Category Archives: Family

Close or extended family

Family, Healthcare

Mother’s radiotherapy suspended

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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 are getting restive and have started losing hopes. During this time, my husband stands by me. He has immense faith on the God. He is giving me the strength through phone. Whenever I am losing my patience, I am calling him. His words are having magical touch as I derive strength from his talks.

From yesterday, we could see improvements in her. In the morning the oncologist said that her condition is much improved and my mother could resume her radiation therapy from Monday. Thank God! I am feeling a bit relaxed that her main treatment will resume.

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!

Family, Healthcare

Biotherapy started on mother today

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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.

Celebration, Family

Happy birthday, Jaya!

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Today’s Jaya’s birthday. Her mother was quite upset that because of her hospitalization and disease, Jaya’s birthday could not be celebrated this year. I convinced her that we would celebrate her birthday and also the wedding anniversary of Jaya’s elder brother, which is tomorrow.

Jaya’s younger brother had also come for two days from Ferozepur (Punjab), where he is working currently. He’s leaving tomorrow morning and we are also leaving for Ranchi for couple of days as we have some urgent work there.

I arranged for two cakes one for Jaya’s birthday and another for her brother’s anniversary. Jaya’s mother was still not very happy and she wanted some nice dinner to follow. I arranged for take away foods for our dinner tonight and informed her menu. She was then quite satisfied. But the poor lady is on nasal feeding and is having only liquids like milk, juices, clear soups etc.

I went to the Kali temple in the afternoon to pray for Jaya and her mother. Babai brought the cakes in the evening. It’s nice that Jaya’s two cousins also turned up at the hospital in the evening to see her mother along with their wives. So the cakes were cut in presence of all local family members.

Jaya cutting her birthday cake

It was followed by Dada & Boudi cutting their anniversary cakes.

Dada & Boudi cutting their wedding anniversary cake

Dada & Boudi cutting their wedding anniversary cake

I am happy not because that Babai & I were with Jaya on her birthday today, but the evening arrangements made her mother happy. She’s now looking forward to celebrate her birthday next year and this is what I wanted. This was my mission.

Happy birthday, Jaya! I love you, dear!

Family, Food

Bharbhuja as our lunch

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Bharbhuja [parched grain] is cooked usually using short grain par boiled rice, chickpeas, groundnuts. Rice, chickpeas, groundnuts are roasted in a huge wok-like vessel called karahi with hot sand. A karahi is a type of thick, circular, and deep cooking pot (similar in shape to a wok) used in South Asian cuisine.

The food is stirred all the time for even distribution of heat. The delightfully crunchy, flavorful snack, perfect for packing in a lunch is produced and it is filtered through a sieve to drain all the sand. Then toss them with whatever flavorings you like – I used salt, Chili powder, lemon juice, onion, and black pepper.

Not the most gorgeous thing in the world, but once you throw them in a little bowl they look just fine. It’s amazing how the chickpeas, groundnuts and rice go from soft to crunchy; they really have a satisfying texture!

We have ‘Bharbhuja’ as our lunch daily as this is available just outside the hospital gate.

Family, Healthcare, Travel

At Allahabad to see my ailing mother-in-law

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After the first day of chemotherapy, my mother-in-law fell very sick. She was complaining of severe heartache. The doctor treating her for cancer removed the chemotherapy and continued with some other injections. After 3 days, she was referred to a heart hospital in Allahabad. The doctor there found that she was suffering from recurring angina. She was kept on ICU for her intensive treatment.

It seems that her condition is very serious. Jaya is crying in private whenever I call her. Her father, brothers were all in grim mood. So, I decided to pay a visit to them and to see my mother-in-law.

I left Baghdad yesterday morning for Allahabad. Babai also wanted to see her granny. So, we made a joint programme that would meet at Varanasi airport and from there, we will there we will travel to Allahabad in a cab.

After 6 days of treatment there, the heart specialist referred her back to Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital, which is also housing the Regional Cancer Center. My mother-in-law was shifted to Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital in the morning today.

Kamla Nehru Memorial Hospital, Allahabad

I reached Varanasi airport at around 3 pm via Delhi and Abu Dhabi, while Babai arrived there at around 5 pm.

Abu Dhabi airport

Waiting to catch the flight for Varanasi at Terminal 1D of Delhi airport

Waiting to catch the flight for Varanasi at Terminal 1D of Delhi airport

Then we proceeded for Allahabad. We decided to go straight to the hospital. Due to Ram Navami celebrations today, we reached Allahabad at 9 pm. It’s a long 36 hour journey for me and I was yet to reach home!

Having beer while waiting for Babai at Varanasi airport

My mother-in-law started crying as she saw her. She was very grim and sad. Babai & I talked to her for quite some time and pepped her up. She actually lost all hopes as she knew that she’s suffering from cancer, which is at 4th stage.

Thank God, I could manage to infuse confidence and faith in her that she can survive… and stay well as long as she is destined to live on this earth.

We returned home at 11 pm after Jaya’s elder brother came to the hospital. It’s a long journey for me and I am dead tired.

Family, Healthcare

My mother-in-law is diagnosed of cancer

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My mother-in-law was sick for some time. We went to Allahabad in February earlier this year on the occasion of Maha Kumbh Mela. That time, we saw her quite okay and active. She also came to see us off at Varanasi airport all the way from Allahabad. May be, she was then hiding her discomfort from all of us.

After we returned from there, we were hearing that she is having some problems in swallowing her foods. My father-in-law took her to a doctor, who detected some tumour in her throat. Also, there were lots of fungal infections around and on her tongue also. We all were very worried as the doctor suggested for biopsy to check for malignancy.

Jaya, my wife, also rushed to Allahabad from Ranchi to be with her mother. But, as her problem was mounting and anti-biotic injections were not yielding results, the doctor advised her to be admitted to the hospital on March 12. Due to the care and treatment at Kamla Nehru Hospital in Allahabad, her infections subsided and she was discharged from the Hospital on March 20. She was given some medicines to be taken. The doctor advised for her check up after a week from discharge.

Jaya’s father & brother took her mother to the doctor for check up last week after the Holi festival. The doctor conducted CT Scan and some other culture tests. The reports were available today. Jaya’s father & brother went to consult the doctor with the reports at the hospital. The doctor confirmed that she has carcinoma and that’s in advanced stage.

The news was shocking to all of us. Jaya started crying immediately on hearing it. Thank God, Babai is in house for about a week. He consoled her. Of course, my father-in-law is totally shocked. I talked to him after returning from office for quite long.

The doctor advised to immediately commence chemotherapy and radiotherapy to be repeated on her after every three weeks for 3-4 times. She has to be admitted to the hospital for 3 / 4 days while she will have her treatments. Jaya is leaving Ranchi for Allahabad on April 8. I booked her travel tickets.

Let’s pray that she recovers after the chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments.

Family, Religion, Travel

Siddhesvara Dham, Namchi

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My mother has come to see me on the occasion of Holi. In this holy day of Holi, we decided to go for pilgrimage to Chardham in Namchi, which is at a distance of circa 75 km from Gangtok. Namchi is the headquarters of the South Sikkim district. Namchi means Sky (Nam) High (Chi) in Bhutia. Namchi is situated at an altitude of 1,675 m (5,500 feet) above mean sea level.

We hired a cab and started from our hotel soon after our breakfast. We had tea on the way near a beautiful tea garden.

Tea Garden

Char Dham is a popular pilgrimage destination of Sikkim, which also has some interesting history connected to it. The principle deity here is Lord Shiva. It is believed that during the Kurukshetra war between the Kauravas and Pandavas, this place was where Arjuna worshipped Lord Shiva. It is also believed that Lord Shiva, pleased with Arjuna, appeared before him as a hunter and blessed him which helped Pandavas in winning the war.

In Hindu mythology, it is believed that Lord Shiva, after losing Sati in Agnikund, had gone into seclusion and became a hunter in the forests of Sikkim. There is also a famous Kirateshwar Mahadev Temple at Legship, in West Sikkim along the banks of River Rangeet.

Chardham is a unique pilgrim centre with a 108 feet tall statue of Lord Shiva , this pilgrim centre also has replicas of the twelve Jyotirlingas to offer one platform for Shiva devotees. The four most revered Dhams of the Hindus – Jagannath, Dwarika, Rameshawaram, Badrinath have been replicated in this fantastic complex to benefit the devotees visiting this place.

Chardham temples

The temple complex is divided into 4 parts – the statue of Lord Shiva along with 12 jyothirlingas, four dhams, a Sai Baba Mandir and the Kirateshwar Statue besides the Nandi bull.

Lord Kirateshwar

The world’s largest statue (~118 feet) of the Buddhist Padmasambhava, also known as Guru Rinpoche, the patron saint of Sikkim, is situated on the Samdruptse hill, opposite Namchi. It is also said that the Samdruptse hill is actually a Dormant Volcano. Myths say that the buddhist monks have been going on top of the hill and offering prayers to the volcano to keep it calm.

Guru Rinpoche

After visiting the temples, we returned back to Gangtok. It’s a nice trip and we enjoyed a lot.

Family, Healthcare, Travel

Going to Allahabad to see my mom

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My mother is continuing to be quite sick for more than a fortnight. She is having severe infections and swellings on her tongue and throat. The doctor advised her biopsy also but it could not be undertaken due to infections.

The doctor has got some blood tests done, but the reports didn’t indicate any serious anomaly. Now, on his advice, last week she had given her saliva for pathological culture. The result is expected tomorrow.

We are all very much worried for her. Sometimes she cannot speak well. She is now on semi-liquid diet. Seeing my anxiety for her, my husband booked me on a train for Allahabad, so that I can see my mother and be with her to comfort her as much as I can. Now, I am on the train eagerly waiting for it to reach Allahabad in the early hours of the morning.

I hope that the she is suffering only from infections and the culture indicates the right solution to her infections. I pray for her speedy recovery and comfort. May the God be with her!

Family, Healthcare

Worried for my mother’s health

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My mother is now very seriously ill. She is not able to eat properly because of some swelling, lump in her throat. She also had an operation on her tongue before. Yesterday, my father & boudi took her to the hospital. The doctor gave her some medicines and called her again after a week for check up and also suggested for doing a biopsy to test for malignancy.

We all are quite worried for my mother and praying for her speedy recovery. We are also praying that biopsy confirms that the lump is not malignant, when tested after a week.

As I am so worried for my mother so my husband arranged my trip to Allahabad. I wanted to be with my mother. Due to rush in the trains, he has booked my trip on 10th March from Ranchi and I will return from there on 18th March. I cannot stay there any longer as I am also scheduled to visit Gangtok later in March to be with Babai during Holi, the colour festival of India.

Please join me in praying for my mother’s health and her early recovery.