And I thought it was lung cancer after seeing the x ray but it turned out to be an artifact!!” and laugh till you get tears in your eyes and the non medicos are wondering how pathetic you have actually become.
8) Also, with special regard to my particular field of expertise, you know you’re a psychiatrist when people ask you, in all innocence, whether it is actually as demanding as how you make it out to be.
The sense of kinsman ship, if I could call it that, might perhaps be a defense mechanism, to keep us from making any real effort towards solving the present predicament that we are in at this time. I don’t know, really. To the psychoanalyst the past is always a goldmine to dig deep in, and it does have its rewards, as long as we learn from it, and not let it control us to the extent that we cannot work efficiently in the present, and as long as it doesn’t give us our own personal balloon to float in before reality succeeds in bursting it.
Those who have done it, have succeeded in a way few others have. And it is difficult. But the point is that it can be done. At least I hope so, with all my heart. Because we all tend to have these mental cushions of the past that we turn to when we are troubled by the present. But it is only to learn from, and not live from. Because we are not our past. And we can change thinking like that but it’ll take a helluva lot of effort for us to live in the here and now. Hell, if I were living in the here and now I wouldn’t have to type this cathartic entry!! But that’s the way it is.
There may be aspects of us that we lost in the past that we need now. For example, being more patient, more giving, and more compassionate, the intensity of which tends to erode with time, leaving us self absorbed and drained. And there are definitely parts of us that we are glad that we changed. One of which I’m sure many would relate to : being a pushover. A doormat.
How may countries tend to live in the past, following the same policies that have been perpetrated for centuries, but which they continue to execute, just because it’s what has been done before?
Change is often difficult, and almost always a life long struggle. Why do it, if it takes so long? Because there is nothing else, and because there is no other way!!
Couple of other things I would like to say:
1) You know you’re a doctor when people tell you that you’re responsible for working 6.5 days a week, with almost no respite in between.
2) You know you’re a doctor when your most vivid fantasies involve a pager and a cricket bat, with violent contact between the aforementioned objects.
3) You know you’re a doctor when you have this sudden panic attack ‘cos you fear that you may have a personality disorder, a prolapsed intervertebral disc, and amoebiasis in the time frame of 4 hours, with or without chronic bronchitis.
4) You know you’re a doctor when people ask you everytime they meet you what exactly it is that you’re doing.
5) You know you’re a doctor when people ask you out of a sense of bewilderment and more commonly sadism how many more years it is that you’re going to be studying. An apt response in most of the recipient’s mind in such situations is : “Just wait till the day it burns while you pee, mutherfucker, and we’ll see if my diagnosing a Chlamydia infection then is reason enough why I trained so fucking hard!”
6) You know you’re a doctor when your old schoolmates talk about the stock market and you’re trying to recall the latest research findings of your thesis.
7) You know you’re a doctor when you can say “And I thought it was lung cancer after seeing the x ray but it turned out to be an artifact!!” and laugh till you get tears in your eyes and the non medicos are wondering how pathetic you have actually become.
8) Also, with special regard to my particular field of expertise, you know you’re a psychiatrist when people ask you, in all innocence, whether it is actually as demanding as how you make it out to be.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Dark Knight
Hi, and how are you doing? I suppose I can always blame work for not being able to blog more often, but as always, the real truth is somewhere between the long hours and my personal lack of initiative to sit down and put thought on to the internet.
I have seen The Dark Knight, and I feel that the movie was amazing, awesome, hu-aah, and all other superlatives that I can't think of at the moment. It looks, in theory to be a one man show, with the late Mr.Ledger blowing us all away with a performance that should earn him a posthumous Oscar award, not nomination, for playing an iconic villain in a way that nobody ever thought he could, or would do. But it was a team effort. From the Nolan brothers to Wally Pfeister's cinematography to Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard's epic score to just as intense performances by Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, and Gary Oldman.The latter two deserve special mention for playing their roles to absolute perfection. I was a bit touch and go when I heard that Eckhart was slated to play Harvey Dent, and I am damn glad that he has proven me wrong one hundred percent. Oldman is also amazing as Jim Gordon, and he is pivotal in making the last scene of the movie so unbelievably intense, at the culmination of which you sayto yourself :"Whoa,Phew,I can't think of anything to say!!"
I have seen it thrice and am planning to go again a fourth time. Because although the script has it's flaws, this is one movie that somehow manages to blend in 2 genres to near perfection. And for that itself, Nolan should pat himself on the back. I must say that it would have taken guts to cast an actor most noted for playing a repressed homosexual cowboy as one of the most meanest mutherfuckers ever to appear in the history if comic book novels, and yet he did, and the result is for all of us to see,and worship, and mourn.
Will there be a third installment in the series? It depends on Nolan. Although the movie's ending most likely promises a sequel, if Nolan does not feel it's right, then it's fine, 'cos he believes in quality over quantity, but if he does plan to come out with part 3 ,then it's interesting to see whom he would cast as a villain who suits the Gotham that he has so expertly created. I honestly doubt that the Catwoman, Riddler, or the Penguin will be cast. Let's see how it goes...I'm sure many of us will be waiting with baited breath for what will transpire in the days to come.
In other news, India has done well in the Olympics, coming off with 3 medals with one of them being a first time Gold. Hopefully, this should give the entire sporting community in India a much needed facelift, as everybody cares about only cricket here. This might give other people the courage to follow the sport of their choice, and yet have the conviction that it might reap them rewards, just as it did for Abhinav Bindra.
In other news, there isn't any!! That is if you can exclude ward work, the casualty duties, more ward work, and then more admissions, and more case conferences, and more......well...you know how it ends!(It doesn't really, not in NIMHANS!)
More later.
Good night, and Good luck.
I have seen The Dark Knight, and I feel that the movie was amazing, awesome, hu-aah, and all other superlatives that I can't think of at the moment. It looks, in theory to be a one man show, with the late Mr.Ledger blowing us all away with a performance that should earn him a posthumous Oscar award, not nomination, for playing an iconic villain in a way that nobody ever thought he could, or would do. But it was a team effort. From the Nolan brothers to Wally Pfeister's cinematography to Hans Zimmer and James Newton-Howard's epic score to just as intense performances by Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart, and Gary Oldman.The latter two deserve special mention for playing their roles to absolute perfection. I was a bit touch and go when I heard that Eckhart was slated to play Harvey Dent, and I am damn glad that he has proven me wrong one hundred percent. Oldman is also amazing as Jim Gordon, and he is pivotal in making the last scene of the movie so unbelievably intense, at the culmination of which you sayto yourself :"Whoa,Phew,I can't think of anything to say!!"
I have seen it thrice and am planning to go again a fourth time. Because although the script has it's flaws, this is one movie that somehow manages to blend in 2 genres to near perfection. And for that itself, Nolan should pat himself on the back. I must say that it would have taken guts to cast an actor most noted for playing a repressed homosexual cowboy as one of the most meanest mutherfuckers ever to appear in the history if comic book novels, and yet he did, and the result is for all of us to see,and worship, and mourn.
Will there be a third installment in the series? It depends on Nolan. Although the movie's ending most likely promises a sequel, if Nolan does not feel it's right, then it's fine, 'cos he believes in quality over quantity, but if he does plan to come out with part 3 ,then it's interesting to see whom he would cast as a villain who suits the Gotham that he has so expertly created. I honestly doubt that the Catwoman, Riddler, or the Penguin will be cast. Let's see how it goes...I'm sure many of us will be waiting with baited breath for what will transpire in the days to come.
In other news, India has done well in the Olympics, coming off with 3 medals with one of them being a first time Gold. Hopefully, this should give the entire sporting community in India a much needed facelift, as everybody cares about only cricket here. This might give other people the courage to follow the sport of their choice, and yet have the conviction that it might reap them rewards, just as it did for Abhinav Bindra.
In other news, there isn't any!! That is if you can exclude ward work, the casualty duties, more ward work, and then more admissions, and more case conferences, and more......well...you know how it ends!(It doesn't really, not in NIMHANS!)
More later.
Good night, and Good luck.
Monday, July 28, 2008
What is the answer?
The world has become a much darker place to live in. Although it was obvious from the start that terrorism is out there,and is rampant, it's always with a knowledge that we weren't there when it happened;we hear it in the news,listen to it, and then carry on with our lives.
What happened here in Bangalore was a wake-up call. In fact,it happened very close to the place where I am working,and the news got out that there have been 7 low intensity blasts scattered across the city,in key traffic areas too. And it was then that I realised that it can harm me too,something that had never occured to me before.
The next day,I had gone to the Forum to book tickets for a movie,and as I was calling my friends and asking them whether I should book tickets for them as well,they told me to stay away from the Forum as there was a bomb that had been disabled there this morning. While I later learnt that it was not,in fact, in the Forum that the bomb was disabled but within a short distance from there,at the time I heard it I was wondering just how crazy things have become.
How do we deal with this? The next day there were blasts in Ahmedabad that killed around 40 people. There is no answer. Carry on with our lives?Is that what we can tell the families of those people who were killed? It's all to easy to say that we should fight back,that we should retaliate. What are the consequences? It'll give the people who plotted the attack exactly what they want: an all out war,where thousands more will die. Just don't give a damn?
If you know the answer,let me know.
I have just returned from a late night show,and all the while I was at the mall and a few times I was watching the movie I was thinking to myself :What will happen if the bomb goes out now? How will it be if I see the bomb exploding right in front of me? I hope that the day will come when our children,more likely our grandchildren will live in a world where the only thing worrying people is how much they are making a difference to the lives of others,and not about caring for their safety as they are being threatened by the plague that is continuing to hound us presently.
Please do not misunderstand this entry to be an ultra right wing call to arms or an anti-religious attack. It's merely my thoughts as they had occured the past 2 days,thats's all.
Take care.
What happened here in Bangalore was a wake-up call. In fact,it happened very close to the place where I am working,and the news got out that there have been 7 low intensity blasts scattered across the city,in key traffic areas too. And it was then that I realised that it can harm me too,something that had never occured to me before.
The next day,I had gone to the Forum to book tickets for a movie,and as I was calling my friends and asking them whether I should book tickets for them as well,they told me to stay away from the Forum as there was a bomb that had been disabled there this morning. While I later learnt that it was not,in fact, in the Forum that the bomb was disabled but within a short distance from there,at the time I heard it I was wondering just how crazy things have become.
How do we deal with this? The next day there were blasts in Ahmedabad that killed around 40 people. There is no answer. Carry on with our lives?Is that what we can tell the families of those people who were killed? It's all to easy to say that we should fight back,that we should retaliate. What are the consequences? It'll give the people who plotted the attack exactly what they want: an all out war,where thousands more will die. Just don't give a damn?
If you know the answer,let me know.
I have just returned from a late night show,and all the while I was at the mall and a few times I was watching the movie I was thinking to myself :What will happen if the bomb goes out now? How will it be if I see the bomb exploding right in front of me? I hope that the day will come when our children,more likely our grandchildren will live in a world where the only thing worrying people is how much they are making a difference to the lives of others,and not about caring for their safety as they are being threatened by the plague that is continuing to hound us presently.
Please do not misunderstand this entry to be an ultra right wing call to arms or an anti-religious attack. It's merely my thoughts as they had occured the past 2 days,thats's all.
Take care.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
.....and the meaning of life.
What are we here for,ultimately? Earning shitloads of money?To further the family name? To finally prove to somebody that we are more than what they thought we were? What is the primary aim of our existence here on earth?
There have been volumes printed on this subject..and I do not purport to be an authority on this subject. But here I would like to present my viewpoint. Feel free to roll your eyes and doze off as you please.
I feel the ultimate purpose is to feel free inside. Not in a way that destroys our bodies and our souls like how most drugs do, but in the kind of manner that makes us liberated when we know that we have come to terms with who we are and have accepted it, instead of forever fighting with these issues with no end to the battle in sight.
I do not mean this in a way that we accept all the negative energies we have within us and say "Well,this is who I am,and that's that," but to change,with genuine intent,what we see within us as not productive to the bigger picture as to how we see ourselves,and not how others see us.
This is easier said than done, and the number of people who achieve it in their lifetimes is miniscule. In fact, it is the hardest thing that we will have to face in our journey here.
If you know how to do it,do let me know.
The choice for freedom,regardless of circumstance is there everywhere. Those who are interested in this subject can read "Man's search for meaning" by Viktor Frankl,a Jewish Psychiatrist who was imprisoned by the Nazis during World War 2. How he came to terms with his situation-he had lost his wife, and his brother and other immediate members of his family-and used it to his advantage-is masterfully depicted. He says that,ultimately, not matter whatever the shit it is that is going on around you, there is the core of you that can choose how you respond to it.
I can only hope that we do not need such dramatic and stressful life events to make us aware of it. We can realise it right now,as I type this and as you read it,that it is ultimately within us. We can always make excuses for not being able to do it, but in the end it will catch up with us.
Heavy Duty!!
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Hi,
It has been 2 months since the last entry and the reason for said delay is the fact that I have started my residency in NIMHANS,Bangalore, and it's a Baptism by Fire kind of situation. From spending the past 2 years in virtual hibernation in front of a book to 12 hour days in a tertiary referral centre was a bit jarring. Although welcoming work,it didn't take immediately....the hectic hours, the endless number of patients in the OPD, to weekly duties and so on.
One thing I have realised is that the mental aspect of suffering is way way overlooked. It is all too easy to concentrate on the physical,organic aspects of health,but in truth the daily issues we wrestle with occur in our minds. I am,of course, not referring to the overtly psychotic schizpohrenia kind of picture, but we do encounter mental strain more often than we do the physical kind.
The number of psychotic cases,defined by the ICD(International Classification of Diseases) as that having delusional or hallucinatory behaviour with disturbances in Psychomotor Activity,is truly astounding. The Neuroses and the Anxiety cases are a minority,something which I did not anticipate,thinking that they far outweigh the Psychotic/Schizophrenia spectrum. But in truth it is the other way around.
The agony a patient with mental illness goes through can only be imagined. My professor told me that the film "A Beautiful Mind" starring Russell Crowe is a kind of marker to understand what a patient goes through..in the movie,the protagonist does not know what is real and what isn't! Imagine being in a situation like that,where you believe things to be true but it is in fact the other way around.
Ok,ok enough of the hi funda gyaan.
I do not know why people have praised Iron Man so much. I did not find anything so spetacular with it to begin with, although it is better than The Fantastic Four series, but not better than the X Men,well at least not yet.It will depend on the further sequels to decide. But Robert Downey nailed the part of Tony Stark,who later on becomes Iron Man. Nobody could be better suited for the role,man.
Only a little more than a month left for The Dark Knight!! It is gonna rock. Seriously can not wait.
I haven't had much time to discuss the circumstances that lead to my getting an MD,when the 5 of you who have read my previous entries will recall that I was chosen for the Diploma in Psychiatry but not the MD. That,I hope will be covered in the next one.
Take Care.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
2 contrasting letters.
Letter 1:
Hi!!
Today is one of the happiest days of my life!! The Supreme Court has okayed the OBC reservation! Which means that people like me can get into IIM,the place of my dreams and what my family would love for me to get into,at only half the struggle that those poor unreserved candidates have to slog night and day for!
Although I am not so poor-we have an independent house and 2 cars-and have had a good education-and I am not so dumb either,ah but who cares!! Now my getting into IIM is so much easier. Although the Supreme Court has said that the "creamy layer-" by that I guess they mean me,are to be excluded,we can bribe a clerk in the Government Office to get us a certificate saying that we are underprevileged,and life will be a cakewalk after that! Even if that fails,and the clerk tends to be a bit stubborn,we'll pay him cash and give him a bottle of the finest Scotch and the latest mobile phone as gifts. Hell,a little bit of money for a lifetime of comfort. It isn't such a bad bargain right?
I feel sorry for my friends who belong to the unreserved category,but I'm sure this is payback for the centuries we've suffered as a people. Many of my friends are not as well off as I am,and they're also writing the CAT exams-without reservation,mind you-I don't know what their chances are. I guess I stand a better chance than them,although many of them are more hard working than me. But in the end.it's all about me,and I'm happy for this.
Sometimes I wonder whether I'll go through my whole life being branded now that this quota will be implemented. But so what? My family and future generations will be in comfort,and it's a fair trade for a few uncomfortable moments now and then.
I am so pleased with the Government that my vote will surely go to them-and the elections are coming up soon!! I really thank them for finally giving us a voice with which we can speak-the voice of a quality education in a premier institute that is otherwise nearly impossible to get into if I would written it without the quota in my pocket. Thanks so much!!
Letter 2:
I can't believe that they're going through with it. I thought that truth and fairness would always prevail,but now I realise how naive I truly was! I come from a middle class family,and I got into Engineering College on my own merit and a free seat,at that. And until now I was working really hard to get into IIM,but now that this quota has been implemented,I honestly don't know what my chances are. Because I know for a fact that I am hard working,but now an OBC candidate who works half as hard as me will be selected! And he will be picked up by all the multi nationals! I also know that I am not as brilliant as most of the people who get through the cut throat competition. But then an OBC candidate will get the same mark as me-which means he would not have been selected otherwise-and get into IIM-A! Is this fairness? Is this Justice?
How can I look at my good friend-who is now one of the previleged lot-and not be envious of him? Won't it affect our friendship? Won't it create a rift between people like me and people like him? How can I control my anger when he gets into any esteemed institute of his choice and I don't,when we've both worked exactly the same?
I guess the only option for me is to go abroad now,if I don't get into IIM. What other option do I have? I don't want my children to suffer the same way I have. They deserve a better life than this,for sure.
I thought the days of casteism had come to an end. Now with this quota,it's come back with a bang,bigger than ever.Thanks for listening. You may know of me but do pray for me and people like me,it's the only thing that will work for "us," as opposed to "them."
Hi!!
Today is one of the happiest days of my life!! The Supreme Court has okayed the OBC reservation! Which means that people like me can get into IIM,the place of my dreams and what my family would love for me to get into,at only half the struggle that those poor unreserved candidates have to slog night and day for!
Although I am not so poor-we have an independent house and 2 cars-and have had a good education-and I am not so dumb either,ah but who cares!! Now my getting into IIM is so much easier. Although the Supreme Court has said that the "creamy layer-" by that I guess they mean me,are to be excluded,we can bribe a clerk in the Government Office to get us a certificate saying that we are underprevileged,and life will be a cakewalk after that! Even if that fails,and the clerk tends to be a bit stubborn,we'll pay him cash and give him a bottle of the finest Scotch and the latest mobile phone as gifts. Hell,a little bit of money for a lifetime of comfort. It isn't such a bad bargain right?
I feel sorry for my friends who belong to the unreserved category,but I'm sure this is payback for the centuries we've suffered as a people. Many of my friends are not as well off as I am,and they're also writing the CAT exams-without reservation,mind you-I don't know what their chances are. I guess I stand a better chance than them,although many of them are more hard working than me. But in the end.it's all about me,and I'm happy for this.
Sometimes I wonder whether I'll go through my whole life being branded now that this quota will be implemented. But so what? My family and future generations will be in comfort,and it's a fair trade for a few uncomfortable moments now and then.
I am so pleased with the Government that my vote will surely go to them-and the elections are coming up soon!! I really thank them for finally giving us a voice with which we can speak-the voice of a quality education in a premier institute that is otherwise nearly impossible to get into if I would written it without the quota in my pocket. Thanks so much!!
Letter 2:
I can't believe that they're going through with it. I thought that truth and fairness would always prevail,but now I realise how naive I truly was! I come from a middle class family,and I got into Engineering College on my own merit and a free seat,at that. And until now I was working really hard to get into IIM,but now that this quota has been implemented,I honestly don't know what my chances are. Because I know for a fact that I am hard working,but now an OBC candidate who works half as hard as me will be selected! And he will be picked up by all the multi nationals! I also know that I am not as brilliant as most of the people who get through the cut throat competition. But then an OBC candidate will get the same mark as me-which means he would not have been selected otherwise-and get into IIM-A! Is this fairness? Is this Justice?
How can I look at my good friend-who is now one of the previleged lot-and not be envious of him? Won't it affect our friendship? Won't it create a rift between people like me and people like him? How can I control my anger when he gets into any esteemed institute of his choice and I don't,when we've both worked exactly the same?
I guess the only option for me is to go abroad now,if I don't get into IIM. What other option do I have? I don't want my children to suffer the same way I have. They deserve a better life than this,for sure.
I thought the days of casteism had come to an end. Now with this quota,it's come back with a bang,bigger than ever.Thanks for listening. You may know of me but do pray for me and people like me,it's the only thing that will work for "us," as opposed to "them."
Friday, April 4, 2008
Why Psychiatry?
Those of you who have read my blog previously must be knowing that I'm going to be doing a 2 year residency in Psychiatry. And it has been something that I've been adamant on doing for a long time. People have often asked me why it was that I was so keen on doing a residency in only this field.
I don't know the answer to that one yet. Not fully anyways. I believe that people have as many mental problems as organic ones. I believe that it is important to improve the quality of people's lives,and not only the duration of it. I believe that mental health is a science that is still in it's infancy,where there is a lot of as yet untapped potential to flourish.
When compared to about 50 years back when Schizophrenics were tied to their beds and made to stay there until they were deemed cured. Sometimes a cure was never possible. Now,it is possible to be cured of the condition on an OPD Basis,without even Hospitalization. Even if a cure is possible 33% of the time,remarkable progress has still been made. Same with Depression,and with Bi-Polar Mood Disorder. But there is still a stigma attached to this field,especially in rural areas,even to this day,when epileptics are thought to be possessed by a spirit when in the midst of a seizure.
The problem of addiction is something that will also need attention. Especially with the times as they are now. According to Dr.Ali Khwaja,noted Psychologist and Career Counsellor,Bangalore has the highest number of Cocaine addicts in the whole country! This is in addition to Alcohol and other substance abuse issues.
This is one area of medical practice that is a bit of an orphan as far as the medical fraternity is concerned. I guess that old adage which has been used for a long time and given in Erich Segal's medical romance 'Doctors' says it all:
A Physician knows everything and does nothing,
A Surgeon knows nothing and does everything,
A Psychiatrist knows nothing and does nothing.
So,there are challenges in this field. The most important of them is to remove all the misconceptions that are related to Psychiatry,and to make the services more accesible to the public. Not in terms of actual availability of Psychiatrists,but to reduce the inhibitions they might have to meet one.
It's an uphill task. No doubting that one. Let's hope change occurs; rapidly and effectively.
I don't know the answer to that one yet. Not fully anyways. I believe that people have as many mental problems as organic ones. I believe that it is important to improve the quality of people's lives,and not only the duration of it. I believe that mental health is a science that is still in it's infancy,where there is a lot of as yet untapped potential to flourish.
When compared to about 50 years back when Schizophrenics were tied to their beds and made to stay there until they were deemed cured. Sometimes a cure was never possible. Now,it is possible to be cured of the condition on an OPD Basis,without even Hospitalization. Even if a cure is possible 33% of the time,remarkable progress has still been made. Same with Depression,and with Bi-Polar Mood Disorder. But there is still a stigma attached to this field,especially in rural areas,even to this day,when epileptics are thought to be possessed by a spirit when in the midst of a seizure.
The problem of addiction is something that will also need attention. Especially with the times as they are now. According to Dr.Ali Khwaja,noted Psychologist and Career Counsellor,Bangalore has the highest number of Cocaine addicts in the whole country! This is in addition to Alcohol and other substance abuse issues.
This is one area of medical practice that is a bit of an orphan as far as the medical fraternity is concerned. I guess that old adage which has been used for a long time and given in Erich Segal's medical romance 'Doctors' says it all:
A Physician knows everything and does nothing,
A Surgeon knows nothing and does everything,
A Psychiatrist knows nothing and does nothing.
So,there are challenges in this field. The most important of them is to remove all the misconceptions that are related to Psychiatry,and to make the services more accesible to the public. Not in terms of actual availability of Psychiatrists,but to reduce the inhibitions they might have to meet one.
It's an uphill task. No doubting that one. Let's hope change occurs; rapidly and effectively.
Sorry for the long hiatus,Ladies and Gems,but for the past month or so I've been used to doing absolutely nothing and loving it. The sheer effort to try to type thought into screen was too much to bear for this person who can have a degree,if it existed,for slacking off. At least in one area of my life I can get a gold medal!!
In the meantime I've been trying to read a little of the huge backlog of books that I had amassed while being immersed in Academia(Pretending to be immersed in academia,really). One of my favorite authors whose books I had been wanting to read is John Irving. His works are basically black comedy,but there are times when he can be poignant. In addition to being laugh out loud funny,but for the most part his works balance the two. And he does it really well,man.
"Until I find you" is his latest novel,and one of his darker ones.It tells the story of an emotionally numb actor who turns out that way due to the relationships he has with his hippie mother and a host of women who are older than him,but who play a pivotal role in shaping his future character. It also deals with the topic of child abuse,as seen through the eyes of an eleven year old, and the whole issue of how people conceal secrets from you and reveal what they want you to believe and hide away the truth conveniently for their own twisted purposes. The flaw in this novel,as in many others of his,is a tendency to overdescribe. Especially locations and situations. But his characterizations are superbly executed.
"The Water Method Man" is perhaps his funniest novel,about a shallow,self serving young man who sort of drifts through life...and about his embarrasing urinary condition!! How he realises the errors of his ways and tries to rectify them is what his novel is about. It's non linear sequence was something I liked. But after perhaps "The World according to Garp," this is his funniest novel yet.
One thing that I realized after reading "Until I find you" is of the paramount importance of human relationships,especially the ones betwen parents and children. But how something as seemingly trivial as a simple interaction between two people can lead to our lives being a living nightmare,or a wonderful experience,is something I am fascinated by. How they are the subject of virtually every song ever sung in mainstream media,and how therapists come on talk shows to counsel couples at war(or on the brink of divorce) and milk their tragedy to their maximum advantage,and how countless books have been written on the subject.
And yet,this is something that cannot be truly solved in one fell swoop. It needs time,it needs effort,it needs patience, and more than anything it needs people admitting they're wrong,even when they have a great deal invested in appearing to be right,or claiming to be. And the ability to meet the other person midway,even when it's something you really don't want to do.
This theme has been highlighted in "Magnolia," the Paul Thomas Anderson film that shows how the lives of many people intersect on one particular day,and how the only thing people are looking for is love,acceptance,and forgiveness. And those things not being given to them causing them to hate themselves and their lives. It's beautifully acted and well written,but there is one sequence that makes it become a Hindi movie. But the movie still carries itself pretty well.
"Taare Zameen Par" is one of the top 5 Hindi movies of all time. It's fantastic,man. Darsheel Safary is so convincing as a Dyslexic that for a while I really thought he was Mentally Challenged. It is such a beautiful movie that I couldn't stop crying from beginning to end. The way in which children who are "different" are treated in school is fantastic. It is the brutal truth. Although every school tries to tolerate-not encourage,mind you-children with special needs,they fall short and the teachers end up being totally frustrated and hurl out all their frustrations on that poor child. How will a child know? How will a child know that the teacher had a bad day at home and hence is shouting at him more than what is necessary? And imagine the kind of trauma that the child will have to face. It's scary to think about it.
The traffic in Bangalore is becoming worse. The continuum is expanding at an alarming rate. What was intolerable a few years back is now considered "manageable". More trees are being felled,to make way for more traffic. The city of Bangalore has had more traffic and more malls,and more employment opportunities in recent years. But all the malls have exactly the same shops! A Levi's showroom,a KFC,an expensive bookstore,and a Westside showroom etc etc. The point is the malls are expensive,and many of them are similar. I don't know if there is even a point I'm driving home here. It's just that semi-duplicity is rampant these days.
The character of a city is not determined by the number of expensive places there are for shopping,and not by the number of fast food places that are there. It is determined by..........
The number of pubs it has! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Ok,sorry. Bangalore rocks!!!!
No,really.
The basic allure of Bangalore might have been in the greenery of the city,in it's climate,in the hospitality of it's people. Not in the malls and in the showrooms and the rest of that jazz.But it is true that this was where pub culture originated. Ok,maybe I'm a bit biased.......Kidding!
Now it's time for a confession: Recently I made a ruthless estimation of my good and bad points. There was one particular trait I could not classify. It was this: An amazing ability to state the obvious.
Now can you,the reader,after having read my blogs,ever say I have stated the obvious? Naaawww......
And among the numerous bad points I listed out,sarcasm was in the top ten. Me??!! Sarcastic?? Those who know me well will be shocked!
OK,just a little bit of humor to lighten the mood a little.
"No Country for Old Men" did not deserve the Best Picture Oscar. I feel it should have been "There will be Blood." What I didn't like about "No Country.." was the fact that there is a lot that is left to the imagination of the viewer,maybe this was what helped it win Best Picture. But I want to watch a movie to be entertained,maybe to be moved,and for me to give me something ponder over. If the moral of the story is that life basically goes on,regardless of what happens,or that nothing will change anyway,then there's no point in my going for a movie is there? I can see that in real life well enough!!
Daniel Day Lewis was brilliant,as usual in "There will..." I think we can only see searing performances from him. Same with Denzel Washington. He can only be excellent. Like in "Philadelphia," where I felt his performance ruled the movie. Although Tom Hanks won the Oscar,I feel Denzel should have at least been nominated. Because it's not only a movie about a lawyer who has AIDS,it's also a movie about a homophobic lawyer who defends a gay man. Same with Edward Norton. It'll be really cool to see him as Bruce Banner,and as the one who transforms to the Incredible Hulk. Heath Ledger,before he passed away was also one who was the role he played.He wasn't an actor who played the part .He was the part. In Indian actors,Aamir Khan is the best of the lot. All these guys give so much of their energy to the role they play that it's a pleasure to see them on screen.
Ok guys,I'm typed out for now. I'll be writing soon. Stay tuned!
Mukund.
In the meantime I've been trying to read a little of the huge backlog of books that I had amassed while being immersed in Academia(Pretending to be immersed in academia,really). One of my favorite authors whose books I had been wanting to read is John Irving. His works are basically black comedy,but there are times when he can be poignant. In addition to being laugh out loud funny,but for the most part his works balance the two. And he does it really well,man.
"Until I find you" is his latest novel,and one of his darker ones.It tells the story of an emotionally numb actor who turns out that way due to the relationships he has with his hippie mother and a host of women who are older than him,but who play a pivotal role in shaping his future character. It also deals with the topic of child abuse,as seen through the eyes of an eleven year old, and the whole issue of how people conceal secrets from you and reveal what they want you to believe and hide away the truth conveniently for their own twisted purposes. The flaw in this novel,as in many others of his,is a tendency to overdescribe. Especially locations and situations. But his characterizations are superbly executed.
"The Water Method Man" is perhaps his funniest novel,about a shallow,self serving young man who sort of drifts through life...and about his embarrasing urinary condition!! How he realises the errors of his ways and tries to rectify them is what his novel is about. It's non linear sequence was something I liked. But after perhaps "The World according to Garp," this is his funniest novel yet.
One thing that I realized after reading "Until I find you" is of the paramount importance of human relationships,especially the ones betwen parents and children. But how something as seemingly trivial as a simple interaction between two people can lead to our lives being a living nightmare,or a wonderful experience,is something I am fascinated by. How they are the subject of virtually every song ever sung in mainstream media,and how therapists come on talk shows to counsel couples at war(or on the brink of divorce) and milk their tragedy to their maximum advantage,and how countless books have been written on the subject.
And yet,this is something that cannot be truly solved in one fell swoop. It needs time,it needs effort,it needs patience, and more than anything it needs people admitting they're wrong,even when they have a great deal invested in appearing to be right,or claiming to be. And the ability to meet the other person midway,even when it's something you really don't want to do.
This theme has been highlighted in "Magnolia," the Paul Thomas Anderson film that shows how the lives of many people intersect on one particular day,and how the only thing people are looking for is love,acceptance,and forgiveness. And those things not being given to them causing them to hate themselves and their lives. It's beautifully acted and well written,but there is one sequence that makes it become a Hindi movie. But the movie still carries itself pretty well.
"Taare Zameen Par" is one of the top 5 Hindi movies of all time. It's fantastic,man. Darsheel Safary is so convincing as a Dyslexic that for a while I really thought he was Mentally Challenged. It is such a beautiful movie that I couldn't stop crying from beginning to end. The way in which children who are "different" are treated in school is fantastic. It is the brutal truth. Although every school tries to tolerate-not encourage,mind you-children with special needs,they fall short and the teachers end up being totally frustrated and hurl out all their frustrations on that poor child. How will a child know? How will a child know that the teacher had a bad day at home and hence is shouting at him more than what is necessary? And imagine the kind of trauma that the child will have to face. It's scary to think about it.
The traffic in Bangalore is becoming worse. The continuum is expanding at an alarming rate. What was intolerable a few years back is now considered "manageable". More trees are being felled,to make way for more traffic. The city of Bangalore has had more traffic and more malls,and more employment opportunities in recent years. But all the malls have exactly the same shops! A Levi's showroom,a KFC,an expensive bookstore,and a Westside showroom etc etc. The point is the malls are expensive,and many of them are similar. I don't know if there is even a point I'm driving home here. It's just that semi-duplicity is rampant these days.
The character of a city is not determined by the number of expensive places there are for shopping,and not by the number of fast food places that are there. It is determined by..........
The number of pubs it has! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!
Ok,sorry. Bangalore rocks!!!!
No,really.
The basic allure of Bangalore might have been in the greenery of the city,in it's climate,in the hospitality of it's people. Not in the malls and in the showrooms and the rest of that jazz.But it is true that this was where pub culture originated. Ok,maybe I'm a bit biased.......Kidding!
Now it's time for a confession: Recently I made a ruthless estimation of my good and bad points. There was one particular trait I could not classify. It was this: An amazing ability to state the obvious.
Now can you,the reader,after having read my blogs,ever say I have stated the obvious? Naaawww......
And among the numerous bad points I listed out,sarcasm was in the top ten. Me??!! Sarcastic?? Those who know me well will be shocked!
OK,just a little bit of humor to lighten the mood a little.
"No Country for Old Men" did not deserve the Best Picture Oscar. I feel it should have been "There will be Blood." What I didn't like about "No Country.." was the fact that there is a lot that is left to the imagination of the viewer,maybe this was what helped it win Best Picture. But I want to watch a movie to be entertained,maybe to be moved,and for me to give me something ponder over. If the moral of the story is that life basically goes on,regardless of what happens,or that nothing will change anyway,then there's no point in my going for a movie is there? I can see that in real life well enough!!
Daniel Day Lewis was brilliant,as usual in "There will..." I think we can only see searing performances from him. Same with Denzel Washington. He can only be excellent. Like in "Philadelphia," where I felt his performance ruled the movie. Although Tom Hanks won the Oscar,I feel Denzel should have at least been nominated. Because it's not only a movie about a lawyer who has AIDS,it's also a movie about a homophobic lawyer who defends a gay man. Same with Edward Norton. It'll be really cool to see him as Bruce Banner,and as the one who transforms to the Incredible Hulk. Heath Ledger,before he passed away was also one who was the role he played.He wasn't an actor who played the part .He was the part. In Indian actors,Aamir Khan is the best of the lot. All these guys give so much of their energy to the role they play that it's a pleasure to see them on screen.
Ok guys,I'm typed out for now. I'll be writing soon. Stay tuned!
Mukund.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Found this saying on John Mayer's Blog and liked it a lot.Now that I have the time to do the things I always wanted to do,I find myself drawn to doing absolutely nothing at all! I am Planning a trip to Mangalore/Manipal and perhaps Mysore,as I need to go to ask for a refund at Manipal University(where I joined a DNB programme before the NIMHANS result came out) and because Mysore is the place where I spent 6 of the best years of my life and haven't visited in a year and a half.
What I like about Mysore is that the side effects of globalization and opportunity haven't yet kicked in there,hence the traffic is manageable, land is not as overpriced as in Bangalore,and you won't find shops squeezing into each other in any street possible in the hope of attracting customers.Instead you will find wide roads and some greenery and one of the most beautiful lakes you'll ever come across in South India.It's called Kukurehalli Kere(Lake). Apologies if I haven't got the spelling right,but my heart is in the right place:-)
In terms of eateries, The Jewel Rock is one of the finest restaurants I have ever been to.Period. The food is good,drinks are reasonable,and the ambiance is good. In fact,it is unique in that everything about that place is NOT EXCELLENT,yet many people of Mysore are bowled over by that place and keep frequenting it. I was one of them,back when I was there.
The palace was,is,and will be the first thing that pops to everybodys mind when the word "Mysore" is spoken but I visited the place only once,and that was because my family was with me when they were waiting to admit me in College,and I haven't gone there since.
You tend to feel comfortable in a place like that, and although I couldn't stand the place during my first 3 years there,towards the end of my course I absolutely loved it,and I sorely miss it to this day.
Apart from that I have been seeing movies that are not new. In fact I just saw Munna Bhai MBBS for the first time about a week back. Yes,I know I know "How the hell have you not seen it?" and all that but I loved it!! It was hilarious and although replete with songs and melodrama ( 2 things I find hard to tolerate in a movie), it raises a lot of issues that are relevant in the practice of Medicine,things like treating the person and not the illness,taking the time to ask the sweeper of your hospital his name,and getting close to your patients,even if that means risking getting hurt if the person doesn't respond favourably,or in the worst case,dies. Because Medicine these days is becoming like any other industry,with Corporations ruling the roost,and money talking all the way through. In fact,money talks to such an extent that some of the Doctors who man the Primary Health Care Centres(PHC'S) take money from patients even though they aren't supposed to
What they are doing is not imminently unjustifiable because the kind of pay they get is really really bad, and they have families to feed and they need more than what they get as their salaries.
But on the other hand,the patients who come there are so poor, and for them to spare even 20 rupees which they give to the Doc ,for services rendered,hurts like hell. And if they have a condition that is beyond the scope of the PHC to treat,then God help them.Because even with the Yashaswini Scheme for Farmers being fully operational,the discounted bill is itself exorbitant for them. Had they been charged the full rates the number of suicides of farmers would have risen drastically.
Which is why health care needs to be more affordable.Because diseases like Cancer,Heart Disease and Diabetes do not have a class preference and affect the rich and the poor equally. The poor are left to wither and the rich tolerate the hand that fate has dealt them,with insurance playing a major supporting role. But even with the best of hospitals,the bottom line is profit. Because if a hospital shuts down,then they will not be in a position to help even if they really want to.
The Hospital that is closest to attaining middle ground is Narayana Hrudayalaya,where you find the best of consultants and where the rates are as subsidised as is practically possible. The "charge the rich and serve poor " philosophy works there,if not perfectly then as close to ideal as possible
Anyways that's it for now..more later. Take care and try to be charitable.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Hello!!!
I'm back!! After a self imposed exile of 2 months where I was trying for a residency amidst the toughest competition I have ever faced..believe me I faced the same set of exams last year but it was nothing compared to the intensity this year. Survival of the Fittest would be the principle applicable here...people have realised that only the toughest get in..and so it is in 2008.
The good news is that I have been shortlisted for a Diploma in Psychiatry in NIMHANS...and I am not going to say anything until counselling is over and I submit my documents and sign in as a student there.
These exams have made me very superstitious. I refuse to believe anything until it is 100% sure,and I sign on paper with the instituion I am supposed to be a part of.
The other thing of import that has happened during these 2 months is the death of Heath Ledger. A great actor who will be immortalized as Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain" and as The Joker in The Dark Knight come July 18th this year.
And Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. As with most things political these days, the elements are Terrorists,A Dictator losing grip on the country he has been ruling over for the past 10 years, and more Terrorists.
We were at the receiving end of some horrible umpiring by Steve Bucknor in Australia, someone whom I thought of as being one of the more sensible umpires of recent times. But the shitty decisions he gave made me want to haul his ass and pack it off for good to The Windies or Honduras or wherever he is from. And I think that is the treatment that should be meted out to him.
I also had the pleasure of going to The Christian Medical College in Vellore to attend an interview for a Diploma in Psychiatry residency there. While the interview result was one that I had not expected(I was not in the main list,but am 3rd in the waiting), I saw exactly how much of an impact that Hospital has for the town and for the whole of India in general. I stayed for a day in a small lodge in a street opposite the town campus of the hospital, and the street was crowded as hell with lodges,shops,restaurants and messes of all nationalities(from Punjabi ones to Bengali) and the streets were filled with people from all over the country-presumably relatives of patients who were admitted in the Hospital, and the hospital itself is top notch.
What I did not expect was to have a Professor of Psychiatry personally give me a samosa while I was waiting for my interview call!(I was too nervous to eat and politely refused...hope that didn't piss him off..maybe it did. Is that why I wasn't in the main list??!! Kidding) That gesture spoke volumes for me...the rest of the staff in the whole hospital are rumored to have the same attitude when it comes to patient care. And I would love to work there. For the simple reason that I want to see what it is that makes these distinguished,top-notch Doctors work in a place like that for a pay that is so low when any other corporate hospital would welcome them with open arms with salaries that are at least 5 times what they are getting there. I can give them the highest compliment I can offer.
These 2 months have taken quite a beating on my psyche..I have been enormously stressed and I have wasted a lot of time in worrying,time which could have been better spent in studying, but hindsight is always 20:20 and so it is that I can now look back and say that I could have done more.
Let the counselling at NIMHANS get over then I can be all jubiliant and euphoric. But until then its strictly fingers crossed.
If i seem a but disoriented,it's because its 3.45 in the morning! My old habit of studying till late at night hasn't left me..yet!!
More later.
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