Dear friends,
I'm back in Coimbatore and would like to share my thoughts with you. I would first start off with the customary 'thank you' for being there and having shared time with me. Those who couldn't make it, I hope we get to meet again some time. This is going to be a long long long really long read, so I suggest you take some time out to read through this. Grab a coffee (only coffee/tea) if you want. Make it two. This is heartfelt to each and everyone of you with whom I have spent the glorious days of my life, my childhood.
About myself (blah, blah, more blah) -
Matter of fact, those have been the only days that I have been mobile on my 'own' feet. Today my car is my feet, taking me to places and allowing me the liberty to meet people from various walks of life. Life took a nose dive for me when I was 16, thanks to the generous effort of Dr. Arvind Sangolli, whom most of us would know. Was given anabolic steriods without prior information for a nasty bout of cold. Three injections was all it took to take my life away. Most of you have known me to be an angry short-tempered boy but very active. A year down, I noticed that I was considerably out of breath most of the time. I had also trouble lifting my hands and thought it was an orthopaedic issue. I was then referred to a neurologist, who after a battery of tests and a biopsy concluded that I had Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy. My muscles were wasting away and I was deteriorating rapidly. There was no known cure. I was given 3 years to live and even if I did live longer, I would be bedridden for life. My father was more determined than the doctors and said we will fight this out. His efforts at finding a cure was nothing short of a miracle in itself. He left no stone unturned, reading books from allopathy, ayurveda, siddha, unani, varma, consulting doctors, physicians, physiotherapists, priests (!). I moved from hospital to hospital, treatments for months on end, but there was no cure. Thankfully though, the pace of deterioration had reduced. I had spent close to 10 years on treatment and I had had enough. I made peace with my condition. I always wanted to lead by example and what started out as a hobby, wildlife photography, took me deeper. I started 'The DiscoverWild foundation', an NGO dedicated to conserving wildlife and habitat. Work ranged from simple species identification, to medical camps, census activities, surveilance, anti-poaching activities, awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, training for forest department field staff, etc. I'm now trying to go one step further and start a project on forest restoration.
I lost my father in May 2013, thanks to the handiwork of doctors and hospital negligence. He suffered a lot, something that no son would wish to see. Depression set in and my rate of deterioration gathered pace again. I started volunteering for 'Humane Animal Society', an organization working in Coimbatore to lend a voice to the voiceless, stray animals. We conduct ABCs (Animal Birth Control), hold adoption camps to reduce the number of street dogs etc. I have been involved with them for over 2 years now. As I learnt more about animal mistreatment and our own apathy, I decided to go vegan. It was a tough decision for a guy whose vice was curd and buttermilk.
Last year, I got in touch with Swarga Foundation, another NGO working to support people with disabilities. The Managing Trustee, herself is afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis, another neurological disorder with no known cure. But her enthusiasm and grit was contagious enough for me to volunteer there too. I'm now one of their project co-ordinators and work with children and adults with various neurological disorders. We counsel a lot of patients and families on how to manage and enrich their lives and make themselves more sociable without any stigma. It takes a toll on the mind and body, but results are what we look at. I have had success in changing the perception of one family who were planning to commit suicide (age 65 to age 6). We also work with the local Corporation and share ideas on how to make the city more disabled-friendly. I was featured in the Deccan Chronicle in December last, as one of the people who overcame disability to lead a more fulfilling life. Only a portion of the interview was covered, however, thanks to the Chennai floods which needed more coverage. I work 7 days a week, 365 days a year, take a few days off when I am stuck with a back spasm.
So why am I saying all this? Blowing my own trumpet? Well, read on..
The precursor to the reunion -
Tony started off the whatsapp group some time ago, with Kartik, Siva, Bheem and me and we decided to meet up when Bheem announced his program of coming down this month. We thought it would be nice to include all our school mates since we hadn't met for 26 years. And so one by one, everyone came into the group. The warmth and camaraderie was great to begin with. Slowly the topic however seemed to be more about drinks than about anything else. I started to wonder, whether it was only me who felt it as I was teetotaler, but uneasiness set in. For a brief while, I also began to dread it. I wasn't the only one though. Sharing nude pictures on whatsapp was a real blunder. No idea if Ashok's wife got to see them. If she did, then well, we have left a great impression on her. Ashok, please get on whatsapp on your number itself. It will spare her more agony.
The good -
I got delayed owing to meeting we had at Salem with the MD of a hospital where we are planning to have a marathon next month. But I barely just about managed to catch up with Bheem and Kartik and we came in together to Century Club. It was really good to catch up with all, share old jokes, recollect fantastic memories, get to know more about our families, good food etc. I enjoyed those moments of fun knowing more about each one's lives. Remembering teachers, our classmates, the girls, the crushes, the games we played.. remembering Shashank, the guy who added beauty to my face :p It was all so good. Wilfred and Kartik are still the stunners they were. Sridhar too seems to be aging in reverse. Daughter in college? :O You still look like a bachelor. Rajeev, what you have done with Vedant, makes us all very proud godfathers (or whatever). Willy, your son is blessed that you have been his best friend. Manju, having no children is cruel, but you are great that you consider your nieces as your foster children. I'm happy for them. Ravi seems to be starring in the next Hulk movie. Not all marriages are made in heaven. You have made peace. Natti, you are the last guy to get married among us all :p Congrats for falling in love again. Satya, true to his school days still has that shy smile. You can see it even in the 10th Std picture. Siva and Tony, finding brotherhood through your wives again - classic movie style. Bheem, Rajeev, Kiran seemed to acquitted themselves pretty well, still the same as from school. Tony, Melvin being the class topper is a great feeling for all of us. Something you never managed to achieve :p
The not so good -
I'm sorry about the shocker I gave you guys with my physical condition. Not something I could have avoided. Rajendra, thanks for your words. Don't worry, I am fine as I am. I know it was a huge blow for you guys to see me like that.
The bad -
I was dealt a bad hand. But what happened to you guys? Satisha, you had the physique that I would have died for in school. Such an athelete, leader, captain, bowler, batsman. Why the hell have you done this to yourself? Natti, you were always a lazy bugger, even in school but you need to work some of that flab off, man. Come on, get off your ass and be more active. Manju, I already mentioned this. Having no children is cruel, but do you have to drink yourself to death? You have two wonderful kids who look up to you. Is this the example you are setting for them? Let me not forget the puff daddies. Why do you guys smoke so much? Don't tell me it is fun, it is just once in a while. Tony, again same as Satisha. You were an athelete and were always active. Now it seems, you just drink and smoke. Why? Tony and Siva, I am appalled. You guys are knowingly killing yourselves.
The ugly -
Manju, driving under influence was a real stupid thing to do. Definitely not the first time you have done it. But I do seriously hope it will be the last. And to all those who let him drive, shame on you. I am taking the initiative to reprimand each one of you here because you all have been the best that has happened to me in my life and I hate to see you guys wasting yourselves. You don't have to be a teetotaler like me, Sridhar or Rajeev. Enjoy your drink, like Kartik and Bheem did but don't kill yourselves. I have survived 25 years of physical hardship, mental agony, apathy, sympathy, disgusting looks, negligence, rude comments and snide remarks but not one day have I been inclined to hit the bottle or light a cigarette. You guys wouldn't know what it is to lose your health, but I do. Much more than any of you. I'm seriously worried about each and every one of you as you are a part of my life, a life I wish I could live all over again.
Like I said earlier, I am trying to lead by example. If in spite of all my hardships, I can lead a meaningful life ... what's stopping you?
I'm back in Coimbatore and would like to share my thoughts with you. I would first start off with the customary 'thank you' for being there and having shared time with me. Those who couldn't make it, I hope we get to meet again some time. This is going to be a long long long really long read, so I suggest you take some time out to read through this. Grab a coffee (only coffee/tea) if you want. Make it two. This is heartfelt to each and everyone of you with whom I have spent the glorious days of my life, my childhood.
About myself (blah, blah, more blah) -
Matter of fact, those have been the only days that I have been mobile on my 'own' feet. Today my car is my feet, taking me to places and allowing me the liberty to meet people from various walks of life. Life took a nose dive for me when I was 16, thanks to the generous effort of Dr. Arvind Sangolli, whom most of us would know. Was given anabolic steriods without prior information for a nasty bout of cold. Three injections was all it took to take my life away. Most of you have known me to be an angry short-tempered boy but very active. A year down, I noticed that I was considerably out of breath most of the time. I had also trouble lifting my hands and thought it was an orthopaedic issue. I was then referred to a neurologist, who after a battery of tests and a biopsy concluded that I had Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy. My muscles were wasting away and I was deteriorating rapidly. There was no known cure. I was given 3 years to live and even if I did live longer, I would be bedridden for life. My father was more determined than the doctors and said we will fight this out. His efforts at finding a cure was nothing short of a miracle in itself. He left no stone unturned, reading books from allopathy, ayurveda, siddha, unani, varma, consulting doctors, physicians, physiotherapists, priests (!). I moved from hospital to hospital, treatments for months on end, but there was no cure. Thankfully though, the pace of deterioration had reduced. I had spent close to 10 years on treatment and I had had enough. I made peace with my condition. I always wanted to lead by example and what started out as a hobby, wildlife photography, took me deeper. I started 'The DiscoverWild foundation', an NGO dedicated to conserving wildlife and habitat. Work ranged from simple species identification, to medical camps, census activities, surveilance, anti-poaching activities, awareness campaigns in schools and colleges, training for forest department field staff, etc. I'm now trying to go one step further and start a project on forest restoration.
I lost my father in May 2013, thanks to the handiwork of doctors and hospital negligence. He suffered a lot, something that no son would wish to see. Depression set in and my rate of deterioration gathered pace again. I started volunteering for 'Humane Animal Society', an organization working in Coimbatore to lend a voice to the voiceless, stray animals. We conduct ABCs (Animal Birth Control), hold adoption camps to reduce the number of street dogs etc. I have been involved with them for over 2 years now. As I learnt more about animal mistreatment and our own apathy, I decided to go vegan. It was a tough decision for a guy whose vice was curd and buttermilk.
Last year, I got in touch with Swarga Foundation, another NGO working to support people with disabilities. The Managing Trustee, herself is afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis, another neurological disorder with no known cure. But her enthusiasm and grit was contagious enough for me to volunteer there too. I'm now one of their project co-ordinators and work with children and adults with various neurological disorders. We counsel a lot of patients and families on how to manage and enrich their lives and make themselves more sociable without any stigma. It takes a toll on the mind and body, but results are what we look at. I have had success in changing the perception of one family who were planning to commit suicide (age 65 to age 6). We also work with the local Corporation and share ideas on how to make the city more disabled-friendly. I was featured in the Deccan Chronicle in December last, as one of the people who overcame disability to lead a more fulfilling life. Only a portion of the interview was covered, however, thanks to the Chennai floods which needed more coverage. I work 7 days a week, 365 days a year, take a few days off when I am stuck with a back spasm.
So why am I saying all this? Blowing my own trumpet? Well, read on..
The precursor to the reunion -
Tony started off the whatsapp group some time ago, with Kartik, Siva, Bheem and me and we decided to meet up when Bheem announced his program of coming down this month. We thought it would be nice to include all our school mates since we hadn't met for 26 years. And so one by one, everyone came into the group. The warmth and camaraderie was great to begin with. Slowly the topic however seemed to be more about drinks than about anything else. I started to wonder, whether it was only me who felt it as I was teetotaler, but uneasiness set in. For a brief while, I also began to dread it. I wasn't the only one though. Sharing nude pictures on whatsapp was a real blunder. No idea if Ashok's wife got to see them. If she did, then well, we have left a great impression on her. Ashok, please get on whatsapp on your number itself. It will spare her more agony.
The good -
I got delayed owing to meeting we had at Salem with the MD of a hospital where we are planning to have a marathon next month. But I barely just about managed to catch up with Bheem and Kartik and we came in together to Century Club. It was really good to catch up with all, share old jokes, recollect fantastic memories, get to know more about our families, good food etc. I enjoyed those moments of fun knowing more about each one's lives. Remembering teachers, our classmates, the girls, the crushes, the games we played.. remembering Shashank, the guy who added beauty to my face :p It was all so good. Wilfred and Kartik are still the stunners they were. Sridhar too seems to be aging in reverse. Daughter in college? :O You still look like a bachelor. Rajeev, what you have done with Vedant, makes us all very proud godfathers (or whatever). Willy, your son is blessed that you have been his best friend. Manju, having no children is cruel, but you are great that you consider your nieces as your foster children. I'm happy for them. Ravi seems to be starring in the next Hulk movie. Not all marriages are made in heaven. You have made peace. Natti, you are the last guy to get married among us all :p Congrats for falling in love again. Satya, true to his school days still has that shy smile. You can see it even in the 10th Std picture. Siva and Tony, finding brotherhood through your wives again - classic movie style. Bheem, Rajeev, Kiran seemed to acquitted themselves pretty well, still the same as from school. Tony, Melvin being the class topper is a great feeling for all of us. Something you never managed to achieve :p
The not so good -
I'm sorry about the shocker I gave you guys with my physical condition. Not something I could have avoided. Rajendra, thanks for your words. Don't worry, I am fine as I am. I know it was a huge blow for you guys to see me like that.
The bad -
I was dealt a bad hand. But what happened to you guys? Satisha, you had the physique that I would have died for in school. Such an athelete, leader, captain, bowler, batsman. Why the hell have you done this to yourself? Natti, you were always a lazy bugger, even in school but you need to work some of that flab off, man. Come on, get off your ass and be more active. Manju, I already mentioned this. Having no children is cruel, but do you have to drink yourself to death? You have two wonderful kids who look up to you. Is this the example you are setting for them? Let me not forget the puff daddies. Why do you guys smoke so much? Don't tell me it is fun, it is just once in a while. Tony, again same as Satisha. You were an athelete and were always active. Now it seems, you just drink and smoke. Why? Tony and Siva, I am appalled. You guys are knowingly killing yourselves.
The ugly -
Manju, driving under influence was a real stupid thing to do. Definitely not the first time you have done it. But I do seriously hope it will be the last. And to all those who let him drive, shame on you. I am taking the initiative to reprimand each one of you here because you all have been the best that has happened to me in my life and I hate to see you guys wasting yourselves. You don't have to be a teetotaler like me, Sridhar or Rajeev. Enjoy your drink, like Kartik and Bheem did but don't kill yourselves. I have survived 25 years of physical hardship, mental agony, apathy, sympathy, disgusting looks, negligence, rude comments and snide remarks but not one day have I been inclined to hit the bottle or light a cigarette. You guys wouldn't know what it is to lose your health, but I do. Much more than any of you. I'm seriously worried about each and every one of you as you are a part of my life, a life I wish I could live all over again.
Like I said earlier, I am trying to lead by example. If in spite of all my hardships, I can lead a meaningful life ... what's stopping you?
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