Santhosh's ramblings

Continuing on the previous blog, the "Heart" interacting with the "Brain" challenged the disciples to set aside their "rationality" and take a step in faith -  with the "limited" natural resources they had - the 5 loaves and 2 fish and the "supernatural" happened...5000+ fed and 12 baskets surplus.... Supernatural happens when the limited resources we have is put to use with the heart of faith....and the brain subdued by the "living faith".....

The Brian and Nervous system functions as the “receiver” “perceiver” and “interpreter” of information. Also functions as the “planner” “controller” and “coordinator” of body functions. The brain also functions as the “informer” and “communicator” between the various organ systems of the body… The Heart and the vascular systems, provides life to the whole systems through the blood which carries the Red Blood cells as the “Oxygen carrier” and the energy provider through the support provider for the energy processing cycles…. But interesting is the “intricate interaction” between these systems….one is closely dependant on the other…heart controlled by the autonomic nervous system, the rate, the force and the rhythm is under the influence of the same. Brian – cannot function is the Blood supply and Oxygen does not reach the brain, through the heart’s pumping action…1 Is this not true in our lives too – we function both from brain and heart – from brain as “rational planners” and from t...

Medicine started as an art - the best physician was seen as one who can  listen to the story the patient was telling and come to a possible conclusion of what he was suffering from. though understanding of Medicine was not "fully developed" (We think it is developed today - we might be surprised how less we know even today - all you need to keep probing with more why questions!). The "ear" was an important "tool" in this art.... Soon good physicians started observing that "signs" - external manifestations, which one can observe and identify through physical examination, can add more information - and the art of "Clinical examination" in addition to the stories became an accepted method. Thus "hands" and "touch" became another excellent tool. Then came the era of "Tests" that changes in body fluids - blood, urine,. other fluids etc could give supportive evidence to prove your "diagnosi...

I had a call today from a friend of mine - patient with 9 months history of head ache and vomiting presenting with "meningism". (Clinical Signs of Meningitis). CSF (Fluid surrounding the brain) studies normal. the consultant was not sure what he was dealing with. to add to this, the patient was HIV positive.... Diagnostic dilemma's are not unusual in Medicine. Dilemma occurs when clinical signs point to one diagnosis but investigations do not support the same. With a pre-existing illness some of the dilemma are more complex. you need second opinion from more experienced clinicians to sort out dilemma like these! And that was the expectation from me - but at the end of the consult all I could give was a few differential diagnosis - could be 1 - Crypto 2 TBM 3 Toxo 4 Lymphoma etc.....A final diagnosis could only be possible by identifying the "fungus" or Bacteria" - the root cause....

Why is it that  some of your "not so acceptable" traits are observed by you in your children....is there a selective transmission of your "bad genes"? And one feels it is much worse than what you have even!...."accentuation".... At the same time one observes some "transference" of "good" characteristics too....but generally it is much "pronounced than what you have or had....Is there a selective "accentuation" or "mutation" to "dominance" of good genes..? With genetic manipulation possible now, could these change in the future - custom made gene selection - made to order genes - book it in advance...! But the "accentuation" of  bad in your children is more of a perception - perception from  a mindset -  the feeling that "we were and our age people are better than the current generation"...and so the bad is "accentuated" or "pronounced".....a "Better th...

Read through the bible, the prayers and the cries of God’s men and God’s messengers – one thing stands out – they were “bipolar” - not that they had a “Psychiatric illness” but their mind and emotions would oscillate between “ecstasy” in the goodness and greatness of God on one hand at the same time cry out in despair and desperation due to various issues which were affecting their heart and mind… Jeremiah – one who was called and kept to bring Gods word to Israel in the book of Jeremiah 20 – says -   “God, you deceived me….your word brought be insult and reproach all day long….cursed be the day I was born….cursed be the man who brought by father the news of my birth…..why did I ever come out of the womb – as to end my days in shame…..the phase of depression……even to the point of giving up on life or cursing his own existence… Sandwiched between these cries of desperation and confusion in the same chapter you also see – Sing to the Lord, give praise to the Lord, for he rescues th...

In Medicine - low Na is known as "Hyponatremia". There are three kinds of "Hyponatremia" - Hypovolemic, Euvolemic and Hypervolemic. In simple English - one where the body loses salt and wanter, one where body salt is normal, but there is a problem in distribution of salt due to hormonal issues and in the third situation, body water is more so that there is a relative reduction in salt. Let me take this one by one - Hypovolemic - where the body water and salt, both are reduced because of an inadequate intake or disproportionate loss like during diarrhea or excessive sweating.... A Depleted state.... Inadequate intake of "Salt" or "Kingdom values" due to a "Depleted state" of spirituality is not uncommon in our lives - in some seasons specially! How one need to guard oneself, not to be depleted...! Hypervolemic - where there is more water - and so the salt gets diluted in the increased volume and there is a relative Na loss - a...