Reflecting 5 years

It is a little over 24 hours after it was revealed that I have completed MBBS(Sri Lanka (NOT Aluthkade)), and it is a time to reflect on five long years at the Faculty in the journey of reaching here.

Among the lot that had supported during the journey, the full credit has to be given with utmost gratitude for all the patients whom I met from the first day at clinicals in a surgical ward till the last patient who supported me at the surgery long cases in the exam. Words can never describe, how grateful I am for all these great human beings. The kindness and the selflessness to talk to us and let us examine them, while they are in pain, sometimes at the last days of their's lives, when they know that this in purely for our studies with no personal gain for them (except their self satisfaction) is unimaginable. And we are blessed that there were so many such wonderful human beings who helped us over the years to learn Medicine; which would have never been a reality with out them. ( Although the Sri Lankan trend is changing at this point of writing where clinical training has not become essential to be doctors)

It would be a wastage of words if I praise my family members and all the close relatives here, because I can never think of a life without them, and using words to praise them is just a foolish attempt. But an emphasis on the past 5 years is incomplete if not for the the mad cousins who made life interesting in the few gatherings we had over time.

Teachers we meet at medical faculty are not like those whom we meet at school. All the teachers form pre school till grade 13 nurtured us like their own children and worked for our betterment and cheered with us in our success and cried with our failures. Learning medicine was to be professionals. The teaching on professionalism was a part of the training. So, the teacher, student relationship was different. If to speak of the best role model I met among the lot of role models at Colombo, it is Dr. G.L. Punchihewa sir - Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon. Sir was a complete doctor as I felt with the complete package of teaching, patient care, caring for students and good interactions with other healthcare staff. And there were many others too like , Prof. Saroj Jayasinghe sir, who was a role model on caring for patients , Dr. Thashi Chang sir, who was an excellent presenter and a teacher, Dr. Sanjeewa Senevirathne sir, a young teacher who made learning interesting and novel, Prof. Nandadeva Samarasekara sir, a wonderful administrator etc etc and there were many more in the list which I may not drag as the purpose of the blog is just to glance through 5 years.

Then come the friends who can either make life at university wonderful or a suffering. I am glad to have been  blessed with a wonderful set of school friends who can either be my teacher, counselor,  friend, idler and whatever the role the situation demands.

A complete 5 years of medicine is obviously boring with out changes to life. Complete different exposures are an essential part of life I guess. To serve this purpose I am blessed to have a set of friends, who will be "My Set" for ever in life. The fellow scouts of the troop committee are almost like my own brothers with all the conflicts, resolutions, fights, arguments in abundance. Organizing Centennial ROCKS with this lot while doing medicine was something I truly enjoyed.

Well, this doesn't mean it was 5 years with school friends. There were a lot of other great friends I met at the Colombo medical faculty too. Reflecting back I am fortunate that all 200 batch mates have helped me at least once at some point during the long journey. But as with anyone else, I too had a set of Extraordinary friends who made the 5 years special. All of them played different roles during the 5 years of stay, sometimes pleasant memories, sometimes life lessons, sometimes unbelievable experiences but everything to look back and smile about. 

This was the batch father in year one and was one of the best friends I met during the 5 years time, and the friendship had it's ups and downs , but the memories will never be forgotten

This guy unfortunately had to help me out with all trouble I get myself into, may be conference, hosting Japanese delegates, doing repeat campaigns, training swimming, etc etc and for some reason, still works with me at times of need(like finding old photoes for this blog)

This guy is the guide and the ever ready man who is the first contact at any sort of an issue and more importantly was freely available at any time (then)

This was my treasurer as a rep and since then for some unfortunate reason for him had to be a good friend of mine till this day, obviously with so many arguments and disagreements starting from hair and beard

This union president had to bear most of my direct criticism , but still keept laughing for a reason unknown to all. This person makes the properties of associations, faculty etc public which help sometimes, but not all the time.

This genius, who has climbed and excelled in all possible subjects, had always been a pillar with valuable inputs for a successful 5 years at the faculty, and had been the final destination when a decision regarding a subject matter is needed.

The union guy since year one.  Had so many plans, so many fights, disagreements , but was continuously supportive, particularly in the early years of need and led Anti SAITM campaign from our batch.

This is the Drama friend, who lit bulbs throughout 5 years and been motivating at times things were getting pretty bad with no solutions.

And then there were a lot of others who had always been a wonderful support over the years,  Carbo - The constant admirer, Sasangi - The constant supporter and particularly her family; where their house became a public property of 2010. There were so many other friends who contributed for a great life at faculty.

Somewhere down the line, I happened to end up being a batch rep and if not for Lakshika (the repi) and her patience, her way of working and her leadership, that particular year would have been a much worse one for the 200 in batch of 2010. I am truly grateful to her for the wonderful support given.

In this long reflection I can never forget the lot that had to bear me for 3 years at least every morning in different wards. There were issues more often than not, but if not for this lot the dream of MBBS would never have been a reality.

And then there are groups with different names, body group, community group, family attachment group, research group, elective group, prof groups, study group, cases group etc etc where I had to be a member sometimes with greatest enthusiasm and sometimes with greatest reluctance, but somehow ended up being a nice memory or an unforgettable experience( good and bad).

Also there were different committees namely Disaster Management, Sports Association etc which I had to be a part and contributing in different scales. They provided me the greatest opportunity to work with wonderful/not so wonderful students from senior/my/junior batches.

Not not to forget the long list of roommates I had - Lape, Sithasiha aia, Dasun, Randika, Yeshan and Diluksha ; the long list explaining how troublesome I must have been to the people who lived around.

Slowly but steadily we had to enter the so called ''Prof" year , the final lapse. It must not have been what it was if not for Praveen aia, Aindrani akka, Chapa akka - some i have met and some I haven't and only a Colombo medical graduate will know their value. And how can I ever forget , the dedicated seniors who were sometimes more enthusiastic than us to get good results for the faculty they studied. The Genius Mythili akka, Yasith aia, Kasun aia, Arjuna aia, Tharunya akka guided us with all that they gathered over their lives in medicine, and sometimes to the extent we couldn't even believe their commitment for a junior batch that had troubled them so much. If not for Praveen aia in particular, some Prof. appointments would never have ended with what the final results have displayed.

Among all senior inputs , I need to remind this character , 

whom for his fortune/unfortunate had us behind him during the Prof. year (his intern year). The ward tricks, BSS breaking bad news, Pearls of being a Good & Efficient intern were lessons taught by this man with example. Maheshi akka too had her inputs, particularly during Surgery appointment.

What is in word here are just bits and pieces from here and there that ran through mind when reflecting on the last 5 years at a glance. The Dances, visits, trips, dramas, decorations, sports and many more keep rushing in to mind which I would purposefully omit for the benefit few readers who will ever read this blog.

At the end of it, the papers Dean madam sent us through air, has unfortunately divided the batch to two broad groups on the day after our "Going Down", as those who passed and those who were not so lucky in the 1st attempt. However, I personally am proud that a batch mate of ours has set a legacy that would motivate thousands of students who come to Colombo to enjoy and excel in medicine with a balanced faculty life. If there's a will, there's a way is a famous saying I have listened to and this time it was proven in reality. 

It had been interesting (sometimes there were issues too like with anybody else) to work with Praveen since year one at various levels Med fest, Law Med, Freshers'welcome (Induwara). His prep talks, the unbelievable leadership skills , the entertainment has always been a great asset to Dahaya, until  he proved yesterday that he is unstoppable, by setting an example of balancing everything and finally reaching the target one needs to achieve. Among all good things he did for the batch , he has set the exact motivation for the  batch mates who needs to attempt again in May, "It is never about what you got in the past, it is about what you want to achieve in future, and getting the right advice, doing the right thing to get to the position you want" - Congratulations Praveen! And Thanks for making 2010 batch and Faculty of Medicine, Colombo Proud! 

and All the very best for the friends who will be attempting again! :) After all this is not MBBS(Aluthkade), and it has to be earned in the correct way which is hard ; not by money, court orders or corrupted politicians! 

The Strike Times

When I walk to the ward everyday, with utmost difficulty by 7.30am, as the register was marked around that time, I see her doing the ward round and over half of it already completed. Well, she is obviously not one to be missed with her big belly with a foetus on ,over 24 weeks. I remember the complaints my relations had when they were pregnant. Difficult to walk, morning sickness, leg pains etc etc and here is a lady perhaps with all those difficulties still managing to come to the ward and do the rounds before any of us come to the ward. It was not only her, the junior doctor who was presenting patients to her was also with a belly of over 28 weeks perhaps. Some days, the nurse following the ward round too was pregnant. It was a ward treating sub-fertility and as expected, a ward with good success rates in that regard perhaps.

I see that senior doctor doing the ward round there, takes something for breakfast and returns to consultant's ward round wiping her mouth; perhaps half eaten. Then she follows the consultant, under goes the mind storming the consultant expects of her. Then are the scans which she has to complete. Sometimes it is the operation day, she is to visit the theater early, guide her juniors, make everything ready and wait for her boss to come and make the incision. She does the surgeries, not second to any. Then there are issues like the belly coming between the bed and her, making the approach much difficult. But somehow she is to complete the theater with in the time limits allocated.

Ward and theater are better, then comes the clinics. Many patients coming from all around the country. She is a doctor taking care of the patients, a student under her consultant, a tutor for the lazy medical students around and is the one who has to make all decisions the SHO is unable to. To add on to this, there are days we hear the consultant saying things like, there is some session and ask her to make a presentation for him to present. Or asking her to visit some place where there is session for her to attend to.

Well, she must have run through the 3 wards she has to take care when she is on call; which comes every other day as there are just two registrars working; and complete her night ward round around pm. And then complete all the scans by about 9.30 pm. Then comes her teaching episode. She visits to the class of medical students, who by this time are blaming her for being late as she has requested the students to come by 8 pm, and one and half hours of their precious time is wasted. Somehow she comes and do the teaching for the medical students for about 30 minutes, which is a bit quicker teaching than usual speed medicos will get. The usual worry of the medicos at the end of session is, 'why the hell did I come to class today? It was too fast. I better would have slept at that time. With all these untold comments on her teaching, I see her leaving, to somewhere a HO has requested her opinion on a bad patient, about 11 pm on the clock and still with the same dress I saw her at 7 am

Then it was one night, I was chatting in fb around 12am mid night as it was my rotation that day, there was a bad patient in labour. The new HO's who are clueless of most what is happening around anyway, are supposed to call registrar's opinion. The nurses, and all were busy stabilizing the patient, and here comes her, with tiresome eyes, swollen face, and her child in the womb. What ever she had felt, how much she would have wanted to sleep after the heavy work of the day, she had no option. That is what she decided her job must be.

She might have been someone who wanted to be a doctor from her early childhood, like about 50% of child population in Sri Lanka. ( Perhaps figures might have changed these days as majority would like to be some sort of a star) She might have chosen Bio stream in A/L's; perhaps as she really wanted to be a doctor. May be because her best friends did the same. May be because she was not good in writing essays with numbers in Maths, ( I have seen my friends doing A/L maths, the question was so long. As a person who usually messed my +,- signs in my O/L maths days, i was clueless how these guys would not mess the so many letters, signs, numbers in the questions), or hated her own Sinhala handwriting ( like in my case, end of O/L Sinhala day for me gave a great satisfaction as i thought that would be the end of my Sinhala essay writing- which partly was true, I hated my hand writing), or not much in to business ( in commerce if you do it, you would need a lot of experience and do CIMA,AAT etc etc extra exams to get a good job). Her only option would have been to do Biology. Then for some strange reason she might have passed A/L s with flying colours. And since that day her friends, relations etc everyone would have called her 'doctor'; though she never wondered the courses she would have applied with her results. She might not have known herself, what she likes, what she doesn't like when she applied. Obviously she might not have expected the life she is spending now. Somehow she must have entered to the Medical faculty, and since day 1, she might have had thousands of lectures, dissections, practicals, tutorials, visual learning exercises etc etc And at the end of the teaching, she would be given the vacation of one or two weeks, which at the end will be proceeded with an examination. The term of 'vacation' redefined by 'study leave'. Not to miss the number of family gatherings, college functions and friends' gatherings she would have missed, not merely because she was busy with studies, but she had to be marked present to avoid repeating the appointment , which she will have to repeat during a rare free week that she may get. These are just the study issues, what about her other girl issues?? The fashions, the relationships etc.. All issues that an ordinary girl in this age would have will surely be common to her if she was doing medicine or not.

Well, non of these should be an excuse to her. She chose the field of medicine with the great social respect associated with the profession. Surely like most of the medicos, she would never have expected to go through this journey to get there. But nothing should be an excuse. All the sacrifices, hardships, they all come in the same plate which all privileges a doctor is entitled to. I have often seen people complaining of jobs, the A/C in the office is not working, heavy work load with about 100 reports for a day, need to work in the dark, the office issues are too much etc. Well imagine a life where your office is a place of crying people, people coming with pain, bleeding, vaginal discharges , menstrual irregularities etc.. It is a life which you will never imaging. A mother will know the pain she under goes during a labour. But to be with mothers undergoing that pain everyday, bear through the screaming daily, and console her with pain relief daily is never an enjoying task. Well the only place you will feel a bit comfortable would be a Paediatric ward. It is like a pre school. Children playing and hiding. There too children cry, but crying is something children do. So, a paed ward would be a bit nicer place. But there are children with serious conditions; where the atmosphere completely changes.

But you admit it or not, she must be really satisfied with the work she does. The job satisfaction she gets by relieving pain, giving a new born to the mother's arm, are only in this sacred position. She is extremely lucky in that regard.

One day I heard a junior doctor was speaking to her saying, one day a security officer has asked who she was while passing through the gate. She has responded saying She was a doctor. The security has replied, "if you were a doctor, why don't you come in a car?". The junior doctor was furious, she has blamed the security officer. Well, I know the majority would say the doctor is rude, she must be clam and explain the reasons, or crack a joke at the security officer. If you were an intern, with a salary just enough to manage yourself, has completed a long day, going for dinner around 11.30 pm , and if some one comments like the security officer, you will understand. But again, nothing is an excuse, it was her who selected the profession, she has to take all the good and bad that comes with it.

All in all, what I see here is that, great majority has a dream of being doctors, yet they don't realize what it is like to be one. When they do realize, some times there is no way out. True, being a doctor comes with a lot of privileges, and so does the dedication and commitment. None of the doctors can say their life is hard, because that is what comes with the profession. It was them who chose it and no one asked them to. But the other aspect must also be remembered. As much as they are responsible for the difficult life they agreed to, they must get the benefits the profession is getting. If the privileges are lost, it is their right to fight. People can say thousands of things, but if you take off some privileges of those who blame others for striking, those guys will be the first to get in to streets. Of the people who shared most posts against doctors recently,  the ones who called if I could help them take medicine early with out being in a cue, or asked who the best consultant in a particular field was, or asked if I could give them an extra car pass were the great patriotic activists.

How much She- the character I described; has to under go in her life these days, I must admit that She is doing one of the greatest and sacred jobs in the world, which the satisfaction can never be compared. She must have done some great great merits to get it in this life. Sometimes, the sinners too get in, may be by mistake. But that is rare, the majority are the lucky ones. Otherwise our health will not be in the standard it is there now.

My opinion on her is that, I have seen her dedication, I have gone just a small distance she went, So, don't bother of what the 'unknown' is shouting, do your job THE BEST way you can, so you may get the satisfaction to the maximum. In the meantime, if there are any issues with the privileges you get, it is only you that needs to fight for it. No one will care of You  in time to come. But at all time, remember, " It is a highly satisfying occupation you got, and at all times keep it's respect. If you are uncertain of your ability, or your suitability for the occupation, or if you are hoping to be a millionaire, just plan some other future that suits you and make life much easier! "

Same warmth, Different routes!

Today, in neonatal resuscitation trolley at labour room were two babies, kept for warmth to prevent hypothermia. They were sharing the same warmth, kicking at each other and were having a good time. They belonged to the two mothers who just delivered them in adjacent beds, who are completely unknown to each other. The two babies, who were born on the same day, perhaps a few minutes apart , are having a good time. I was wondering around, (as usual) and the view of the two neonates just made me think “Will they ever meet again in life? And if they did, will they ever remember that they shared the same warmth on the day they were born ? What would the “time” would have done for their lives by the time they meet? “.This thought reminded me of my own experience.

As for the Free education system in the country, Grade 5 scholarship was (rather still is) an important obstacle for us who studied at the peripheries. We had after school classes; done by our class teacher, 4 days per week, (unlike today, it was free of charge, a social service of the class teacher ; who is the mastermind which guided our lives for our academic achievements up to date ). There were many friends, whom we used to play cricket until class starts and one of them , for the purpose of this story will be Nimal. It was a wonderful childhood we had though scholarship was a competitive exam. We passed the exams, Me, Nimal and many more included. Well by tradition, at my school, the students who passed the scholarship exam used to give a treat for the staff of the school ; one reason for this being that most who would pass will go for so called better schools around and else where. One of the passed students, will have to deliver the welcome speech for the teachers , and the class teacher offered me the opportunity, as I was the highest scorer, but She told me that, “ if you can’t just let me know, because Nimal would even do a better speech than you, but this is offered to you as you are the highest scorer “ . Well as a kid, I did not want to miss opportunities ; something which is practiced still I suppose. So the speech was delivered, within a few days I left the School and travelled Kandy for better education. I did not meet Nimal since then till date.

Let’s say Sunil; was another student among those who passed the exam with me. He decided to stay at the same school. Up on subsequent visits for my home place I would have met him once or twice, chatted sometimes. Last time when I met him before the story which I am about to describe, he was a Security Officer. But it was last year(2014), as a 3^rd year medical student, when I was walking around, some minor staff person called me. I was not sure what the message the minor staff member wanted to deliver to a medical student, and up on turning I met Sunil, after many years, being a minor staff member : partly explained by the fact one of the previous minister of Health ( Before November 2014) was from the peripheral area where I studied). He was busy carrying some samples, so we only could have a little chat. It was not the Grade 5 discussion we had. Perhaps because he was busy for his work and I was running the marathon from hostel to ward to be at the ward a second before the consultant comes. Subsequently, I met Sunil a few times around the hospital. We had short chats here and there, what the duties are, how the staying conditions , the wards they work, the salaries etc etc etc.. Still I meet him once in a while and each time – both of us running in different directions , in a hurry, just like after scholarship exam.

Last April, I visited my home place for the new year, and I was not feeling quite well. I visited a doctor there and he prescribed some medicine ;( all of which I would have prescribed by myself and so is my mother or any one who had a fever and cough before) I went to the counter and gave the prescription. The lady inside was staring at me; which is a rare occurrence, and after sometime she asked if I was Leonard. Well I was a bit surprised, but given the fact it was my home place I though she would have been someone who would have known me. But she introduced her as; Let’s say Nayanaa ( The Grade 2 Sinhala book),who was another classmate of the Grade 5 class, And I was much surprised and happy to meet her after a long period.  Like Sunil, She is also in the field of medicine, which I would be attached to in the due time, Hopefully.

Well this is the fate of lives the time has taken us over the time. You would have waited to see what happened to Nimal at the beginning. But I don’t really know. Hope he is having a great and a enjoyable life. Sunil is in the same hospital I am training, but he is serving the people & earning and I am studying. Nayanaa, as I heard has married recently, and she is also in the medical profession. There were many who were in the class with me. I do not know that happened to most. I remember one friend was killed by LTTE at a Paddy field during war times. All of us shared the same warmth of the Grade 5 class, had the same freedom and happiness at that time. Just like the two babies in the labour room now. But now we do not know what happed to most of our friends. But, once in a while we might meet some of those classmate. But when we do meet ; our lives are never the same again – THE TIME will tear us a long distance part.

So dear babies , you might probably meet again ; but you will never recall that you shared the same warmth on the day you were born and even if by accident you recall that you were together on your birth day, time will take you a long distance apart.

The Time

It is Sunday evening where I suddenly decided to write my first blog. It was a day with many planned activities by Saturday night, yet ended in the usual way of a Sunday. And all along the valuable "Time" was wasted. Time has always been a key factor in our lives. It has changed our lives so much, as it has done during the day today. It has solved many of our problems, given us wonderful memories and experiences, yet it keeps ourselves busy and our thirst of it only increases with time. To recall of the times that I would have liked to travel back and make some changes of past, it would be an endless lot. But, at the end, the Time today, would not have been the same without all the Times we have passed in the past.

Many of my friends tell, that the problems we have would be better with the Time, for which I don't agree fully. It is only how we spend that Time determine the final out put we shall get, and not the "Time". It would have been the same for this Sunday as well. Here I have spent a whole day , yet it has not made any solution to any problems I have currently; one being the start of Professorial Obstetrics appointment tomorrow, and it is not the only thing. I think it was just because I did not spend the time in a way to find solutions for any of the problems I may have. Thus, I keep myself proven of the fact that unless I spend the time looking for solutions or betterment, I am not going to get the solution. So, simply time may not be a solution.

So, that is how my first blog will be. All confusing as myself as always. I was not sure of what to write in the first place, and thus would have spent My Time and the Time of the FEW who read wasted. But I think, the few minutes I spent was spent for the purpose expressing my view on a different topic which might turn out to be a good hobby in the time to come; specially during the hopeful hard times in the year ahead. At the end this might be a Time well spent or a Time which I would like to revisit and make some change. No matter what will happen in future, let the Time pass and will decide the outcome of our actions in future. Happy Week!