Platelet Apheresis-an experience

There was a call on my mobile on 13th dec at about 8.15pm requesting for a platelet donation. The patient was diagnosed with blood cancer and required constant infusion of platelets. I enquired about the hospital where apheresis was to take place( BTW apheresis is taking out components of whole blood from the donor, while returning the reminder of the blood minus drawn component back to him. The entire thing, is done by hooking to an automatic machine, which takes ur blood, removes the platelet and returns the blood back to u). It was in BGS hospital almost 21 km from my residence. By the time we reached hospital it was 9.15pm. Initial testing took around 30 min. After satisfying with the quality of blood, I was finally hooked to the apheresis machine at around 10 pm. The only contact with the machine is through a needle hole in ur vein like in blood donation. But the difference here is, after the needle, three tubes are connected to the machine. Once the machine takes around a unit (400 ml) of ur blood, it starts the centrifuge and the platelet( it can be plasma or the Cells) is separated and collected in a collecting bag. Now, this blood is returned back to you. All this will repeat 10 or 11 times in a span of 50 to 75 min. U can read a magazine or listen to ur fav music while this is going on.

So by 11pm I was happy to have donated platelet to a patient. I was informed that one can donate platelets 24 times a year!! See the number of dengue patients u would be saving. Except for the time factor, I think more donors should be forthcoming to donate platelets.

I reached home by 12pm feeling exhausted but extremely happy. incidentally the patient is recovering.

Eulogy to the doyen of light music "sugama sangitha" of Kannada

The reverberating voice that thrilled thousands in the packed halls, andmade them stand up to respect the 'Nadageethe' is no more. But the impact it has created amongst us Kannadigas, and especially the adjusting Bangaloreans shall live on. Aswathji, may you rest in peace. Unconventional at times, but true to his heart always and a man of mercurial temper: these are the few adjectives used while describing Aswath C But I would prefer the man who took sugama sangitha to the common man and to a large extent, all the artistes of sugama sangitha owe it to this man for popularising it. First week of dec 2009, at the APS grounds, I heard him live for the last time. Was it a thrill/excitement/experience? For an untrained music lover like me, it was a time to dance with gay abandon to the sheer melody most of which were Aswaths original offerings of our famed songs. May He give the family strength to bear this loss. Kannadigas forever will be grateful to you Aswath for making us happy and proud for these 5 decades with your high pitched renderings of all those folk songs and bhavageethes.

Journey to the Himalayas

Am back from a gruelling journey to the Uttarakhand for a week. I would not havebelieved that a physical journey to any place on earth can make such a marked change in the mental framework as well as the total shift of the paradigm. To cut a long story short, the trip cut me, my ego, the self or whatever you call it really to size. It was a great humbling experience. The range around you abounds in lofty mountain ranges and deep gorges. The gurgling/roaring rivers make one remain silent and enjoy their conversation with the nature instead. The sheer size of them makes one feel like an iota a nothing. To add to this, the silent and non-grumbling attitude of the pahadis(the hill folk! as opposed to the plains folk like us!!) was really endearing. Could I hear a single impatient honk at either of the 5+ hours of waiting for the roadblock due to landslide to get cleared? you bet. None. Second time, in a matter of 24 hours when I heard the familiar honk, you guessed it right, it came from a chandigarh vehicle. Still none reacted to it. I even wondered how, the great Shankaracharya could endure this physical ordeal to build that Badri Vishal temple there? Single minded determination to propagate advaita only could have given him the strength to traverse mostly by foot.

"Expressway to new Bengaluru airport"

How much more of the dust, pollution and blaring noise and unending traffic jams have the average bengalureans are to endure before this joke called the signal free path to the BIAL< materialises finally? Environmentally, economically and sociologically, this new project is a complete disaster from the word go it was formulated. for an air traffic of around a million people every year, I believe an equal number everyday is put to unforseen, avoidable hardships. And we are to endure this cruelty in the name of development. Probably, the policy makers never foresaw the economic downturn, which was lurking to happen. Now, the eyesores of underpasses, magicboxes(not magic anymore)and dug up roads aggravating breathing difficulties dot almost every stretch of bengaluru . Pray, what is the Janagraha, and other civic forums are doing to alleviate, the common mans injuries?

Awards for this years republic day

Every year you would wind up with a list of real surprises in finding names of people little heard but doing wonderful service to the humanity in their chosen field honored on account of the republic day. This year its a pleasant surprise to see our beloved Dr Mathoor krishnamurthy, Dr Bannanje, Aruna sairam, sunderlal bahuguna and ofcourse Pt Bhimsen Joshi. At such times, one feels really happy for the awardeees as well as the award. In this era of crass commercial/materialistic mentality, finding a true Gandhian is a herculean task. Mathoorji, in his humble, wise and practical way stands tall( even though he is physically 5'3"). Congratulations to all the awardees/The padma awards have done themselves lproud by being conferred on such illustrious personalitiies. Long live India and its soveriegnty. JAI HIND.