Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Beat the Club Foot !

Its been long awaited moment of happiness for all of us at home. It's been a week now and Akshath has started to walk & run at 1yr 4months now. The little guy had battled all the odds against him with a lot of positive spirit, resilience & patience. I salute him for his never never give up attitude.

I can still remember the day July 28th 2010, where Lasya's 5th month pregnancy scan revealed a 3rd degree severe bilateral deformity of both the legs of the baby - Club foot. It was a shocker for us to hear that the baby can't walk. But we didn't quit, did all we can, did all we need to do, took the needed advice, researched all the possible treatments/medical protocols and most importantly styed in the fight - didn't quit.

Here we are now - what a moment, it was a tough journey with a lot of emotional upheavals. We stayed in the fight & finally tasted the success.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Baby Steps !!!!!!!

It's a WoW factor again..with Akshath has started to crawl very well now at 10months..he is also trying to stand up a bit....that's been a pleasure to watch & a battle won...Soon i am sure he will start to walk...am waiting to see this...

I still remember the day July 28th 2010 - 5th month scan of Lasya, which was a shocker to us - the baby has a physical bilateral deformity of both his legs and cannot walk after birth...

It's been a long,tough and emotionally overwhelming joureny to this point...still way to go towards the final milestone...

My thanks to Arjuun - he has displayed tremendous maturity far higher than his age, to be so much accomodative and flexible.Without his support, we couldn't have given the needed attention to Akshath's treatment...thanks Arjuun for all your love,affection and scarifice...without you this would not have been possible..you are such a wonderful brother & son...

Monday, August 8, 2011

Salute Anna Hazare

Valuable weekend, something worthy for our country. Actively participated in the peaceful protest march on Aug 6th - for the Jan Lokpal Anna Hazare movement; against corruption. Gave me a sense of immense satisfaction & pride. Good set of people also turned out to support us.


Now we need to support the fast that Anna Hazare will begin on Aug 16th. Will definitely provide my support to this wonderful cause to do something for India.


If not now, When? If not us, Who? lets do our bit.....Join www.iacchennai.org and support this noble cause......

Friday, May 6, 2011

Eye Opener!

One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position in a big company. He passed the first interview, the director did the last interview, madethe last decision.The director discovered from the CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in school?" the youth answered "none".The director asked, " Was it your father who paid for your school fees?"The youth answered, "My father passed away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school fees."
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner.
At this, the director requested the youth to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than me."
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning."
The youth felt that his chance of landing the job was high.
When he went back, he happily requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.The youth cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his future. After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother. That night, mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went to the director's office.The Director noticed the tears in the youth's eyes, asked: "Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your house?"The youth answered," I cleaned my mother's hand, and also finished cleaning all the remaining clothes"
The Director asked, "Please tell me your feelings."The youth said," Number 1, I know now what is appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today.Number 2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult and tough it is to get something done.Number 3, I have come to appreciate the importance and value of family relationship."
The director said, "This is what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life. You are hired!"
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team. The company's performance improved tremendously.....
A child, who has been protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his parent's efforts.
When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more. If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we destroying the kid instead?
You can let your kid live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

The Hug !

One of the most simple, yet powerful way of reassurance & support is the bear hug. I am very much convinced about this and I practice this to the T with people close to me, especially with my 2 cute brats at home. Raju Kumar Hirani brought this to the lime light via Munnabhai and Kamal Sir reiterated this with the remake in Tamil.

The HUG can say..........
- Don't worry everything is going to be well!
The HUG can say...........
- I hate to see you go!
The HUG can say...............
- I am there for you!
The HUG can say..............
- You will bounce back stronger!
The HUG can say..............
- You mean so much to me!
The HUG can say...............
- You are my everything!
The HUG can say..................
- I will always support you!
The HUG can say............
- Honey, I love you!
The HUG can say.................
- Lets forgive & forget everything!
The HUG can say..................
- You are the most re-assuring!
So many relationship could have been saved if we had used this HUG in the right way & at the right time.

We hesitate or rather don't HUG people, especially when they need it the most........... May be it's for a reason why god gave us arms! Lets use it in the right way.A warm hug to you my dear friend.....take good care!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Women's Day

To all the Women whom I came across in my life - Happy Women's Day, you guys just deserve this and many more. Life will always be miserable without you - thanks for all the sacrifices that you have made, pains that you have endured,support that you have given,burden that you have carried,the smile that you always wear(even in distress),support that you have rendered,care that you have given,progeny that you have constructed , never quit attitude that you have and what not - above all being what you are!

Have a great day !

Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Fight Continues.......

The battle continues, with small victories and defeats on the way....but intention is to win the war and not every single battle in it..so if I am defeated, I will rise and come back with more energy.

To win it does not matter how hard you punch, but what matters is how hard a punch you can take and still continue the fight..same with life.

We continue to fight Akshath's deformity of his legs - a condition named "Bilateral Clubfoot" - where both his foot are bent 90 degrees inward and downward - a congenital deformity that prevents him from walking. Having diagnosed this when he was in his womb, there was all the medical reasons that asked us to quit the pregnancy - but we didn't and persisted. Did all the medical procedures and amniotic fluid test to re-confirm is here is any chromosomal abnormality. The tests strengthened our belief and we continued. We wanted to give the guys all the chances to fight this out and that was the reason why we didn't want to quit in between.

Once he was born, after examination - it was said that the severity of the deformity is quite on the higher side and it would be a tough,painful and tedious way to get it cured. But the only positive aspect was that it was curable and that's what we wanted...these pains,scars can be faced with. Then the process started immediately after Akshath's birth. Every week his legs were manipulated and a thick paster of paris casts were put on from the top of his thigh to the toes, his entire bottom was covered with just enough space for him to pass his 1 and 2. Every thursday we need to go to the hospital, his casts were removed, his legs were again manipulated and a fresh set of casts were applied. This continued for 8weeks. These period of time was extremely difficult for Akshath, since due to the pain and discomfort he was always be crying and it was even more difficult for us since there were lot of practical issues on the way. We can't give hime bath, had to put him only on diapers since urine should not react with the plaster of paris casts, as it might caused irritation and blisters. It would be quite difficult to lift him with the heavy casts and due to the heavy casts he was in some kind of distress and so on.....
No parent can stand to see their progeny in pain and discomfort for such a long period. But no other choice, we need to continue and move along with the right treatment. During each week, his legs were progressively manipulated and slowly turned outward and finally after 8wks, the doc told that he is now ready for the surgery. The difficult part was that we need to stop feeding him 4hrs before the surgery, since they would give him GA.Somehow we passed this and fortunately his surgery started early in the morning at 7am.It lasted for 1.5hrs and the next week was extremely difficult since he was in great pain and was not taking any feed. Then he slowly settled and we were told that his casts should be in for the another 4wks. After this painful period, last Thursday his casts were removed and the doc told that he next line of treatment was to put Akshath's legs on a special brace that would told his legs in a desired outward angle. We need to keep this brace 23hrs/day for the next 3-4 months and after that 12hrs/day until he is 3yrs old at least. Though we have now crossed at least 50% of the hurdle, each stage seems to be more difficult that the previous one. With this boots and bar, we need to turn the position and the legs&foot and put the brace very tightly and it is very difficult to see Akshath crying in pain during this procedure on a daily basis. Doc told us that it would take a week or so for him to get settled and until that time, we need to do whatever we can from our side.We are at least happy that we can now give him a bath daily- this is a luxury now, since we were not able to do this in the previous stages of the treatment.

So the battle still continues to make Akshath better; during these personal adversity there were periods of emotional upheavals and the situation was just overwhelming.But we learned to be there and the most important lesson we learnt - was not to quit and give up. I am sure having crossed 50% , we can face the remaining and come of victorious. Who says life is easy - Life is difficult, once we understood this - we got the energy to tackle the issues. Giving your progeny all the chances to walk is of paramount importance that anything else. As long as life is there - there will be struggle!