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About Me

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The name is Selvamani.R. I was born in Rangoon, Burma now known as Yangoon and Myanmar respectively. I had my schooling in I.E.S. .Khalsa School there in Rangoon and came to Tamilnadu, India, did my Pre-University in Sir Thegaraya College,Chennai and M.B.B.S., in Madurai Medical College. Later did my Diploma and Masters Degree in the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Egmore, Madras Medical College, Chennai.

Friday, October 29, 2010

HELP CHAIN

HELP CHAIN

Once when we were returning from Ooty to Coimbatore, in a taxi, it broke down and the driver said it had to be towed and repaired.
As we had to catch our train in Coimbatore he asked us to get another transport.
Though we stood on the wayside trying to flag down the transport buses, none stopped as they were already overcrowded.
As time passed we became tenser at the thought of missing our train.
Then one car slowed and stopped beside us. The owner asked what our trouble was and immediately took us in his car.
He and his wife were returning from Ooty to Coimbatore.
As soon as we entered Coimbatore I told him that we will get a taxi to the railway station but he wouldn’t listen and dropped us in front of the station which was way out from his residence.
As we got down I thanked him profusely.
He smiled and said that he was stranded in an alike situation one day and was helped similarly.
When he thanked the person who gave him the lift he had replied “That is alright. Just remember to help someone like this sometime.’
That he has done now and I hope I will too, for someone, sometime.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

TRUST !!

MOVING MOMENTS

Long back, before the advent of Intra Ocular Lens, when plain cataract removal surgery was in vogue, I did cataract surgery for a lady. She was above 50, very fragile, arthritic having difficulty in coming to my clinic itself.
Though the surgery and the immediate post-operative period were normal she developed ‘Uveitis’ a form of allergic reaction of issues inside the eye and gradually her vision started deteriorating in spite of vigorous treatment and eventually she lost the vision in that eye completely.
Though I was sad she put up brave face and said it is her bad time that she lost the vision and asked ‘me’ not to worry !

After a few years when the other eye also developed mature cataract and needed surgery I suggested that I will refer her to Chennai for surgery.
Her son and others agreed but she stubbornly refused..
She said “If anything can go wrong in your hands it will doubtless go wrong in other’s hands too.. I trust you implicitly. I will undergo surgery only by you. If fate is that I must lose the vision in that eye also, let it be so”.
Though I, her son and other relatives tried to talk her out of it she wouldn’t listen and finally I did the surgery for her.
The surgery went on well, but I spent sleepless nights.
Fortunately she didn’t develop any complication and gained full vision.
After some years she shifted to Chennai and I lost contact.

After 12 years she came to see me.
Her son said that they had to attend a function nearby and she insisted on seeing me.
I examined her and found that she was wearing the glasses prescribed by me about 12 years back.
Her son said that they bought new glasses with my old prescription as she refused to see any other doctor.
She was still having very good vision in that eye and when I thanked her she smiled and said it is I who ought to be thanked.

The kind of implicit trust patients had in us at that time was unbelievable but it also placed a huge burden on us.

Where has it gone now and who is to blame?!

OPTIC ATROPHY

There was another incident when a lady who had undergone cataract surgery in both eyes came for change of specs.
On examination I found out that though both surgeries were nicely done she had poor vision in one eye as she had optic atrophy [weakness of the nerve for sight]. She said one eye was operated by me and the other by another doctor.
I presumed that the eye which had good vision was the one I had operated. But when I asked her I was surprised to learn that the eye which had poor vision was the one I had done.
This was perplexing as even when the patient is convinced that the fall of vision is not the fault of the surgeon they will not patronize him saying that he is not compatible for them [Raasi].
I asked her why she was still seeing me. She replied that her mother, sister and many relatives have been operated by me and all of them have good vision. It is only her bad time that she didn’t get good vision, she said.
It is unusual as the patients always blame the surgeon for everything.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

RETIRED !!

RETIRED – BEWARE !!

The following incidents took place in a public scheduled bank:-

Whenever I strolled into the bank I was always welcomed as many of the staff were known to me. Further the manager had become very friendly with me personally. So after finishing my work I used to chat with him for sometime.
One day in the midst of chatting the manager suddenly stood up and welcomed a person who was just entering the bank.
“ Oh , sir ! Why did you come all the way here, sir? Just a phone call would do.
Yes, sir I will immediately do it sir. You need not come, sir. Please send one of your sub-staff after 2.00 p.m.” and so on completely ignoring me.
As soon as he departed [which was less than a couple of minutes at the most] I asked the manager, who that VIP was.
‘ Oh , He .. he is the head of the X [he named a company].”
“So why is he so important?” I queried.
“He is in charge of his company’s fund and has deposited a large amount of money [in crores] in this bank’ the manager replied.

About 6 months later when I entered the manager’s cubicle I saw the same VIP sitting in a chair meant for people waiting to see the manager. I, as usual, just pushed the door and entered.
The manager welcomed me with a smile.
After exchanging pleasantries I asked the manager whether he has noticed the VIP waiting to see him.
“ What VIP?” He craned his neck to see the man and continued his work ‘Oh.. that man .. let him wait !”
When he saw my perplexed face he chuckled and said ‘You see, he retired a month back..”

Be A Defaulter !

GOT BANK LOAN – BE A DEFAULTER

One day I saw the bank manager’s room crowded with many people.
I asked a bank staff the reason and he told me that they were all loan defaulters and have been asked to assemble on that day..
So, what will the manager do?
He will extend the loan repayment period, reduce the installment amount and will cut the interest.

What, I exclaimed. Why are you giving incentive to people who don’t repay the loan? Why don’t you reduce the interest for us, the regular payers?
Good question sir , he agreed. Do ask the manager later.
I did and the manager said there is no provision in their laws to give any benefit to the regular loan payers.
I said it is very unfair.
If you want, he replied, don’t repay your loan and we will extend the same benefit to you also, he said
So beware friends, honesty never pays at least in repaying bank loans.
The only problem the defaulter may face is that he may not get a fresh loan!!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

BANK LOAN

BANK LOAN

All the banks give loans to people and almost all give them to people who don’t need it.
This is my personal experience.

When I started my private practice as GP [General Practitioner] one of the bank employee, my neighbor and good friend said I can avail bank loan for my clinic and will introduce me to the manager.
So I dutifully went to the bank and he introduced me to the manager saying that I am a loyal customer with an a/c in their bank and has come for a loan
When the manager asked me how much I wanted I said Rs.2,000/- Yes. You heard [read] me right, it was Two thousand rupees only !!.
The manager immediately engrossed himself with his work, signing some papers and looked at me again only after about 10 minutes seemingly surprised to see me still there.
‘The bank is in a tight situation now and usually doesn’t give loans
[It is a blatant lie, sir , as my good friend here will confirm, I said to myself].
However if you can manage Rs.1,000/- as fixed deposit I will sanction you Rs.2,000/- , he continued.
I stood appalled at his stand. I was a permanent Government employee and whatever might be said of Government job in terms of security it is unparalleled..
If I have Rs.1,000/- with me why should I ask a bank loan I replied and walked out.
My friend trotted along with me saying how sorry he was.
When we were out of manager’s sight he complimented me on my retort.

Fifteen years later- the same bank, the same yours truly- the manager and the staff have changed but many were professionally acquainted with me and were [are] my friends.
I just strolled into the manager’s cubicle at about 10.15 a.m. unmindful of the persons waiting outside [waiting is strictly for the birds !!].
I said to the manager that I have come for a loan of Rs. 3 ½ lakhs for buying an Operating microscope, presented the Quotation and added that I wanted the amount the same day itself at about 1-30 p.m.
The manager said that I had to put up marginal money of about 20 %.
When I agreed he added that he had power to sanction only up to Rs.2 lakhs and have to send the papers to Chennai office.
I said it is a pity as I want the loan immediately and will be going to another bank for loan.
“No, no, please wait. I can split the drafts into two. I hope that will be O.K.”
I said I didn’t mind but I don’t want my Fixed Deposits to be linked to the loan and I won’t ask anyone to sign as surety for me.
If the bank requires a guarantor I will ask my wife, who is also an a/c holder to sign as guarantor, I said.
The manager just nodded.
I went off saying I will be dropping at 1-30 p.m. to collect the drafts.
At about 1.00 p.m. the manager himself came to my clinic with two demand drafts one for Rs.2 lakhs and another for Rs.1.5 lakhs and gave it tome saying that he had to go urgently to a village for some bank business and thought he will hand over the drafts personally to me as I have said that I wanted them the same day.
I have also given ‘one year interest free holiday period’ to you. He explained that I can start repaying the loan after one year. Actually it is a good procedure meant to help the small entrepreneurs to pick up their business and start making profit before they are burdened with loan repayment.
But as usual it doesn’t apply to me.
I thanked him and said I have neither signed the loan agreement nor given the margin money.
“No problem, sir. You can come to the bank tomorrow at your leisure time and do it.”.

So what happened in between and why the VIP status to me.
Elementary my dear Watson…Now I have considerable amount of money stashed in fixed deposits – much more than the loan amount.
Those of you naïve enough to be perplexed as to why I have opted for a bank loan when my money is earning much lower interest in fixed deposits better ask your auditor!
Hence my saying “banks are very keen on giving money to those who don’t require it”.