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Broken hearted Christmas

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Christmas Eve was spent with a friend and family in the hospital, and late in the evening, we were crying, comforting, and grieving the loss of a loved one. On Christmas Day, what C.S. Lewis said in his book ‘A Grief Observed’ seemed real and true: “For the greater the love, the greater the grief, and the stronger the faith, the more savagely will Satan storm its fortress.”   2023 and 2022 were similar. In 2022, there was the loss of a baby in the womb of a close family friend and the loss of the mother of another friend. As I grow older, the memories of Christmas from yesteryears seem distant. Carols, cakes, celebrations, and gifts are still there but do not seem to make as much sense as they did then. Is it my ageing heart and overly sensitive soul, or is it a season given to us that we must endure and walk through?   But then, for many, Christmas is not about cakes and celebrations. Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, Ukraine was bombed again. People in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, and Syr...
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Three Learnings....

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This is the “report” of a recent faith-based health worker gathering—not the typical blog! I was compelled by what I witnessed over the last two days to write down three key observations and learnings.   The gathering brought together doctors, nurses, administrators, allied health professionals, data managers, priests, sisters, and laypeople, all engaged in listening to one another. While the structure of the system had its usual strong hierarchy, much like any healthcare system, what stood out to me was the absence of an "us vs. them" mentality. They were all there to learn from each other—nurses working alone in remote and challenging areas, administrators struggling with the sustainability of large institutions, and doctors stretched to their limits. It was a community of learning and growth!   When will I learn to live without an "us vs. them" mentality? In my mind, I often divide people into 'us' and 'them'—categories that seem justified by my o...
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Two Hospitals, a Smile, and the Future of Healing

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I visited two hospitals in the past week—not as a doctor, but as a patient. The first was a busy tertiary institute where getting a slot or appointment was only possible by using my “medical professional status” and relying on friends who had done the groundwork before my visit. Yes, I use this status at times for personal benefit. ðŸ˜” The doctor I saw was young, efficient, to the point, clear, evidence-based, and supported by the most advanced technology one could ask for. Since she was masked and goggled up, it was not easy to see whether there was a frown or a smile on her face. But I have no complaints. She did her best - with respect and concern - and even offered to see me in the office a few days later if things didn’t improve. And it was free too! I left professionally assured. But as I was waiting - to cut the line ðŸ˜” - with long queues of people around, there seemed to be a resigned, matter-of-fact look on the face of the person who led me in. Was this a regular ...
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