Whatever I have written so far has been all cutie cutie stuff. Let me warn you, this is dark, unpleasant.
I have spent 13 years, 2 months and 1 day in medical education. I started my M.B.B.S. on 31st July 1995. I completed my fellowship on 30th September 2008. This involved 41/2 years of M.B.B.S., 1 year internship. The next year was spent travelling to Pune for coaching classes. Then a year of random house posts till my M.S. began in 2003. After completing my M.S. I spent 9 months faffing around, with 2 months cataract surgery training till I got my VR fellowship.
I remember my desperation to get the fellowship. I remember thinking if I don't do VR, I might as well give up ophthalmology & medicine. I remember jumping with joy when I received a call from SN's HR dept guy saying I was selected. And, I remember 2 years of hard work. All to be a VR surgeon.
What if it had not been so??? I could have joined a Diploma in Ophthalmology based on my rank in the first CET. I would have finished it by Dec 2003 or Jan 2004. 2 years before my M.S. I would have done it someplace other than Bombay, would never have been exposed to VR. Would have been more than happy to do cataracts. I would have been happy to do refractions for kids & 40+ year old people, to treat itching & styes. (Would also not have met Hari probably, but that is not the point of this).
I put in a lot of effort. So did so many other people. My parents. They also spent a lot of money in the course, though dad absolutely does not mind or complain. Madhura's parents who put me up at their place every weekend for about 8 months, when I went to Pune for my coaching classes. Punch uncle & Shefu who gave me a home when I did my post graduation in Bombay. These people all have a hand in me being what I am.
What about sacrifices??? I remember Mom teaching me English. Mainly involved a post lunch session, with her lying down on the sofa, me on the floor & both fast asleep in half an hour. I could have done more of other things, continued my painting or dance, learnt French, read some more books, put on less weight.
All to call myself a VR Surgeon.
It sounds like a joke now. Towards the end of my fellowship, I could not wait to finish so I could say 'I am a VR surgeon'. Now when somebody asks me, it sounds like somebody playing a sarcastic prank on me.
I have to get out of this. Have to. Before all the effort goes waste. I am reaching the point of no return. If I don't rectify this now, all will be lost.
Wish me luck. :-)
Friday, March 6, 2009
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Proposal :-)
Yeah, yeah I know.... Too late to be writing about it. And yes the name sounds like something off a mafia flick. 28th November 2007 was the day I saw Hari for the first time. I had been chatting online with him form the 1st of October, but met him on this day. One year has gone by & I was having a sentimental, Hindi filmy ishtyle flashback.
At the time I started chatting to Hari & even when we met, me & my parents had been actively & frustratingly groom hunting for over a year & a half..... Albeit results were few. When I met Hari, he was aware of this. We were met as friends, who shared a common interest on books. And food :-P.
Well we met for the first time on 28th Nov, then a couple of days later, then again a couple of days later..... Well we were seeing each other every other day. Somewhere around the 12th of December, when it was our 7th or 8th time together, Hari suddenly turns around & says "Why do you want to marry someone else? Marry me." At that time my response was nothing too great. In fact if memory serves me right it went something along the lines of are you crazy. Now its down in the annals of history that I did say yes.
There is a point to all this pointless rambling. Every girl I am sure has at sometime thought about how some prince charming would propose to her. What with all the movies around us. I really wonder how many actually formally do so. India or Abroad. At some point in a relationship don't you just realise that yes we are gonna marry. And in arranged marriages, I guess it is a moot point.
But me the ever romantic always thought of such scenarios. And when it did happen, did not think much of it. But later, now, when I am all married & Mrs. Sri Hari Kumar & all, whenever I see a proposal in a movie, it brings back that day.
And I think it was the most beautiful proposal ever. I could not have asked more. The spontaneous way he said it, when it was so very unexpected, just goes to prove how much he loves me. And I love my dear Hari very very much.
At the time I started chatting to Hari & even when we met, me & my parents had been actively & frustratingly groom hunting for over a year & a half..... Albeit results were few. When I met Hari, he was aware of this. We were met as friends, who shared a common interest on books. And food :-P.
Well we met for the first time on 28th Nov, then a couple of days later, then again a couple of days later..... Well we were seeing each other every other day. Somewhere around the 12th of December, when it was our 7th or 8th time together, Hari suddenly turns around & says "Why do you want to marry someone else? Marry me." At that time my response was nothing too great. In fact if memory serves me right it went something along the lines of are you crazy. Now its down in the annals of history that I did say yes.
There is a point to all this pointless rambling. Every girl I am sure has at sometime thought about how some prince charming would propose to her. What with all the movies around us. I really wonder how many actually formally do so. India or Abroad. At some point in a relationship don't you just realise that yes we are gonna marry. And in arranged marriages, I guess it is a moot point.
But me the ever romantic always thought of such scenarios. And when it did happen, did not think much of it. But later, now, when I am all married & Mrs. Sri Hari Kumar & all, whenever I see a proposal in a movie, it brings back that day.
And I think it was the most beautiful proposal ever. I could not have asked more. The spontaneous way he said it, when it was so very unexpected, just goes to prove how much he loves me. And I love my dear Hari very very much.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Chennai & the places I have lived in
I have lived in Chennai for 2 years, 1 month & 21 days as of , 23rd Nov 2008. I came here on 2nd Oct 2006 to join my fellowship at SN. Believe it or not, in this time I have lived in 3 homes & been associated with a 4th. I use the word homes, even though it sounds funny as I dislike to use house.
Well, the first place I lived in (this can be called a house) was the hostel-flat SN provided us with. Though much better than the hostel room in KEM at Mumbai, I would any day prefer the KEM hostel. A large flat with 5 bedrooms, I was initially in a room with 3 other girls. Then I shifted to another room which I shared with another girl. Somehow, I was never comfortable & happy there & soon shifted out.
The Home I shifted to was New no 5, Old no 11, lake area, Behind Valluvar Kottam. This was Home. A lovely place with nice people as my landlords, who lived below. Or rather I lived on the first floor of their banglow. It brought me peace & happiness. A lot of people asked me if I was lonely living alone. Well, I was not. I was happy & satisfied. It was also while living there that I came to know Hari. (Not that I met him in that home. Just that I lived there when it happened).
The Beautiful sit out, where baba is standing, was a lovely place to relax after a days hard work. The funny part is I always wanted to take photos of the place but ended up doing so just before I left the home. This photo of Dad is taken on my wedding day evening when we came back from the hotel after the wedding.
This is my room. Mom asleep. This is on 22nd August morning, when I was getting ready to go to the Kula Daivum. I vacated the home on this day evening. Still miss it, in some ways.
Which brings in the almost home place. No actually it was home. Hari's place at Choolaimedu. I spent so much time there, It was more home to me than my own place :-D. Spent some memorable days in that place. Our relationship was built at this home. Hari missed this home a lot after we moved out...... So did I.
And the fourth place is Our Home now at Kilpauk. Lovely place. I love it. This is the place where we begin our lives together. Hari loves decorating the place. The lamps, the Ship with sails & the brass things are some of his favourites.
Well, the first place I lived in (this can be called a house) was the hostel-flat SN provided us with. Though much better than the hostel room in KEM at Mumbai, I would any day prefer the KEM hostel. A large flat with 5 bedrooms, I was initially in a room with 3 other girls. Then I shifted to another room which I shared with another girl. Somehow, I was never comfortable & happy there & soon shifted out.
The Home I shifted to was New no 5, Old no 11, lake area, Behind Valluvar Kottam. This was Home. A lovely place with nice people as my landlords, who lived below. Or rather I lived on the first floor of their banglow. It brought me peace & happiness. A lot of people asked me if I was lonely living alone. Well, I was not. I was happy & satisfied. It was also while living there that I came to know Hari. (Not that I met him in that home. Just that I lived there when it happened).
The Beautiful sit out, where baba is standing, was a lovely place to relax after a days hard work. The funny part is I always wanted to take photos of the place but ended up doing so just before I left the home. This photo of Dad is taken on my wedding day evening when we came back from the hotel after the wedding.
This is my room. Mom asleep. This is on 22nd August morning, when I was getting ready to go to the Kula Daivum. I vacated the home on this day evening. Still miss it, in some ways.
Which brings in the almost home place. No actually it was home. Hari's place at Choolaimedu. I spent so much time there, It was more home to me than my own place :-D. Spent some memorable days in that place. Our relationship was built at this home. Hari missed this home a lot after we moved out...... So did I.
And the fourth place is Our Home now at Kilpauk. Lovely place. I love it. This is the place where we begin our lives together. Hari loves decorating the place. The lamps, the Ship with sails & the brass things are some of his favourites.
There is a lot of us in every place we live & a lot of that place in us. They mould & shape us. Build our character. Teach us to survive. The hostel taught me to live with people I did not know in harmony. Being an only child this was an important lesson. Living alone later taught me to look after myself & my need on my own. The responsibilities of running a home. Hari's home brought us together & gave our lives a new direction. And Our home helps us build our lives together. In love .......
Friday, August 15, 2008
Wedding Preparations ...
Pheeeew!!!!! Am I exhausted or am I???? I have or rather Hari & I have spent the last month running around all over the world, i.e. Chennai, getting together all the stuff.
It began on the 25th. Actually a little before that as we both had been jewellery surveying even before. On the 25th after meeting Hari's grandmother, Dad & I spent the day hotel scouting & jewellery shopping. The next day went in Sarees & Hari's clothes. The day after rushing from Hotel to hotel to book a lunch.... Apparently all of Chennai & then some are getting married on the 21st.
The temple proved to be a surprising challenge. Vadapalani temple was visited by us at 6 am. (Yes, yes we 2 lazy bums woke up at 5 am that day). Only to be told to come back at 10!!!! This was followed by a looooong list of documents that needed to be submitted. After a round of scanning & e-mailing passport & ration card copies, & then couriering no objection certificates, we gave up on that temple. Had we decided on that, we would probably get married only in our next lifetime. We are now to be married at Perumal Koil, a smaller temple that takes your invite, Rs 3500 & lets u get married!!! How sensible :-)
We got the rings made (with our nicknames for each other engraved inside :-P). Then came the frantic search for toe rings, with me measuring it & telling dad on the phone.... He He.
Other than Me & my jewellery, I think the most beautiful part is our wedding card.
It began on the 25th. Actually a little before that as we both had been jewellery surveying even before. On the 25th after meeting Hari's grandmother, Dad & I spent the day hotel scouting & jewellery shopping. The next day went in Sarees & Hari's clothes. The day after rushing from Hotel to hotel to book a lunch.... Apparently all of Chennai & then some are getting married on the 21st.
The temple proved to be a surprising challenge. Vadapalani temple was visited by us at 6 am. (Yes, yes we 2 lazy bums woke up at 5 am that day). Only to be told to come back at 10!!!! This was followed by a looooong list of documents that needed to be submitted. After a round of scanning & e-mailing passport & ration card copies, & then couriering no objection certificates, we gave up on that temple. Had we decided on that, we would probably get married only in our next lifetime. We are now to be married at Perumal Koil, a smaller temple that takes your invite, Rs 3500 & lets u get married!!! How sensible :-)
We got the rings made (with our nicknames for each other engraved inside :-P). Then came the frantic search for toe rings, with me measuring it & telling dad on the phone.... He He.
Other than Me & my jewellery, I think the most beautiful part is our wedding card.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Senior Residency .....
See.... I told u, I am bad at writing up stuff. As this blog says, my last post was on 28th March. Too bad. And here I had glorious ideas of starting another blog for my work related stuff.... Mainly to crib about work & patients :-P
But as that does not seem likely, I shall continue here. I have been a senior resident since April. Obviously more work & more responsibility. Has been hectic, to say the least. But have also learnt a lot. Handling sooooooo many patients, has increased my knowledge & competence many fold.
There have been many various things related to this. I shall put up separate entries for it as & when I get around to doing it.
Mainly I learnt a lot in this period. About diseases, diagnosis & treatment. Also about attitudes, of patients & co workers.
On a personal level, I had many ups & downs. Downs being Mom's surgery & my multiple attacks of flu (for which I blame the high levels of stress we face). The major UP is obviously my Wedding :-)
But as that does not seem likely, I shall continue here. I have been a senior resident since April. Obviously more work & more responsibility. Has been hectic, to say the least. But have also learnt a lot. Handling sooooooo many patients, has increased my knowledge & competence many fold.
There have been many various things related to this. I shall put up separate entries for it as & when I get around to doing it.
Mainly I learnt a lot in this period. About diseases, diagnosis & treatment. Also about attitudes, of patients & co workers.
On a personal level, I had many ups & downs. Downs being Mom's surgery & my multiple attacks of flu (for which I blame the high levels of stress we face). The major UP is obviously my Wedding :-)
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Orkut.....
Orkut....
I wonder what that word means to any of us.
To me... Well lets see.
Me poor dumbo from a small town heard of Orkut for the first time when I came to Sankara Nethralaya. Apparently it had spread like wild fire just before I joined & so obviously our computer department (called EDP for reasons unknown) blocked the site. Thus I hear of this fancy place & how you can keep in touch with your friends or meet people long lost or make new friends.
When I got my computer in Jan 07 I too came onto Orkut. I too caught up with friends online. I too found long lost friends. And I too made new friends.
Most significant of all, I met Hari on Orkut. He approached with a friends request seeing my interest in books & we struck out from there. Not where I had expected to find my soul mate. My love. But I did. Strange ways of the world.
Yes, I too had my share of crank friend requests. Most people on Orkut, especially girls must have experienced this. We all have heard about the murder of a guy in Mumbai by friends he met on Orkut. And now a days I see so much of stuff that makes it look like a cheap pornography site.
Hey, don't get me wrong. I am not against sex or freedom of expression or public display of affection. But I do draw the line at crude, cheap stuff. Which seems to be on the increase on Orcut.
Not intending to sound like a member of the so called morale brigade. (Look at my earlier post India Public Ltd, if u doubt my perspective). But, I feel people should leave some place like this clean for just friendship. Take their sexual preferences elsewhere. But I guess that i not easy to do, as any site for those purposes would be banned/obscene/unapproachable.
Wonder how to get around such issues.....
I wonder what that word means to any of us.
To me... Well lets see.
Me poor dumbo from a small town heard of Orkut for the first time when I came to Sankara Nethralaya. Apparently it had spread like wild fire just before I joined & so obviously our computer department (called EDP for reasons unknown) blocked the site. Thus I hear of this fancy place & how you can keep in touch with your friends or meet people long lost or make new friends.
When I got my computer in Jan 07 I too came onto Orkut. I too caught up with friends online. I too found long lost friends. And I too made new friends.
Most significant of all, I met Hari on Orkut. He approached with a friends request seeing my interest in books & we struck out from there. Not where I had expected to find my soul mate. My love. But I did. Strange ways of the world.
Yes, I too had my share of crank friend requests. Most people on Orkut, especially girls must have experienced this. We all have heard about the murder of a guy in Mumbai by friends he met on Orkut. And now a days I see so much of stuff that makes it look like a cheap pornography site.
Hey, don't get me wrong. I am not against sex or freedom of expression or public display of affection. But I do draw the line at crude, cheap stuff. Which seems to be on the increase on Orcut.
Not intending to sound like a member of the so called morale brigade. (Look at my earlier post India Public Ltd, if u doubt my perspective). But, I feel people should leave some place like this clean for just friendship. Take their sexual preferences elsewhere. But I guess that i not easy to do, as any site for those purposes would be banned/obscene/unapproachable.
Wonder how to get around such issues.....
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Me a cook :-)
Have not written anything for very long. Hari eats up all my time. :-D
Am happy. At peace.
The best part is we both get along so well. It is really like we were made for each other. I remember Sheena used to tell me I will find someone who likes me for exactly what I am. He is that person. He absolutely likes all things about me. (Strange) Just my cleanliness streak bugs him... But he too is getting into cleaning & wiping everything. He he.
No new eating places discovered. The month of Dec & Jan whenever I went to his place we got food from some nearby small hotels as he had no cooking stuff at home. His house was a typical bachelors pad. Then one weekend I got sick of it & cooked at my place & he liked it. Or so I think. Then we got microwave, fridge, gas, vessels & his place is now a proper home... Poor Hari. Since then we are cooking at home. Trying all sorts of stuff. He has been living on hotel food for very long. Many years actually. So he wants home food more. & I like cooking... So its good. Our fridge ends up with most of the supermarket in it. Should put up a photo of it here :-)
Have discovered & made a few new dishes. Got a new tandoori chicken thing going. Fed it to mom & dad too. They said it was great.
Hari cooks too. His schezuan noodles. Chicken or mutton with 'rasam'. He's getting good at tossing up stuff as he says. Jokes apart he does cook real good. So maybe I should call this blog 'WE' a cook instead. But I wont. Wanna steal all the limelight for myself.
Am happy. At peace.
The best part is we both get along so well. It is really like we were made for each other. I remember Sheena used to tell me I will find someone who likes me for exactly what I am. He is that person. He absolutely likes all things about me. (Strange) Just my cleanliness streak bugs him... But he too is getting into cleaning & wiping everything. He he.
No new eating places discovered. The month of Dec & Jan whenever I went to his place we got food from some nearby small hotels as he had no cooking stuff at home. His house was a typical bachelors pad. Then one weekend I got sick of it & cooked at my place & he liked it. Or so I think. Then we got microwave, fridge, gas, vessels & his place is now a proper home... Poor Hari. Since then we are cooking at home. Trying all sorts of stuff. He has been living on hotel food for very long. Many years actually. So he wants home food more. & I like cooking... So its good. Our fridge ends up with most of the supermarket in it. Should put up a photo of it here :-)
Have discovered & made a few new dishes. Got a new tandoori chicken thing going. Fed it to mom & dad too. They said it was great.
Hari cooks too. His schezuan noodles. Chicken or mutton with 'rasam'. He's getting good at tossing up stuff as he says. Jokes apart he does cook real good. So maybe I should call this blog 'WE' a cook instead. But I wont. Wanna steal all the limelight for myself.
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