BENGALURU: Since the planet Mars has moved out of retrograde (according to very authentic sources like Instagram and Twitter), I feel that all my minor health hiccups may be firmly behind me. I consider myself very fortunate because it’s simply crazy how many young people (I’m sorry, but I consider everyone in their late forties and fifties young!) have been stricken with major health problems and many of them have keeled over and died! Yesterday I checked into the newly refurbished hospital which had fallen into a pitiful state of disrepair.
A big conglomerate bought it over and voila! With my doctor/friend Dr Sushila Suresh at the helm of affairs we now have a great new hospital in the CBD area. My check-in process was seamless and the duty-nurse was in touch with me the evening before the procedure, making sure that the medication routine was adhered to.
I was also told to remove my nail-polish as the anaesthetic would keep an eye on my oxygen levels, by observing a healthy pink colour on my (unvarnished) nails! I had a tete-a-tete with all the doctors who were going to perform or observe the procedure and for the first time I felt like a ‘person’ and not a ‘patient’. Of course I was stuck with a ‘healthy’ bill which my insurance didn’t cover because it was an investigative procedure, but I was happy that the procedure went off smoothly in a clean and caring environment rather than in a place where one contracts more infections instead of curing oneself. All said and done, the dedication of our overworked doctors, redeem the reputation of our pitiable health services. The wily insurance companies and the government that formulates no viable policies for our teeming middle-class should hang their heads in shame.
My favourite couple Virinder and Sheeba Razdan were in the city, with the former taking over as GM of Leela Bharitya City. A close group of friends was invited to partake in a lazy poolside brunch. The peals of laughter must have resounded over the new complex as good friends made merry, happy to be re-united. The funny thing was that this time around, most of us were ‘promoted’ from being young mothers with teenage kids to moms whose kids were now young adults.
The focus of conversation flowed easily from them to us. One thing was clear…we were more than just care-givers. We were powerful contributing women who would make our own ‘happy-space’. Food certainly occupied my existence the last fortnight. Taj West End played host to the Australian Meat and Livestock Exchange which featured a masterchef winner Michael Weldon conjuring up some fantastic barbeque lamb chops and other carnivorous delights that Australia is famous for.
Of course, Taj West-End played the perfect hosts judging by the happy band of well wined and dined Bangaloreans! Good friend the ‘gastroaut’ Vicky Ratnani was conjuring up his magic at Conrad Hotels by adding his fairy-dust to the predominantly Californian style Italian food! The GM SrijanVadhera and EC Prasad Metrani laid out a red carpet for him and the guests which reflected in the superlative dinner hosted by the poolside. Who says Bangalore is a ‘Sleepy-Hollow’ huh?