Omana's theory of Oncology

Omana, our tribal woman health animator, asked her husband K.T.Subramanian : "How did he get the cancer?"

KTS, of course, said, "I don't know and the doctors also didn't say anything about it"

"No, he does not have any bad habits. No smoking, no alcohol or tobacco or other bad food habits. So, how come he got cancer?"

"Sorry, I don't know !"

"I know", she said confidently. "He has been working on his computer always. From the time I have known him. Few years of working like this is surely like to affect. What with all kinds of viruses they keep talking about infecting the computers etc.! I am sure, his computer addiction only would have caused his cancer."

She may have a point?

Milky Galaxy

No, no, don't worry, it is not a scientific blog post. (All I know about astronomy can be written on the back of a postal stamp, as they say!). Yet, my galaxy is full of milk during the last one week.

Yes, I am on to milk diet. I repeat, ONLY-milk diet. That is, I drink only liquid milk of a cow. Not only the morning and evening tea time has been changed to milk time, I drink milk for my breakfast, lunch and dinner - not to mention the numerous times I used to eat home-made items.

So, if you are hungry, drink milk. If you are bored, drink milk. If you want to think, drink milk. If you just want to pass some time, drink milk. I have successfully managed one week of this. Just another 5 months and 3 weeks to go!

OK, the logic of only-milk diet in treatment of cancer in ayurveda is like this. All cells in our body die. So, cancer cells also die. So, instead of eliminating the cancer cells with very harmful things like chemo drugs, it is better to work on the new cells that are created in the body. Having uncontaminated diet will help in this process greatly and fresh cow's milk - sorry, cow's fresh milk - will be an ideal rejuvenating food for this process. I agree, but the important thing is the cancer cells should agree. Which we will know only after 6 months. I am very positive; so, let us see.

The doctor insisted on getting a proper country cow, because he blames the hybridization of food as the sole reason for the increasing incident of cancer. It makes sense. Anyway, I am not averse to cow milk and in fact, love cows. So, no problems.

But, the doctor said one interesting thing : "My patients initially resist this idea of only-milk diet. They are even willing to go through all the trauma of chemotherapy, leaving them very difficult to eat any kind of food; but, they think only-milk is too difficult !! I am surprised, but I am convinced of this method based on my work during the last 20 odd years".

So, here is to my favourite cows and their milk ! Hurrah !

 

Unequal growth

I was telling a friend, "the problem is there is unequal growth. One section is growing beyond what is healthy, while the other is going down and becoming weaker..."

Unfortunately, at that time, a left-leaning activist was passing by and he overheard what I said, I think. He started rattling, "Yes, that is the biggest problem facing the world today. While rich are becoming richer, the poor are becoming poorer. This unequal growth is causing the divide bigger and bigger. This will end only in a bloody revolution, you wait..."

"Oh, I am sorry, I was just talking about my body. See my legs and belly are growing and so big, making me very uncomfortable. But, the rest of the body is losing weight and becoming thin. I wasn't talking about global economic issues, merely about my physical condition..." He left very disappointed, giving a nasty look at this irresponsible soul - probably thinking 'such people fuel such inequality'!!

Anyway, back to my body. The legs have really become larger. The stomach of course has remained so for more than 4 months now. I wonder how much the skin can stretch. When people suddenly become obese or lose weight, what happens to their skin? Never thought of this before.

If the albumin content in the body improves, this extra fluid will be absorbed by the blood itself, I am told till now. Dr.Mahesh has prescribed an ayurveda medicine, which I am taking from this morning. Within a week, some progress is promised.

Keep my toes crossed !!

Chemotherapy Stopped!

First of all, my apologies for not writing for the last one week and keeping everyone guessing. Many of you had called directly to get the news. This is for the 'larger audience'!

The D-day on 14th November went unexpected actually. In my mind, I had composed two different sets of blog posts - titled 'Good news' and 'Bad news'! But, after seeing the investigation results, the doctor gave us a mixed bag.

"The good news is that you have not deteriorated much. But, the bad news is that the three cycles of chemotherapy do not seem to have resulted in any appreciable reduction in the liver or the cancer cells. So, to be honest, I would recommend not to continue Chemotherapy, as you had severe side effects last time. In fact, during the last few weeks, without the drugs, you seem to have developed appetite, eating well and gaining strength a little. So, it is better we wait for another month or so without the chemo therapy and see how progress, OK?"

What does it mean? Is he suggesting that no point in continuing the treatment and better wait for the inevitable? But, Dr.Regi and Dr.Deva, who were with us (both allopathy doctors) tend to read it differently. "This opens up the way for us to pursue the wonderful opportunities in alternative medicine - especially Ayurveda. Let us go full-steam on Ayurveda now. Since we have tried the 3 cycles, we won't feel that we didn't try allopathy treatment!"

Anyway, the silver lining for me was that no more chemo drugs! We returned that day itself back to Gudalur.

During the last one week, I have started taking Ayurveda medicines - which is not at all difficult and no side effects. Will update about the progress from time to time.

Chemo had dramatic moments giving me lot of ideas for interesting blog posts. Ayurveda in its typical fashion will not be so. But, still will remember to share important learnings through these posts.

whisper ... whisper ... Ears are the most immune?

There is one part of my body which has not been affected by the chemo drugs till now. Touch wood, it is the ear!

Even the nose had a nose block and it affected the eyes briefly; the eyes have been mildly watering whenever I sit in front of the computer. Mouth and legs and hair and all that, of course all of you know, have been battered to a good level.

But, my hearing ability remained intact throughout. The FM radio has been a great support. Having been restricted to home, radio - mostly Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi songs - was almost always playing the whole day. So, enjoying it thoroughly.

So, all music lovers, don't worry if you were diagnosed with cancer. You will be able to continue to listen to music inspite of all treatment!!

Surviving Cancer

Surviving cancer is one thing; but surviving the cancer treatment is another.

There has been a break from the chemo drugs for the last 15 days and my mouth ulcers are totally gone. So, able to eat ... err, drink things. Though I tried a dosa after a very long time this morning, diet has been mostly in liquid form. If I go to a hotel now, you can see me ordering '1 glass of chapati', then 'two glasses of idli' and of course, a glass of milk without sugar. As this will put the India Coffee House friends in discomfort, didn't go to hotel at all !!

Though the side effects have kind-of-stopped, the taste buds are still dormant. Someone said, it will take a solid 2 months after stopping all medication before you can distinguish between sambar and rasam. Alas, I cannot wait that much.

Tomorrow morning, we are going to Vellore for an evaluation. CT SCAN, X-ray and meet the doctor on Monday with the results. He will let us know if there is some progress in my treatment and continue with the remaining 3 cycles. Or, abandon therapy!! Though I am feeling okay and there is no pain, my stomach is still like Aishwarya Rai Bachan's heavily pregnant abdomen.

Anyway, we will know the result on Monday. So, 14th is the D-day. Will keep you all informed next week from Vellore.

Doctors are actually Engineers!

Till recently, I used to think that Doctors and Engineers are two totally different species in the animal kingdom. But, of late, I realised that doctors are actually engineers, after all!

My knowledge about both these professions in my younger days was next to nothing. When I finished my 1st year engineering, I got admission in a medical college - delayed response due to some court case. Do you know how I decided whether to continue engineering or join the medical course ? I listed the positives and negatives of both the streams.

Engineering
 +ve : Only 3 more years to finish the course
-ve   :  There are no girls in the college

Medical
+ve : There will be girls in the classroom
-ve  : Another 5 and a half years to study!

Finally, I decided to continue engineering. See how 'deep' was my understanding and such an 'informed' decision I took!! Anyway, no regrets for that decision.

In 1995, when I came to Gudalur, got to know about the doctors, hospitals, medical profession from close quarters. Not only about just doctors, but about the various specialties and their roles etc. But, even then, I had not realised how much engineering they knew.

It was only when I had this cancer detected in my stomach/liver that I saw Dr.Nanda Kumar more as a Chemical Engineer than the usual surgeon. He talked more about the chemicals, the bio-chemistry inside the organs, which chemical causes the side-effects and the effect of the chemo drugs etc. Most of the clinical practice revolves around chemical composition of the body system, it looks.

Orthopaedicians, of course, are straightaway mechanical engineers. Neurologists are electrical engineers - nothing we can understand! Conversely, if you are good at all these 3 streams of engineering, then you can try your luck with medicines too!

அன்றும் இன்றும்

Sorry, this can be only a Tamil Post. Difficult to translate !!
அந்தக்காலத்தில் பெண்ணைக் காதலித்து கல்யாணம் செய்வதற்கு பெண்ணின் பெற்றோர்களின் சம்மதமும், விருப்பமும் மிக முக்கியமாக இருந்தது. பெற்றோர்களைக் கவர எடுத்துக்கொள்ளும் முயற்சிகள் பெண்ணைக்கவரும் முயற்சிகளுக்கு சமமாகவே இருக்கும் என்றே சொல்லலாம். "பலே பாண்டியா" படத்தில் தேவிகாவைக் காதலிக்கும் சிவாஜி, அவரது தந்தையான M.R.ராதாவின் மனதைக் கவருவதற்காக ஒரு கர்நாடக சங்கீதப் பாடலைப் பாடும் ஒரு அற்புதமான நகைச்சுவைக் காட்சி உண்டு. அதில் எப்படியெல்லாம் தன் மாமாவைப் புகழுகிறார் பாருங்கள்...
"நீயே உனக்கு என்றும் நிகரானவன்
அந்தி நிழல் போல் குழல் வளர்த்த தாயாகி நின்றவன் (என்ன அருமையான உவமை!)
வாய் வேதம், கை நீதி, விழி அன்பு, மொழி கருணை
வடிவாகி முடிவற்ற முதலான இறைவா !"
இப்படிச் சொல்லி விட்டு, முத்தாய்ப்பாக
"துதிபாடும் கூட்டம் உன்னை நெருங்காதய்யா
வெறும் தூபத்தில் உன் இதயம் மயங்காதய்யா"
என்றும் பெரிய ஒரு ஐஸ் வேறு வைக்கிறார்.
கேட்ட ராதா மயங்கி, உடனே 'நீ தான் மாப்பிள்ளை' என்று சொல்லும் நிலைக்கு வந்து விடுகிறார்.
ஆனால் இன்றோ? பையன் நேரடியாக பெண்ணிடம் மட்டும் தான் பேசுகிறான் - அவளுக்கு விருப்பம் இல்லாவிட்டாலும். மேலும் அவளது பெற்றோரைக் கவரும் முயற்சியை விடுங்கள், அவர்கள் மீது துளி மரியாதையும் இல்லை. அடிக்காத குறையாக இருந்தது இதுவரை. இப்போது அதுவும் சீக்கிரமே நடக்கும் என்று நினைக்கிறேன். மிகவும் பாப்புலரான இந்நப் புதிய பாடலைப் பாருங்கள் -
"எவன்டி உன்னைப் பெத்தான்?
என் கைல கிடைச்சா செத்தான்!"
பெண்ணின் அப்பாக்கள் ஜாக்கிரதை!!