Jaya’s mother left for her eternal abode
There was some problem in the central line catheter inserted in a vein of Jaya’s mother as the IV fluids were not moving properly because of swellings in her hand. Yesterday, the doctor advised for getting it changed to some other place by a surgeon in the morning. She was so taken to the operation theatre in the morning. But the surgeon couldn’t find suitable place as her swellings spread to other parts of the body. The only possible place left was internal jugular veins, which the oncologist did not agree as that’s the area which was getting the radiations.
Later on in the morning, her health deteriorated further and she was then moved to ICU for intensive care. At 12:07 pm Baghdad time, Jaya called me. I was in my office then. She was crying profusely and just managed to tell that her mother is no more. I messaged Babai immediately as he was in class then. He called me after 20 minutes. I told him everything then.
My colleagues were consoling me and expressing their condolences. After I reached home from office I called Jaya’s father as Jaya didn’t pick her phone. He informed that they have brought her home from hospital and they were preparing for her funeral. Then he gave the phone to Guruji. It’s good that Jaya’s maa went for her eternal journey in presence of Guruji. It was just an unplanned visit for them. His son, Sudarshan came for Chennai so they just went to Allahabad to see her. Sudarshan went back to Varanasi, Guruji stayed back.
I am planning to go there next week for ‘Shraaddha’ (special rites performed for departed souls by their sons). We believe that the shraaddha rites are necessary so that the journey after death of our parents, who have taken utmost care of us during our childhood, becomes comfortable and without any distress, and that they acquire momentum for moving to the next higher region in the afterlife.
We will miss you, Maa! Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
Telegram is becoming history now
On July 14, India will send its last telegram. From July 15, BSNL which operates the telegram services in India will discontinue the 163-year-old service. It was in 1850, when subcontinent’s first telegram was transmitted from Calcutta to Diamond Harbour, a distance of ~50 km. The world’s first ever telegram was sent by Samuel F.B. Morse in Washington DC in 1844.
More than the Internet and email, it is the mobile phone that has led to the demise of the original character-constrained mode of communication. Because of higher cost, people used to send urgent and serious messages in brief via telegram. The arrival of a telegram could make the heart skip a beat or the stomachs tighten.
After joining Punjab National Bank as Management Trainee, we were sent to various parts of India for training. I remember we then used to communicate to our family through telegrams. Telegrams were then the fastest mode of communications. I also liked the way the message was printed on a thin strip of paper that was then pasted on a larger sheet to be delivered to the addressee.
After joining bank, I have sent many official encrypted telegrams for financial transactions. Even we used to wire our key figures to Regional Office after closing of each half-year. We used to have code books and formulas to generate the test key and then that was suffixed to the message for sending via telegram. On receiving the tested or encrypted telegrams, we used to decipher the codes and match with contents to apply the message. This is the reason that funds transfers are still called as wire transfers or TT (Telegraphic Transfers). The telegraph also revolutionized the news industry and we still call our news agencies wire services.
I have not sent a telegram in a long time but the thought of the service, although past its shelf life, makes me nostalgic. Yes, I feel nostalgia for its passing. RIP Telegram! It’s end of an era.
Maa is out of ICU today
Maa is not able to take radiations for more than three consecutive days. After three days she is becoming very sick. This time she became serious after her radiations on Saturday. Her blood pressure was dropping, pulse was increasing. On the advice of the doctor she was moved to ICU for better monitoring and stabilizing her conditions.
Her ECG was okay. The blood tests showed that serum sodium, serum potassium and blood sugar were below normal. Immediately she was put on IV medications for restoring these to normal levels.
By the grace of the God, the blood test results today showed that she is near normal. She is today back to her old room,
The oncologist informed us that there is positive improvement after radiation treatment. Thank God! She said that she would like to complete 20 doses now and then she will discharge maa for 2 weeks. Maa has got 14 doses of radiations, so far. After 2 week rest, she will administer 10 more radiation doses.
I am just praying that my maa gets better now.
An afternoon with friends
I returned home early today as there was not much volume of work leaving the office at the hands of Mustafa & Ibrahim. I told them that they might call me if needed as I was leaving for home.
After reaching home, I received an invitation from Ouss for having lunch with them on Facebook chat. It has been a long time that we have properly met. So, I immediately accepted his offer. He said that he would come to pick me up at circa 3.30 pm.
Ouss called me at 3.15 pm and told me that he is waiting in his car outside the gate of our complex. I was ready by then. I got down immediately and we drove down to his house. They also stay close by.
Soon after reaching their house, Teeba laid the lunch on the table. Their daughter Deema has started helping her mother. Hmmm, she is growing up! Girls grow up fast. Their younger kid – Hassony was busy in games on iPad.
Teeba served kibbeh shorba, salads, baba ghanoush, pickles, chicken biryani, and yoghurt. All the items were delicious. I would have licked my fingers had I used my hand while eating. I have enjoyed dishes cooked by Teeba before also. She is a lovely cook.
One of our friends, Rafeef also stays near to their house. She joined us after our lunch. We had nice gossips while sipping tea. Our gossips continued while we savoured ice cream.
I didn’t realize that I was there for four hours until I saw the clock hanging on the wall. It was 7.15 pm then. I asked Ouss to drop me at my house back. Rafeef, Teeba & Ouss drove me back to my house.
Thanks to my friends – Teeba & Ouss for making my otherwise lazy, lonely afternoon wonderful.
It’s a public holiday today in Baghdad, but we are in office
Today has been declared as a public holiday in Baghdad to commemorate the death of Imam Moussa ibn Jaafar al-Kadhim, the seventh of 12 principal Shiite imams, who died in 799. Shiites walk for hours, and often for days, from across the country to reach the mosque in Kadhimiyah, known for its twin golden domes. The mosque was built atop what were believed to be the tombs of Imam al-Kadhim and his grandson – Imam Muhammad al-Taqi, the ninth of 12 principal Shiite imams.
Hundreds of thousands of Shiite pilgrims converged on the golden-domed shrine as security forces tightened security after a wave of deadly attacks across Iraq. Many of the main streets in Baghdad were closed in recent days to prevent attacks on the pilgrims, who travel on foot.
The traffic restrictions caused hardships to many of my colleagues. Many of them couldn’t come to the bank yesterday. The working hour was reduced by one hour since Sunday. Yesterday, it was decreased by two hours so that all the employees could reach home safe and in time.
The holiday has been declared today only in Baghdad province. Therefore, all our branches outside Baghdad province are working as a normal business day. So, the banking system will be fully operational today. The branches need support from head office as well as some transactions need authorizations. All routine checks are to be carried out to ensure the transactions are booked and recorded properly. So the back office is open today.
An empty Baghdad road
I am in the office to supervise the back office work and for authorizing the required transactions. I stay in the office complex and hence it’s not a problem for me. Mustafa stays close by and so he has come. Ibrahim also can manage to come to office walking, so he too has come today. The vehicles are not allowed on the road today in Baghdad. As the Baghdad branches, and Head Office are closed, so the volume of work is much less today.
“If you have a work instead of a job, every day is holiday” ― Paulo Coelho
Happy World Environment Day to everyone! Today is also World Environment Day. Let’s make it everyday.
Happy birthday, Akhtar!
Yesterday, Akhtar invited me for dinner at his house. He has come to Baghdad about a week ago. Thanks to Facebook calendar, I remembered that today is his birthday. Last year I was not here last year around. But last to last year, Prasad & I went to his house with a cake on his birthday.
In the evening at around 7.30pm I walked down to his house and wished him again. I had already wished him on his birthday. We started celebrating his birthday with single malt whiskey on the rocks, while watching a nice Bollywood comedy film – Bheja Fry 2 on B4U channel. I like Vinay Pathak for his comic timing.
Starting with drinks …
After our drinks, the dinner followed. There were paratha, rice, dal makhani, aloo subzi, chicken butter masala followed by a type of kheer – it was sweetened, condensed milk. It’s a nice, sumptuous dinner at his house on his 57th birthday.
… followed by heavy dinner
I walked back home at around 10.00pm. Thanks, Akhtar for the nice evening and dinner. I wish you again a very happy birthday, Akhtar.
Mother’s radiotherapy resumed after a week
Last week, mother’s health deteriorated as a result of first week’s radiotherapy and other cancer treatments. She developed swelling on her neck. She started vomiting and spitting out very thick saliva accompanied by diarrhoea, fever, cough and fatigue.
The doctor suspended the radiation therapy and put her on medication for her infections and other complications. To restore her health became a matter of concern. Initially, mother was responding well and we were quite happy at that. But last week’s development distressed us and we were at loss of our wits; just praying to the Almighty for His help. My dad and brother were getting restive and have started losing hopes. During this time, my husband stood by me. He has immense faith on the God. He was giving me the strength through phone conversations. Whenever I am losing my patience, he gives me the strength and tells me to have faith in the God. His words are having magical touch as I derive strength from his talks. Thanks, Jeet!
From day before yesterday, we could see improvements in her. Yesterday morning the oncologist said that her condition was much improved and my mother could resume her radiation therapy soon. Thank God! I am feeling a bit relaxed that her main treatment will resume. Yes, her radiation therapy restarted from today again.
I am praying constantly that she can continue with her treatment, as scheduled and gets better to walk back home. May the God bless us all!
From a dusty day to a cloudy morning
This week started with a dusty morning yesterday. It became hazier as the day progressed. Later in the afternoon, the dusts settled down to a clear sky. Little did we know then that there would be a sudden change in the weather from a hot, dusty day to a cool, cloudy, wet morning!
I was waked up at 4.00 am by the night’s silence killing thunders and intermittent lightning splitting the sky here and there and lighting up my windows. I could also hear the music of rain as it was raining mildly then. I opened my windows; a gush of fresh, wet winds swept through my room brushing my sleepy eyes. I love the smell of rain-wet earth. It takes me back down my memory lane, when as a child I used to play in rain water filled ground, in mud in gay abandon. There was a fun then even getting slapped by my mother as she had to wash and clean those soiled, muddied dresses. Mothers are the God’s best gift to the humanity.
This fresh coolness was weighing more on my sleepy eyes, much better than the air-conditioned air inside. I closed the window and went to my bed to be woken up by the alarm at 6.00 am.
Yesterday was dusty and this morning started with thunder and lighting. It’s a welcome contrast. It reminded me of a line from a poem of Rabindranath Tagore –
When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one, thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder.
White clouds across Baghdad sky
White is the color of fluffy clouds fluffing their way across the sky…
Since the morning, billowy white clouds are lazily drifting across the sea-blue Baghdad sky today. It made the morning beautiful, bright, and quite pleasant.
“The first thing I notice is the sky, so full of blue and the kind of brilliant white clouds that make you ecstatic to have eyes. Nothing can go wrong under this sky…” ― Jandy Nelson, The Sky Is Everywhere
The birds are also seen enjoying this weather as Baghdad is getting ready to welcome yet another ultra-hot summer.
Two pigeons are enjoying and playing on our roof.
Biotherapy started on mother today
We admitted mother to Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital in Allahabad on Friday, May 3, 2013 for check up. Dr. Radha Rani Ghosh, Oncologist checked her and admitted to hospital. She conducted CT Scan etc to identify and mark the area to be covered for radiotherapy.
Saturday & Sunday were cooling period due to weekend. Mother was just under general observation in the hospital. Dr. Ghosh came in the morning for check up and advised to start with the first dose of biotherapy.
Most of her veins are not easily visible for putting IV cannula, it’s always a tension filled exercise to search and find a suitable vein so that the nurses could insert the cannula. Today, they found and insert it in her finger. The biotherapy injection is administered through normal saline solution. Today’s dose is complete and mother seems to be comfortable. Also, now she is under the influence of the drugs that made her sleepy.
I am sitting by her side watching the injections flowing into her veins and praying for her recovery. My dad is also here. He is coming inside the room for some time and then sitting outside as he cannot tolerate Air-conditioning. Poor dad!
Tomorrow, mother will go for radiotherapy. We all are a bit worried for that and hoping that she can tolerate the radiations and there may not be any harmful serious side effect. We are all the more worried as she could not digest the chemotherapy administered on her last month. She complained of severe heart pain and she had to be then shifted to a heart hospital for her intensive care.
Videos
We went deep inside the Indian Ocean in a boat to see the dolphins in the ocean. A dolphin obliged us by jumping into the air from the water in a somersault. It’s awesome!
While in our trip deep into Indian Ocean, we encountered a school of dolphins swimming past our boat. It was amazing!
Images
A bird sat on my window in Baghdad
Little bird, little bird,
Fly through my window,…
The moment the date palm trees bloom, it is a warning sign to all from nature that – the summer has arrived. It is now the start of a new season, a new cycle. Slowly, the now flowered dates will develop, grow, and ripe as the summer reaches its peak. In Iraq, summer is very dry, and hot with day time temperature shooting beyond 50 degrees Celsius. I like any blossoming as it heralds a new life, a new hope despite all odds. It’s a harbinger of new beginning!
Galleries
This gallery contains 5 photos.
This gallery contains 16 photos.
Links
Rural Consumers in MENA: Myths and Facts about a Forgotten Consumer Segment
With a population of over 171 million in the rural Middle East and North Africa, the region represents a large reservoir of labour and a producer of food for the urban sector. Despite not being as well-heeled as their urban counterparts, these rural consumers make up for this with their sheer volume. With the rapid development of internet technology and the push for higher efficiency in agriculture, they may soon become a major consuming force.
Bringing banks to the masses by phone
According to the Central Bank of Iraq, just a fifth of Iraqis have bank accounts, but 70% have mobile phones. Major banking institutions in the country are hoping to close the gap by getting people to open accounts, make payments and transfer cash – all via mobile. Indrajit Roy Choudhury, a banking expert working as a consultant for the state-owned Trade Bank of Iraq, said: “It can be attributed to the long period the country was at war, international sanctions, isolation from the outside world, prevailing security situations, coverage of banks in remote areas.” In addition, most rural Iraqis are paid in cash, with many avoiding the tedious procedures of dealing with the country’s bank branches where queues are long. Others who receive their salaries in cheques typically withdraw the full amount in cash and eschew making deposits or opening an account.
Iraq to bring banks to the masses – by mobile
Just a fifth of Iraqis have bank accounts, but 70 percent have mobile phones, so Baghdad is hoping to close the gap by getting people to open accounts, make payments and transfer cash – all via mobile.
While much of Iraq’s low bank account penetration has to do with a lack of confidence among Iraqis in banks, other factors are also at play.
“It can… be attributed to long period the country was at war, international sanctions, isolation from the outside world, prevailing security situations, coverage of banks in remote areas,” said Indrajit Roy Choudhury, a banking expert working as a consultant for the state-owned Trade Bank of Iraq.
Choudhury added that a lack of modern banking facilities and poor financial literacy among Iraqis’ was also to blame.
In addition, most Iraqis are paid in cash, with many avoiding the tedious procedures of dealing with the country’s bank branches, where queues are long and customers often spend a great deal of time simply in order to deposit funds that they often end up spending within a month.
Others who receive their salaries in cheques typically withdraw the full amount in cash and eschew making deposits or opening an account.
“This situation is changing,” Choudhury noted, pointing out that several banks were opening branches in more of Iraq’s provinces, networking those branches, and coming out with more “customer-oriented products”.
Quotes
“Be still, sad heart! and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall”
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Complete Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“Who has never killed an hour? Not casually or without thought, but carefully: a premeditated murder of minutes. The violence comes from a combination of giving up, not caring, and a resignation that getting past it is all you can hope to accomplish. So you kill the hour. You do not work, you do not read, you do not daydream. If you sleep it is not because you need to sleep. And when at last it is over, there is no evidence: no weapon, no blood, and no body. The only clue might be the shadows beneath your eyes or a terribly thin line near the corner of your mouth indicating something has been suffered, that in the privacy of your life you have lost something and the loss is too empty to share.”
― Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves
