Memories:: That old lady..

Today AHSEC Class-XII results were out and this somehow reminded me this very day of my life..

Evening hours, 6th June, 1999...

On that day me and my papa were returning from Kolkata to Guwahati by train after appearing for my BHU MBBS entrance examination (which I didn't qualify..:-))..

Next day i.e. on 7th June, 1999 my Class-XII results were about to declare.. From the morning hours of 7th June my tension for my result was gradually increasing. Those days papa didn't have a mobile connection.. Most probably at that time mobile connections were available only at Guwahati in Assam, nowhere else.. The train was already running late and due to some reasons it was stopped twice for several hours in the midst of some paddy fields.. In the stations where the train stopped for some time didn't have a public telephone booth.. I was somewhat restless.. You can easily guess my tension I suppose .. I tried in vain to relax myself by playing for sometime with the 2 little kids which were in the same coupe/cabin with their parents.. At last I thought it to be better to open some books as my Assam MBBS entrance exam was approaching in July 31.. But to be true that was also of no use.. Then this very old lady, a begger, entered our coup.. I had some money with me which papa provided in case I needed during the journey.. Usually I give one or two rupees to such persons and don't know why, but I handed over  that lady a ten rupees note.. She became too glad and then she left by saying, "Don't worry, your exams will be good.." Most probably by seeing some books with me she could presume about my exams and thats why she said like that.. But you know, I felt too blessed..

At around 12.30 am of 8th June, 1999 we reached Guwahati railway station.. After gathering all our luggage papa went to call Maa at our landline no.. After sometime he returned and delivered me the news.. I got star marks with letter marks (>80%) in 3 subjects, viz Physics, Chemistry and Biology.. I touched papa's feet and papa kissed me on my forehead with emotions.. But in the meantime I was suddenly involuntarily reminded of that old lady who blessed me..

I know, that was merely a coincidence, but deep inside my heart even today I can still feel her blessings...

The chocolate and the shopkeeper.. :-):-)

This Sunday I went to Hojai, Nagaon (Assam) to attend a blood donation camp which was scheduled on Monday.. At Jagiroad we stopped for a while to have some tea and there I met one of my school friend Pranjal Deka with his 2 yrs old daughter.. His wife is also my school friend, but at that moment she was inside a shop to buy something.. I took the baby to the nearby stationary shop and bought her a chocolate which she accepted with a too cute smile... After sometime her mother was back and the baby joyfully showed her the chocolate..

But you know.. When her mother asked who gave her the chocolate, the baby signalled towards the shopkeeper and we just couldn't stop laughing..

Wah baby wah.. I spent the money and the credit went to the shopkeeper... :-):-)

Maa

Yesterday afternoon I came to my hometown Morigaon. After reaching there, I directly went to the chamber where I recently started seeing patients.. At around 8 pm after I finished my work, Papa came to receive me. After I reached home, Maa became busy preparing the dinner.. I was talking to papa along with watching some programs at the TV.
During dinner Maa enquired, "Aren't you feeling well Baba?"

I replied with a smile that everything was fine.. She didn't ask me anything else, but in her expression it became apparent that she was not that much convinced..

You see, for last 3 days I am having some problems which I won't like to discuss with many.. During these 3 days, as usual I was attending my duties at GMCH, as usual I was attending my clinic at Guwahati, day before yesterday I attended one of my relative's place for dinner.. Even yesterday I updated one status at Facebook describing one funny incident with one of my patients.. And after reaching home yesterday, it was not Maa, but I was mainly talking to papa till dinner.. Starting from my friends, colleagues to relatives to papa, nobody noticed anything.. Nobody to blame.. Actually I tried my best to conceal some of the recent happenings.. But my Maa sensed it within seconds even if I didn't show anything.. Thats where a mother stands apart.. Love you Maa.. Hope I could get back my childhood days once again.. !!!

Percentage of resemblance !!! :-):-)

Today one patient told me that I look like actor Manoj Bajpayee!!!

I asked, "Is it?"

He replied, "Yes sir, 80%.."

I smiled and thanked him..
What to say, he even calculated the percentage.... :-):-):-)

A pleasant ride.. :-):-)

That day I was at my hometown Morigaon and at around 8pm I went to one of my cousin's place.. My companion was my 3yrs old niece sitting at the fuel tank of my bike.. Initially she didn't allow me to drive even at the speed of 30km/hr.

In her language, "Actually this is Kaka's (my papa's) "BHANGA BIKE" (broken bike), so we should not drive fast.."

God knows who taught her that term for the old bike..

But as we were returning and as some other bikes crossed us, her viewpoint changed..

She told me, "Oo doctor dada, amiu sihatar nisina speed'ot salau diana!!!" [["Doctor dada, let us also drive fast like them..!!!"]]

Its then that I realized.. Not only me, but she was also driving the same bike sitting on the fuel tank.. That means 2 drivers for the same bike !!! You know, thats the pleasure being with a child... :-):-)

Being a diabetic..

SCENE 1:

That day I went to one of my relative's house.. I was invited for dinner.. Auntie is a very good cook and as usual she prepared everything so tasty.. After the dinner was over, uncle, a known diabetic for several years on regular medications, told me,

"do you know Partha, what's the tragedy being a diabetic?"

I didn't answer and just kept looking at him.. Actually I was confused what he was upto..

He continued, "You see, both of us had finished dinner.. But to be true, I can take double of the amount of which I've consumed just now.. That means I've to control.. Just control and control..And this control is not for a single day.. Starting several years back, this control is for the whole rest of my life... You can't just escape.. !!!"

SCENE 2:

Another uncle, who is also a known diabetic on regular insulin, with whom I casually discussed the above incident told me,

"My problem is somewhat different, yeah, the control part is really a tragedy.. But you know what disturbs me a lot.. Its the overpowering.. Everybody in the family can decide what I can eat.. But not me.. I am now 73, and after a diabetic life of more than 3 decades I know it well what is good for me and what is not.. I know they (the family members) are conscious about my health and I am thankful to them, but sometimes I feel like I am under some dictatorship and that irritates and makes me real sad.."

MY VIEWPOINTS::

You know.. Both these uncles are real close to me and whatever they had disclosed was the flow of their unexpressed emotions.. Both of them never expected nor these are some grounds to avoid diet control and all those medicines.. But its also true that when we care for somebody, sometimes we eventually fail to understand the human being trapped inside the physical body dependant on some medications!!!!

Humanity lost :: a mother and a son !!!

Day before yesterday one of my distant relatives called me. Her son is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Guwahati for more than one month and she called me to enquire about his present condition.. She was vigorously crying during the 1st half of the call and I became too emotional for her.. You can easily imagine, anybody can understand a mother's feelings when her young married son with 2 little kids suffers from some diseases which take too long to get cured.. For more than 1 month her son and daughter in law are staying at the hospital leaving behind their kids with her.. I informed her that I'll surely talk to the consulting doctors and let her know about the present status.. She could feel my sympathy towards her and stopped crying; but what she said next just totally changed my attitude towards her..

"Both of them (her son and daughter in law) are at Guwahati leaving the kids with me and now I am having much trouble managing their children.. Ask the doctors to discharge him if the treatment might be any more prolonged.."

You know, I never expected a mother (and a grandmother) to speak like this.. She is having trouble managing her grandchildren, so her son should be discharged from the hospital even at the cost of his life!!! Simply unbelievable.. !!!

I asked her, "Actually Auntie, I am getting confused what's the main problem that is bothering you.. Is it that your son is suffering from some diseases or is it that your son is not getting cured and his treatment is taking a long course.. Or is it simply that you are having trouble to manage your grandchildren?"

She replied, "Let them handle their kids themselves!!!"

I was shocked to hear all these.. I replied, "Just because you've some trouble managing two little kids aged 5 and 8 years, you want me to ask the doctors to discharge your son from the hospital even if his condition deteriorates after that.. I can't do that.. But I'll surely enquire about his well being.. And I wanna tell you one thing.. For the first time in my entire life I've met such a mother and a grandmother like you!!!"

Whatever may be the reason, I can never imagine a mother for whom the life of her son is less valuable than her trouble... And what is the trouble? Its being the guardian of 2 little kids for some days or months..

You know, till that day I had this misinterpretation that in this present era only the kids have become too materialistic.. But I am sorry to say, I've seen degradation of moral values and destruction of motherly affection in this lady.. And I hope, I won't meet any such in future..

But if you think in other way, there might be history of neglect and misbehavior to that mother from that son and daughter in law in their good times.. It might be like she is too fond of her grandchildren, but sometimes when her mental agony as the neglected mother takes over the charge over her affection, her emotion outbursts and she speaks out something which seems to be inappropriate for a mother and a grandmother.. Recently there happened an incident where a daughter murdered her mother by some professional killers just to have some monetary benefit.. There are lots more examples...

Nothing more to say.. Rest to think and decide is upto you!!!!

Humanity lost :: Lady's seat !!!

Yesterday at around 2pm I boarded a city bus from Bhangagarh to Khanapara (Guwahati). I had to go to my hometown Morigaon from there. Being the May Day, very few buses were there and the bus was also too crowded.. Halfway the bus was boarded by one pair of young couple..

After a moment the husband started shouting at the conductor, ""Lady's seat pe betha do !!! " (Accommodate her at the Lady's seat..)

I was already standing and at his repeated shouting I casually checked whether there was any vacant Lady's seat.. At first I didn't see any, but then I noticed one thin and very old man with grey hairs leaving a Lady's seat.. There were already two nos. of middle aged women standing beside that seat and they didn't have any complaint regarding the old man occupying a seat reserved for the women.. And from the facial expression and the posture of that old man it became clearly apparent that he was not that much strong to travel standing on a running bus.. But who cares.. This young lady already happily occupied that seat..

I didn't feel pity for the weak old man.. Rather I felt pity for this young couple.. They are even more weaker !!!