An Unexpected Gift

A couple months ago I was introduced by a friend to the Marathon Bloggers Group, this group consists of bight, talented individuals and I feel lucky to be part of it.

Recently, I posted my Euro Trip adventure and I left my few but loyal readers with some unanswered questions about my life.

Q) Did I get reunited with my bags?

A) Yes I did when I flew back to Russia to get my connecting flight back home.

Q) What pain did I experience?

A) I will reveal this mystery later

It’s been 4 years 9 months since that trip however it has left an indelible imprint on my mind. Picking up from where I left off … When I reached Bombay the pain subsided and I thought it was a muscle pull and was a little irritated for being so paranoid. 

My early return didn’t raise any alarm bells as I didn’t tell my folks for how long I was going to be away, so they thought it was a short quick trip. I unpacked and asked my dad if he wanted to take a trip to Manali, as I still had 10 days of leave remaining. 

He agreed as long as I took care of the persistent cough I had. I agreed and we went to the doctor she said it was an allergy or some viral flu and I took some meds after a few days when the cough didn’t subside I went to another doctor.

Dr Sajnani (this man is truly Awesome) , checked me and then checked me again, he seemed a bit alarmed, he asked me to get an x-ray done and referred me to Dr JP Jadwani. I got the x-ray and when the doctor saw it, he told me that there was a mass pressing against my heart; this was causing the tiredness, cough and pain.

I can sense some OMG reactions right now and some confusion why I titled this post as ‘An Unexpected Gift’

He then asked me to get a biopsy done. I went to Holy Family Hospital; it was the 1^st time in my life I was in a hospital, I hated going to the hospital, even to visit someone. I was just too terrified.

Post the biopsy, I anxiously waited for the results, I had a niggling feeling that it would not be positive and I prepared myself for the worst.

3 days later the results were back, it was the 2^nd of May 2008, I remember holding the report, looking into the mirror and saying… “Wow James you sure got something interesting to talk about”

I was a 29year old non-smoker, teetotaller and I of all people, was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. The news had not sunk in and I just thought a few chemo sessions would eliminate this disease and I would be back on my feet.

My oncologist advised me about what was going to happen, she told me I would lose all my hair and I was cool with that. She prescribed 4 sessions of chemo. 

Session 1 was a breeze and I thought this was not so bad, however post the session I got the privilege to experience the wonderful side effects, of Chemo. 

I was unable to retain any food for 2 weeks post the session, whatever I ate, drank came spewing out a few minutes later. I would eat so that I could puke food and water, cause if i didn't I would puke bile and that hurt, really hurt. I would vomit on an average 20+ times a day.

As soon as the effects of the drug would wear off, and I was able to retain food the 2^nd session was due.

By the 3^rd session I had given up, I just couldn’t take it anymore. Chemo was too painful, the drug that entered my veins felt like injecting air bubbles in your vein and I experience that 24 hours a day for 6 days (per session). I would rather be eaten alive by ants than go through another session. 

The fact that I had just one more session gave me the confidence to fight this incredible pain.

Post the 4^th session I went back to the doc and thought the worst was over, well let’s just say that the worst was yet to come, the doc said I needed 2 more sessions. I refused I just didn’t want to go through any more sessions. I didn’t care about anything. My family tried to coax me but I was just so fed up and tired.

I don’t recall what made me change my mind, but I did. I endured 2 more excruciating sessions and I was done. I dropped from 59kilos to 29 kilos in 5 months. After a few weeks I gained about 5 kilos with all the vitamins I was taking.

I went back to the doctor and the tumor was still present and I had to be operated. I went to Hinduja and met Dr Lala Murad, a fine young doctor who told me that I would probably lose one lung, however I could lead a normal life,  I was not really worried about it.

I remember getting prepped for surgery and admiring the operation theater, the anesthesiologist told me that I would feel very sleepy. I remember thinking this doesn’t seem to be working and then I was woken up … The doctor was smiling as I was wheeled out of the theater … he kept saying "we saved your lung”

I gave him the thumbs up sign and I realized I had tubes all over me. I was in the ICU for 2 days. After a month I was fit enough to walk, although I felt some pain.

I resumed work a month later and in time I gained weight and some hair. If you are wondering why I titled this post as ‘An Unexpected Gift' it’s because I took good health and life for granted.

Cancer wiped out all my savings, but what it gave me is a deeper appreciation of life and people around me. I started to LIVE life rather than just exist. I made it a point to meet new people, interact more often, travel, and have fun.

I spent whatever I earned going out with my team for lunches, movies, dinners, and picnics. In 2009 I had gone for over 20 picnics with my team. There was a point where we would go out every single day of the week.

I got a new lease on life and I am grateful for whatever I’ve got. I have got 6 people to quit smoking and I hope they continue to stay that way.

I learned that life can be planned only too some extent and there is no point sweating over the little stuff you got to take risks, enjoy life and live each day as if it’s your last.

Telemarketers Vs James

Telemarketers Vs James

Have u ever taken that perfect nap, only to have your phone ring just as you've hit that sweet spot in the sleepy cycle.

On the other side you usually get the most annoying voice greet 'A very good afternoon to you' ‘myself Suresh calling from XYZ’. A telemarketer life is not easy and I understand that, as I was also once a telemarketer, however I knew when to push and when to just let the potential customer be.

When I receive such a call I thank the telemarketer and say I'm not interested. I am courteous as I know that they are just doing their job, however if they continue to annoy and get cheeky then I let them have it.

I don’t get into a fit of rage or abuse them; I start to sound genuinely interested and ask them all inane questions

Credit Cards / Loans

1. Do I need to pay the loan back

2. Can I take a 50 lac loan and pay Rs 1000 per month

3. Can I give you a fake address and we’ll split the loan 

4. Do you know how to pay Gin Rummy with Cards

5. Did you say Phone, Blown, Clone and then go to step 1

By this time they either hang up or some say sir that is not possible.  At times I ask them if they are interested in buying a second hand PC or my old pen drive.  I even offer heavy discounts but to no avail.

Holiday Packages/ Time Share

Sir are you single or married, if the caller is a male, I say sorry mate I don’t swing that way, If it’s a girl then I say I am but I need to get to know you better. Sadly most don’t get it.

If the conversation continues I ask them if they could convert my house into a holiday home or I ask them if they would like to come for a holiday with me.

99% of the time I don’t answer unknown numbers, I answer them now as I’m currently looking for a job.

Tip: - Don’t get mad at a telemarketer, If you are busy say you’re not interested and if they don’t heed say you’re currently overseas (this always works) If you have time to spare and have nothing to do, have fun.

Kitchen War

I get up to hear things being thrown around in the kitchen, I walk in to find my dad in midst of an argument with an onion, before you pass judgement he is not crazy he is just as insane as I. He looks at me, gives me an evil grin and then picks up the diced onion and throws it the pan of hot oil and says, “that will teach you a lesson” as the onion sizzles away, you can hear screams "I'm sorry, never again, never again" and then there is silence. I’m sure that all future onions will withhold their sulfloxide if they ever encounter my dad.

I've lived with my dad long enough not to be surprised and wait for him to tell me his logical expression of displaced rage. While dicing onions, the release of sulfloxide burned his eyes and this was his way of getting back at them. If you do want to know what is the best way to prevent this irritation then go to this website Crying game

I couldn’t help but laugh at his inane justification, but I guess we all grow up doing stuff like this; it is hardwired into us as kids. I remember falling down and cutting myself and someone told me to hit the ground and admonish it, just to be clear this happened a long time ago when I was a kid, I thought I'd clarify.

I’m pretty sure that some of you can relate to this, I am sure that most people have reprimanded the furniture, tree, cycle, ground, stone or anything that caused them or their little angel pain.  

My dad loves to cook and fix stuff, and if you do happen to be present during one of his mishaps, you will get to see a tomato being beaten to a pulp, or a knife being demoted from cutting vegetables and meat to being used as a mixer for paint and when he’s fixing stuff you will get to see a poor little nail getting pounded.

We all take out our frustration on things that can’t fight back, like your keyboard that gets battered when your computer hangs during an important presentation or your car when it refuses to start. I guess we believe that by punishing the object it will mend it's ways and work. Trust me it never works.

I have learned that you can grow up all you want, but some habits stay with us forever. Now it time to hit my stupid phone that keeps rebooting.

My College Career Counselor

It was a hot summer day and I had nothing to do; my life was grinding to a halt. I had to do something.

I could not waste my life thinking about nothing or doing nothing about my thinking, sounds confusing, I'm sure it does, that was the state of my mind, in a mess, or organized chaos.

I do not remember what prompted me to make the effort to find out if we had a career counselor, but I did.

I vaguely remember this lady in her late thirties, smiling at me as I entered her office.
I told her I need some guidance. She smiled at me; she was missing some teeth and many dentist appointments.

Her eagerness made me believe that I was the only person she spoke to all week.

I sat down and she asked me a couple of questions, my name, age, where I lived, what did I do (this really confused me) what did I do?

I had an ID card, I was in college, what did I do?

A student, in college, talking to you, I said (it rhymed)

I knew I was in for a strange, very strange conversation.

I told her I lived with my parents and 2 sisters, her next question baffled me and left me worried and wondering if I was in the right place.

“Is your father alive?” ….hmmm maybe this was supposed to be a trick question. But she was serious.

“The last time I checked, he was” was my prompt reply.

she did not seem very pleased with my reply, Ok she said what does your mother do.

I told her "Just in case you want to know she is also alive, and she is a teacher"

Then for some strange reason she asked me if my parents were separated, I told her that they had not informed me that they were and if they were, they were doing a very good job hiding it.

This pissed her off even more, but she tried to keep her cool.

Then she asked me if I wanted to follow in my parents footsteps, I told her if I did they would wonder why I was following them around, I laughed...

She was dead serious.

I guess she gave up asking personal questions and moved on to career oriented questions, the basic, what do you like to do or what are you interested in.

I told her I was confused and I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life and that was one of the main reasons I had come to her, for direction, I later found out it was misdirection.

So pandered to her request, and told her I wanted to be “A Detective”

“Ah that’s interesting” she said with a bewildered look. So what type of detective would you like to be, I knew that she had no clue what to tell me or where to guide me, so I decided to play along.

I told her I wanted to be an “FBI Agent” I was dead serious, and she looked LOST.
WHY do you want to be an FBI agent? Why not a CBI Detective?
Because I can’t speak Hindi was my quick reply.

I managed to keep a straight face throughout the question/answer session.

I went on to explain why I couldn’t speak Hindi and how it would greatly affect my ability to extract information from the criminals.

She didn’t seem very experienced as she was now looking as lost as I was when I entered. I’m sure I made her wonder if she was in the right profession.

She asked me the standard what do you like and dislike questions, after another round of questions and answers; we seemed to have hit the same roadblock we hit in the 1st 5mins.

It was one battered roadblock.

1 hour into the discussion, I decided to ask her why she did what she did. She told me that she liked helping people find themselves.

I told her I was as lost as I was 1 hour ago and we had not made any progress. She seemed to nod in agreement.

We discussed the possibilities of joining the army, navy, air force, a psychologist and an artist.

I could see that she was getting frustrated as we had made no progress.

She told me that she was not sure how she could help me and she told me to come and see her 5 years later.

I never did go back…

I came home and narrated this incident to my family, they found it really amusing.

It’s been 15years since that eventful day I still do not know what I want to do with my life.