by Manju Gupta
The B-word Straight out of medical school, when I started practice in a small town, the mention of it would make me puff up with pride and gratitude. After a few years in the rut, I started taking it with a pinch of salt, knowing that the sentiment could change at the drop of a hat ( or blood pressure! ). Thirty years later, I am wary of the word,…
During clinical training doctors are taught to extract information from patients like policemen, specially in suspicious cases like youth presenting with altered sensorium. One such semi-conscious patient came to our clinic and after a routine history my husband started probing for accidental poisoning. He asked whether she had eaten something inadvertently or if something lying around was mistakenly ingested. He must have repeated himself thrice. A Tau, who was the…
It was just a question, casually asked by a patient as I was doing his ultrasound. He inquired why Raavan didn’t use magic to disguise himself as Ram and trick Sita into accepting him. Why he pleaded and beseeched instead of using his ‘maayavi‘ super powers? An intriguing thought for the festive season. A fortnight ago we had burnt the evil, literally danced around its ashes and are now gearing…
In the morning when I’m still groggy and in bed I close my eyes for what seems like a second, but when I open them the clock tells me 15 minutes have elapsed. In contrast, when I’m huffing and puffing on the treadmill, each second takes its time to pass. This is Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity as I know it. All of us experience it. Time passes slowly at…
PULSE READING The Dengue Scare Dr Manju Gupta The other day a Tau ( an all encompassing term for an elderly, Haryanvi gentleman) in my O.P.D clinic lamented, ” Pehle Dengue Dilli mein hi hota tha, ab hum bhi NCR mein aa gaye, metro aur development toh aayee nahi , bimari aa gayee.” His rustic wit, meant to evoke laughter, got me thinking. There was some truth in his observation.…
I have been to hell and back. The only consolation is that I am among the lucky few who have lived to tell the tale. I had lost orientation of time and space. I was in a haze, never sure of facts or figures. I often forgot birthdays and anniversaries and had stopped exchanging pleasantries. Like an outcast I avoided social gatherings and sites. Sharing memories and memorabilia was too…
They met at the Mall for an afternoon of shopping and created a ruckus as they hugged and greeted each other, excitedly talking, all at once. The amused looks of fellow shoppers did not deter them from their very public display of affection. The shopping spree had been planned in advance and the agenda was clear. First was a trip to the make-up lounge where they debated and tried different…
The Rising Son I was caught in a dilemma as choking with emotion I unwrapped the gift. My son had bought me a present from his first pay check and I was debating whether I should start a discourse or let life do the teaching. After some thought, I decided to err on the side of caution and do what parents do best. Sermonise and preach. So here goes Live…
What was a nightmare for the dream girl was an eternal lights out for a dreamy little girl and yet the country agonised over the misfortune of the former. The bias was evident in the way the story was reported. Headlines across the nation screamed about Hema Malini’s ‘serious’ injuries in a car accident. The grievous injuries to the occupants of the other car and the death of their child…
I had lost the bill and price tags and almost three months had elapsed since I had made the purchase. The chances that it could be exchanged were scarce and yet, since I was in the neighbourhood I gave it a try. The only thing in my favour was that it was unused and so in mint new condition I walked into the store rehearsing my speech on the reasons…