ramadocblog

Can you kill someone who is already dead?…
There’s this old movie called the Kohraa (fog)…..it was of course inspired by an English movie called Rebecca which was based on a novel called Rebecca! (Whew!!)…so the story is of a widower who remarries and gets his new wife to big mansion. There the new wife is often compared to the old perfect wife!!….the twist in the story is when the husband reveals that the first wife was actually adulterous and the whole perfect act was just a facade….. In fact at one point he lost it and killed her in an act of passion!… In the Hindi version though the ending is supposed to be the best!… Spoiler alert!!… In this the maid or governess who had taken care of the wife confesses that she was extremely dissatisfied with her behavior and actually poisoned her!…so the wife who was killed by the husband was already dead!!…no punishment for that then!!

There’s another old movie called Resham ki Dori which is considered an big ode to the brother sister relation!…(most famous though in that context is hare Krishna hare ram! But that discussion is for another day, maybe Raksha bandhan!!..)….. In this movie also Dharmendra is accused of killing a man who apparently was already dead!…. No punishment there too!….
In recent times (2003!! Calling it recent to make myself feel less old!!)….there was a movie called Teen Deewarein…… In that also in one single stroke Jackie was acquitted of his murder charge when Naseer confessed that the wife he killed was already dead!…. This particular scene was lifted from another classic (and my favorite!!) Shawshank redemption!…… Here also the husband kills and believes that he had killed his wife when in fact she was already dead!…..

Coming to the answer of the question….can we really kill someone who is already dead and get away with it??….. apparently you can but make sure that before you kill; he or she is already and finally dead!!

By hook or by cook…. Robin gets another book!!😀….. Charlatan by Robin Cook….
Medical novels are close to me for obvious reasons and only a doctor can ever get this right. Don’t get me wrong since I have thoroughly enjoyed Arthur Hailey’s final diagnosis or even Eric Seagal’s Doctor. Both were very close but still there was something missing. Cook’s novels though not that literally great still feels close because he has felt the experience. Like how in the current novel he describes the pre operative and operative incidents. There’s a certain amount of knowledge​ and the fact that you have experienced it first hand which is very important. 
You can see this in novels written even by Micaheal Crichton who was a doctor by profession or even A J Cronin’s works (the author of Hatter’s castle and doctor Zivago)… The latest was Paul Kalnithy when breath becomes air which was more of a human side of a doctor….
The first novel I had read and the most famous was the Coma which was interesting and I followed it up with the year of the intern which was another good depiction of the internal musings of what happens in those four walls of the hospital and operation theatre….
But at the end of it all Cook has a pattern, first it was some crazy nut job intent on killing the terminally ill or the villain at the end of the story is always the other girl! Or like his last few novels everyone dies!…. In one novel he even went the Dan Brown way and treated Neuroblastoma with miracle!…. There was one novel about alien invasion and another about India to add to variety though the basic premise remains the same…!!
Though to be fair he keeps updated with the latest in the field of medicine. Be it concierge practice or the latest iPhone app which decides to kill terminally ill or nanotechnology​ or even taking on the quacks …… All in the previous novel though and not in this one though….
Here he gives us an insight into the amount of knowledge available in the net and how this can be used to even practice !….. Not giving much here but it was an eye opener in many ways. How important is the social media has been dealt here with a Gray’s Anatomy style of narrative…… Though at the end of it all it’s all money and politics…..
Read it in between the very heavy on the grey matter Homo Deus!(which is still only halfway done!!)…..
Light Reading medical thriller is what this is…….. Try it if that’s what you want!

….

Next time you are upset that your dinner is the same old rice and dal think about the rat eaters of Bihar. This is one mountain of a movie but very very underrated. As you see the big mountain becoming smaller and smaller every passing year you can see the determination of an insane (not many will agree!!) man and literally you can visualize how love can move mountains. The movie moves in a non linear phase but that gives the viewer a well deserved change from the mellow mood which is felt throughout the movie. The backdrop of caste politics, rich poor divide, the corrupt Babus, the inconsiderate politicians interspersed with the fun that even the poorest of the poor enjoy in spite of having a mountain of troubles is really an eye opener. Nawazuddeen (the spelling is not important I do not think anyone will get confused with someone else!!) is no longer the poor man’s Irfan khan (who himself has become the poor mans SRK!!); he is here to stay and break more mountains on the way. In many of the scenes you would literally feel like grabbing a big hammer and just join Dasarath in his crazy(not really now!!) quest. To see this movie disappear into oblivion is mighty sad indeed but then as Dasarth would say Shandaar zabarzast zindabad!!…

Shanjahan take a hike; Manjhi take a bow…..

Once in a while you get to see a movie (or in this case also a book) which shakes you to the very core…… This movie about three brilliant Afro-Americans just explodes with sensitive and brilliance…

I know it’s a fairly old movie but I am sure many would have given this a miss….
Imagine for the gals they have to undergo discrimination for everything!… Being a girl, being black and trying to take on a  man’s (typical) job….
The levels of discrimination is shown with such a casual manner that it shakes you……
The setting is a race by the US and the Russians to put the first person in space and on the moon though that is not the central theme of the story….
It’s surprising that this is happening in a developed country like the US and in one of the advanced work place that is the NASA….Of course the setting is not present times so don’t pick up the arms yet!…. but the scene where Katherine had to walk one mile with her high heels and files just to use the ‘colored’ rest room says a lot about those times……
The period is not so long ago though….
 But what wins is the determination and intelligence of these three beautiful ladies who will bring out the best in you (if not then there’s no hope for you!!😀😀)..

Heard of the Turing’s test??..
In 1950s Alan Turing, a brilliant mathematician invented this test. In fact it was Turing’s works on computers that forms the basis of modern computing.

The test in simple terms determines whether the screen you are communicating with opposite to you is a human or a computer!…..He recommended that if a computer can fool a human even 33% then the computer is said to have passed the test!!….

So for the last fifty years no computer had passed this test!…. This was achieved by a Russian bot in 2014!…. Just imagine that it took so many years for man to make a computer which can pass of like human.
In the coming years this will be a reality….We will have computers or robots who will act or behave like human…. Unfortunately we have had humans who behave like robots without emotion or humanity for ages……
Now coming to my story…..
So there used to be this patient who had vague complaints like nose block which was just occasional…..Since he was persistent I advised him to go for the nasal surgery if he is symptomatic….. This was always his intention he told because he had taken insurance two years back and now wanted to claim it!…So after explaining all the procedure involved I asked him if he had any questions??…
With a straight face he asked how the insurance money would be credited…

By cash or by cheque??….
I was surprised at this question but nevertheless told him that it would be credited to the hospital directly….
The patient was then shocked! What he told later was the real shocker though!
He had lots of expenses coming up and his understanding was that he could go for this surgery and he would be paid the insurance money for his ‘sacrifice!!’ of doing the surgery!!!…..
I had a tough time explaining to him that it was not like selling you kidney (that’s crude but no other way to say it!!). He couldn’t just get a surgery done and claim the money for personal use!…
He apparently had plans of going for a tonsil surgery the next year with the same intention!….
Though I was surprised at his ignorance I was also amazed that he was willing to cut himself up for no apparent reason just to make ends meet for his family…..
And no I did not operate on him..I did tell him to work harder and get other jobs to make the income more and I did tell him to not try to sell his body like this…
Don’t know what happened later since I shifted my city but have never forgotten his innocent face when he earnestly asked when he would get paid….

So my pearl of wisdom for the day is that let’s not pay much attention to make robots behave like humans which will anyway happen in the near future but let’s try to make humans behave like humans……

I should have read this masterpiece very much earlier…… Better late than never…. Close to 700 pages of fine print!…… Every Indian must read this one….. This is a neutral attempt by French journalist on the partition of India….. Attempt because I guess no one can be neutral…… Understood so many things…..Spoiler alert though these are things everyone must know…..

#Inspiration ….Mountbatten never wanted to be the last viceroy of India…. He has been shown to be a cool costumer…. The lead actor of this drama so to speak….. The whole view point is through his eyes…. It is thus understood that no gossip regarding the missus will be discussed!!…….

#Personal….. Only one person truly wanted partition….Jinnah….A pork and wine loving clean shaven Muslim whose grand father was a Hindu!!….. That’s the first shock…. He was originally opposed to a Muslim nation till he was sidelined by Congress (old habits!!) Which made him stronger….. That’s the second hit….. During the talks he discovered that he had lung cancer in the advanced stage…. Known only to him and a dedicated and integral Hindu doctor (professional hazards!!)… If only anyone else knew then the whole partition would have been averted….. The third and final blow…..

#confused …… Nehru…. Want partition…. Don’t want…. Can’t stand up to Jinnah…. Lost the lead during 1942 due to half baked attempt at quit India movement which was called off midway… Too much dependance on Gandhi, Mountbatten and Patel…… Trusted China who attacked us…. Never recovered from that…..

#respect……Gandhi was the only one according to the authors who was vehemently opposed to partition…. He even offered Jinnah the seat of the first pm of India much to the Chagrin of Nehru (the latter much to the dismay of the former refused….)….. Towards the end of his life he was treated merely as a prop to keep the masses silent…… While the whole world burnt after partition, Calcutta was quiet (relatively of course…) Only because of the efforts of one man…. But even saints get carried away….. Finding his new strategy of success he set out more complex goals…..Fast till the money owed to pak is returned…..(Nehru and Patel argued that they will use it only to strengthen their army but it fell on deaf ears…..)…. He also wanted Hindus to go Back to relief camps, not resort to hate and to give all the better accommodation to the Muslims……. He was above the normal feelings of human beings and I guess he expected others to be like that only……(though many vices he had been described in the book were a little too hard to digest……)…… The saddest part is that the father of the nation couldn’t be a good father (according to his son….).. To his own kids……

#angry …. Kashmir….. The king Hari Singh indecisiveness started this tsunami which is eating both our countries even now……

#sad…. The partition created zombies… No two ways about it…. The stories told so vividly makes your whole body shiver….. According to the authors it all started in Lahore….. The Hindu colony water and power supply was cut and anyone venturing out for these would be literally cut…. And then the see saw affect……. Each episode more sad and terrifying than the other…. The burning of babies, the raping, forced conversions, train carrying only chopped dead bodies…. The horror just goes on and on….. The saddest story was kept to the end… About Bhoota Singh….. Read and weep….

The book says it all about India…. The superstition, the pollution, the spoilt rich Kings with their crazy ways and orgies, the discipline of defence and the mob….I am guessing not much has changed….. One line sums up the feel…… It was the costliest divorce in the history…… The book however is affordable so get your copy…… And read…..

It was the days of doordarshan and the buzz was a Mithun Da movie Rukshat and there was a scene which was considered adult at that time!….All the guys in my class Esp Sapan the craziest fan of Mithun and Nilofer the second craziest fan had narrated the scene with vivid and different discription (read spicy!!) Every other time!…..Those were the days when a movie used to be screened only on Sunday evenings and of course everyone would watch that only and have an extensive discussion on Monday!!…..Any such scene would of course never be there!…. Everything was left to imagination and we would see two flowers coming together in close embrace prudently disregarding every law of nature and wind direction!!!….

So this was a big thing and the scene was set!….We even knew when the scene would come and myself and my brother were ready!…He of course had a book which he would read and watch movie in between (though rarely would I see a page turn!!)……
So the time came and we were keen with anticipation and at that moment my mom suddenly asked me to get a glass of water!!…..I was both shocked and surprised but there was no escaping that command!….My brother just then turned the page so he was safe!….I ran towards the fridge to get water, fill a glass and ran back just to see to my dismay that the scene was over!!…..And I could swear that mom had an all knowing smile on her face!….The next day I was dreading to go to school since I would know that everyone would be discussing the scene Esp Sapan and I would be either forced to keep quiet lie!…I was this surprised to see a quiet class the next day!…. The most silent was Sapan!….I asked him what happened and did he watch the scene!??….He said with remorse that he could’nt watch it!…..I asked him why? To which he replied that, He went to get a glass of water for his mom!!!……

Only Nilofer was smiling and we were all amazed how he could survive mom’s safety attack!….He replied with a wink and twinkle, “I was reading a book!!”…..
That’s when I realized the work of  mom’s in this world who like super heroes protect their kids against the attack of the idiot box!……Am sure that just like the justice league and avengers even Moms will have a meet before any such problem and discuss the counter measures!…. One would suggest coin under the table or bed or hide the face under sheet though most would use the easiest and best attack; glass of water!!!
Other special super power includes getting money out of the sugar jar and from dad!…..That special prayer before exams and blessing of the exam board which was the single most important reason why anyone would pass!….and that special food when we were not well which would drive the cold away!!…..
The other day I had taken the whole family to Bahubali and I had prepared my kids for all possible attacks!…The loud noise, the killing and those animals but there was a scene when Bahu gets too close to comfort to Devasena and I was too stunned to react!….I had only a few seconds to make my move!!……

So I called both my kids who were glued to the screen and asked them if they want a glass of water!!…..

The scene was tackled successfully and my mom looked at me and gave that same smile!!!…..
You can pray and pray but in the end a glass of water will save the day!!….

In the parliament somewhere in Britain in the 1800s….
The queen Sonja by virtue of being the ex king’s wife was speaking to her son prince Raul…..
“Why all this noise mamma?…. What do people not want me as the next king?… Am I not deserving?… This is hard work…I just returned from a tour to the Europe…. Don’t even have time to rest”….
“Lay of the wine atleast when you have to attend the session son. And why is your dress torn??”…
Raul,”trust me mamma it’s something which you don’t want to know!!..”… He said between winks…
Sonja thought to herself, “If he wasn’t my only son I myself would have put him down!!”….
“There’s our accountant Sir Manmon trying to ask your permission to speak….. Is he not the leader of our party till I am an old boy mum?… Then why he needs your permission for everything??… Sometimes I feel he even uses the loo after asking your permission!”… He chuckled at his own joke while the queen just banged her head in despair…..

 

“Don’t forget he is the one who warms our seat son”…
“How does he do that mom”.
“It’s just three G!…good coal!..green grass and gold chair….he uses this combination to keep the chair warm…he is an expert in that”…..
“So whats the big deal about this election mum?….Am I not supposed to get the seat automatically?”..
“Those were the old days son… Now there’s some new trend called democracy….. You need an election and all and that’s why you must come to these sessions and attend our rallies if you want be the king….you should particularly be aware of this chief called Modiolus Maximus”…..
“Wasn’t he the tea seller who served us tea when we went to that village??” R said…

“Don’t say things like that aloud son; remember democrazy!!”

“Also it’s not like the old times…news travels very fast now through a series of running or mobile messengers!!…they are calling it the internetwork!!”….
“Sounds lame mama….I don’t think it will ever catch up!!”.

“This is Chief Airwind’s file…..he is again complaining that Modiolis is trying to kill him!!….see he has marked his files with degrees!..I think he is obsessed with degrees!!”..R uttered……
That’s Zero you nincompoop!!.. Thought the queen…I don’t know what’s motherhood but I guess that’s the only thing which is preventing me from strangling his neck!!

Six months have passed since and the elections have bought many changes… There was always one party named after the grass of contrasting colours called the congrass which always used to win the elections but this time another party led by the lotus grass won with a clear mandate…
A session in progress and the new prime member Modiolus had some new announcement to make before which the leader of opposition had the bench….

“We have always believed that sun revolves around the earth and the earth revolves around the moon!… That’s my opinion and also the opinion of so many economists/astronomist all over!… Then this new proposal from prime member or PM Modiolus would lead to monumental mismanagement of epic proportions!!”……
The speaker was stunned to hear Sir Manmon speak!…he remembered the time for ten years when he never used to utter a word!…he asked the present prime member the details about his proposal…
” Sir, in consultation with my experts I am proposing that it’s actually the earth which rotates around the sun and the moon revolves around the Earth…also my conclusion is that the old flat note theory that Earth is flat is wrong and the new note theory is that the earth is round”….
The whole assembly was stunned at this announcement….the speaker asked the Prime member what’s the name of your proposal??
Modiolus said,” since we are removing moon from the center point of circulation I call it…..Demoonetisation!!!….

The lift principle…..
You come to our apartment and there’s a couple of lifts (elevators for the Americans!). If you want to go up and you see the lift is above the ground floor then I have seen people pressing the down button because they want the lift to come down!…. But that’s not how it works!… If you want to go up then you need to press the up button only!…. The lift would then come down and take you up!…. What you learn is that the lift knows where it has to go!… You just tell the lift where you want to go rather than trying to teach the lift where it has to go!!!!…..
So this is a story of an ENT pal of mine….😉..

This patient walked in and announced he had a sinus!…. So my pal corrected him saying that everyone has sinus but do you mean that you have a sinus problem?

He said,” yes that’s what I meant! I wouldn’t know the technical thing but you should know that right!!?”

So he was asked,”let’s leave it there and tell me your symptoms?”

The discussion then went like this….

I sneeze a lot…..

Do you have headache?

No

Then why do you say you have sinus problem?

Because I have sneezing and occasional nose block!

Oh but that’s not sinus problem but allergy!

What’s the difference doctor!!??

Well usually sinus problem means that you have infected sinuses which usually cause headache!….

I do have headache doctor when I don’t sleep well or when I think or am under stress or when I get exposed to loud noise for a long time!…..

Well in an these situations I would be more bothered if you didn’t have headache!!…

Also I get headache when I skip a meal!..

Hey same pinch!…. Everyone does by the way!!

But doctor can’t you just take a scan just to be sure!??….
This is when the button of the lift was pressed….. But my friend understood where it was going….. If he didn’t get the scan the patient would shop till he gets the scan….. So a scan was ordered and it revealed mild mucous collection with otherwise normal sinuses!..….
Now anyone who gets a scan done in Bangalore will get this finding more so when he or she has a mild cold…..

But who can try to explain this to the patient who actually has sinus problem in his mind than in his sinuses!……
A course of Anti allergy was ordered and a review after couple of weeks was ordered….. Both were not satisfied….. But that’s the way it is…..
Next patient…. Doctor, ” I get severe headache and nose block Esp after taking Head bath”…..

My pal told him after examination that he may have a sinus problem and needs a scan also for getting to know the grade and severity of the problem….
The button again….”Is the scan really necessary doctor!!?”……
The lift just sighs and goes on trying to make you reach where you want to go……

They say (who I don’t know and frankly I don’t care!) That the early morning dew and the mist is very romantic. But for a kid whose only hope was a merit seat if he at all wanted to become a doctor it just meant that it was cold and most importantly it’s morning!!…

So that was me …..I had always liked the silence of the night to the noise of the day. I guess if the noise was reversed it would have been a different story. In those times of being a lonely kid in the company of books in the first floor of that scary house were the only thing I remember. 

A glass of hot tea made by myself during which I would go down to see my mom watching some Amitabh Movie (it was a fad during those times since DD was expanding and experimenting!) And I would sit on the lonely chair at the end of the bed. Dad would have been fast asleep without a care of the world and hardly perturbed by the noise of the idiot box. 

Ceasor would have been there previously which was replaced now with an empty space at the side of the door.

A quick cup of tea would take just five minutes and I would make an extra cup for mom. Bhai was anyway far away in thrissur and frankly he never liked to read in the night. 

I would watch a part of the movie and at the most interesting part I would separate myself from the TV like an addict removing the drug and throwing it on the floor. The only companion on the top would be my loneliness my fear and of course my old stereo. The old behemoth would be ten times the size of the present music players and maybe weigh hundred times more!!…..

Those were the days of vividh bharti and AM radio… The cassette players which used to get stuck and it was easier to rewind them using the pencil which was usually the only reason why we still had pencils!……… 
My dad used to explain that when we are young our mistakes are erasable and temporary but as we grow older they become permanent…