Sutured Dreams

 From the little experience I've had over the years, one thing has become clear: politicians and doctors in charge of hospitals share a uniquely complex relationship. Doctors often complain—sometimes justifiably—about the lack of political support or the inability of politicians to understand the nuances of healthcare. Yet, every now and then, a politician does help keep things honest. Like it or not, meaningful progress in peripheral hospitals doesn't come from medical staff alone. It often takes a committed local leader—someone who genuinely wants to improve healthcare for their constituents—to drive change. This becomes especially important when the medical officer in charge is slow to act, which, to be fair, isn't uncommon—particularly when the doctor isn't from the community they serve. That said, not all politicians are driven by public welfare. Some are more interested in headlines than health outcomes, especially when elections are around the corner. These ind...

  Rewatching the shows you used to watch as a teenager almost two decades later can sometimes be quite underwhelming. Few weeks back, I randomly came across a video review of Phil of the Future , one of my regular watches during my Disney phase in the mid 00s. And good lord, it was definitely much nuttier than I remember. It is quite noteworthy that my mother tolerated me watching such stuff all the time. Regardless of what people might think now, I was very much considered a problem child by most of the extended family. My marks were often in the average to below average range and every Tom, Dick and Harry believed I watched too much TV. Or perhaps the bigger problem was that I rarely used to watch things other people would consider watching. To watch anything that wasn’t in Malayalam was considered downright sinful by a few.  To Be Understood Back in school days, I was a very restrictive person. If there was some event I didn’t feel like attending or some show that I...

  It has almost been 5 years since my father passed away . 5 years since I decided that in order to survive going forward, I had to find a way to turn my emotions off. So, on the few occasions in the year that I allow them to come back on, I’m reminded of how painful my reality truly is. 2019 was the worst year of my life – so much so that even the Covid pandemic ravaged 2020 and 2021 seem pale in comparison. Financially, I was at rock bottom, and despite working almost nonstop most of the year, I was barely paid 2 months of salary by the start of December after getting screwed by both the government and private sectors. Near the end of the year, I found myself trying to sell furniture that I thought was surplus to my needs in order to try to get some cash to pay the bills. I was humiliated on multiple occasions by my new landlord for being a doctor who couldn’t even pay the rent on time .   I was in a toxic relationship that was getting worse every day and destroying my...