My first hand experience with Tuberculosis is when my 86-year-old grandmother was diagnosed with it. She was hospitalized for almost a month. We thought we almost lost her. Side effects of the anti-TB drugs were creating havoc on her already frail body. First three months were the testing time for all of us. But being the 'Iron lady' she is, she fought back and defeated the dreaded disease. She was under medication for almost a year. I know three more people personally being diagnosed and treated in the last two years, friends and family alike.
I can remember our lecturers' referring this disease as Kocks during practicals in college. There was a special wing for those patients.
Is it rampant these days or is it only me who is encountering this? The answer is, TBC, India says, in India today two deaths occur every three minutes from tuberculosis. Ambitabh Bacchan candidly said he suffered tuberculosis a few years back at the launch of BMC's TB awareness campaign.
Tuberculosis is a disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This bacteria usually attack lungs, but they can destruct other parts of body too. Tuberculosis spread through air when a person with tuberculosis sneezes, coughs, or talks. A person is more likely to get this if he/she has a weak immune system.
Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis are weight loss, loss of appetite, weakness or fatigue, a cough that lasts more than three weeks, night sweats, fever, and coughing up blood or mucus. Blood tests, skin tests, x-rays, and other tests can confirm the presence of TB.
With proper care and consistent treatment, tuberculosis patients can be cured. It takes minimum 6 months to a year. Side effects of medications are unbearable, but only for a few days. The DOTS strategy (Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course) is implemented under the Revised National Tuberculosis Programme in India is a comprehensive package for tuberculosis control. If you come across any of two or more above mentioned symptoms in your near and dear ones, please seek medical advice. I wish and hope we could eradicate this dreaded disease completely in the future.
PS: Is BCG vaccination effective is a nagging question in my mind right now. "It is not" said by an eminent doctor in our last trip.
Weekend Watch
1. Phantom. I had great expectation from this movie as being directed by Kabir Khan, still rolling in the success of blockbuster Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The story is of a disgraced Indian soldier hunting down the 26/11 master minds. I couldn't contain myself from comparing it with "Baby" and "D day" almost of same concept, brilliant movies. I wish it could have been a better edge-of-seat thriller, but turned out be tad bit boring. As it is common for all Kabir's movies, locations are captured magnificently.
2. Bhaag Johnny, a thriller. When I started this one, I had no idea what the star cast was. This one is directed by Shivan Nair, starring Kunal Kempu, Zoa Morani, Mukul Dev. And surprisingly I liked it. The story is about choosing right path in life after leading two lives simultaneously within the time span of 72 hours. As it was picturized in Thailand, I could easily relate to a few places and the country side.
3. Bangistan, a comedy directed by Karan Anshuman. Going by name, I thought this one is an adult comedy and presence of Ritesh Deshmukh confirmed my doubt. How wrong I was. The story is about two protagonists who are extremely religious and being molded and pushed to terrorism by religious leaders. An apt movie in this time of intolerance, radicalism, and terrorism. A serious topic like religion and terrorism are told in a satirical manner. Krakow, Poland is depicted exquisitely in this. I enjoyed this one too. Sometimes it doesn't have to be a big budget or big star casting to be a good movie.
PS: Movie marathon was a perfect way to spend weekend, staying inside, doing nothing because of constant downpour and chilly weather of Bangalore.
Ten 10 things you don't know about me.
1. I must/should have a bar of chocolate or a chunk of snack immediately after lunch and dinner. I do have a rather exotic name for this habit, which I'l not divulge now.
2. I can't have food without reading a book or watching TV or some browsing on laptop.
3. I'm not a bad cook as I pretend to be because I just don't like to raise people's expectations, or relatively I don't want to entertain them.
4. I hate shopping. Yes. You heard it right. Going to shopping is a monumental task and I do it only when I'm left with no other choice.
5. I'm direction dyslexic. I can't fathom east/west/north/south even if I wrack my brains. A person who maneuvers road, street, and city is nothing short of a god to me.
6. I can't sit idly even for a second. No, please don't confuse that I'm a workaholic. I need to do something, reading, browsing, tidying up, whatever. I'm inactive only when I'm asleep.
7. I'm paranoid, big time. If somebody doesn't show up in said time, my mind thinks all the horrible things like accident, kidnap, murder, etc. Hubby is the victim most of the days. Gosh! It is not easy living with me.
8. I don't like 98% of people in the first meeting and 1% after knowing them. There is only 1% whom I genuinely like and love. Well, I hate to admit, but I might be a snobbish.
9. I can hold my drink pretty well. In fact, hubby and I call call ourselves opening batsmen when hanging out with a group of friends and we go strongly till the end.
10. I emotionally get attached to fictitious characters, be in a movie/novels/TV shows and elevate them to extended family. Nothing surprising after reading point 8 I must concede.
Books I'm reading
1. The Fourth Estate by Jeffrey Archer. Sidney Sheldon, John Grisham, and Jeffrey Archer makes a perfect Holy Trinity of Thriller/crime fiction for me. It is a chronological story of medial moguls, Richard Armstrong and Keith Townsend. It is very similar to Kane and Abel and Sons of Fortune by the author, albeit the empire is clearly zeroed down to media alone. Archer is a gifted story teller, but the pace is tad bit slow.
2. Tell No One by Harlan Coben. I had never read anything by Harland and a colleague recommended it. It is a suspense/thriller and definitely a page turner. It is a stand-alone novel. I've heard so much about Coben's Myron Bolitar series and I can't wait to get my hands on them.
3. The Promise by Danielle Steel. I simply love Danielle Steel. She can spin a tale and you get hooked right from the beginning. It is a love story, and as usual let you believe true love really does exist. It is perfect for the current Bangalore weather, curled up in a nice big blanket and a hot cuppa.
Yakshagana, a unique theater form found mainly in coastal Karnataka and Malenadu region of Karnataka. It is a blend between dance, music, dialogue, story, resplendent costume, face painting.
I always loved Yakshagana. As my dad writes Yakshagana Prasanga(songs and story), I was introduced to it from a very young age, be it Bayalata(open theater) or tent aata(closed theater). It stats at night and ends in the morning. When I was young, definitely it wasn't the Yakshagana drawed us. Down the memory lane: Early dinner at home, carry a mat and blankets, roam around stalls selling Bhel(Churumuri), peanuts, ice candy, sugarcane juice; stuffing everything to hearts content. We used to get pocket money for this special occasion. The program starts around 9.30 or 10. By this time crowd would have gathered. We spread mattress religiously, cover ourselves from blanket in chili winter. Effect of dinner and sumptuous snacks kicks in and we sleep like babies through the humdrum of program. Next morning, get up and go home. We get to bunk next day school because of our all night endeavors. That is how my love started. I slowly started developing genuine interest in this incredible theater form. I even had the opportunity to learn this. Alas! The teacher was my least favourite in school(I totally detest him)and spending a grueling months with him for training compelled me to drop the plan. Then teenage happened followed by college and work. The last Yakshagana I watched was 2 years back on Ganesha Chaturthi festival. Then it wasn't a full fledged dawn to dusk show, rather a small 3 hour show.
One will be very well acquainted with it if he/she is from coastal Karnataka (North Canara, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada), Malenadu (Shimoga/Sagar), or part of Kasaragodu. There are 7 types I'm told, but I've watched Tenkutittu and Badagutittu.
Yakshagana is being compared with Western tradition of Opera. The music is a combination Karnataka and Hindustani music, though of a different category with musicians playing instruments like Chande, Maddale, harmonium, etc. It doesn't matter if the story is mythology or modern, the characters will make sure the audience will have light moments with their witty, philosophical dialogues, completely staying in the original character. It makes me so proud to be part of this rich, cultural art form (remotely indirect).
I'm longing to watch Yakshagana with same good old day settings sans sleep, preferably a mythological one, something like Krishna-Sandhana, Bhasmasura-Mohini, Rukmini Swayamvara, Bhishma Vijaya.
PS-My dad's "Shruthi-Panchami" was a blockbuster, running more than 100 days, even in Mumbai. I hope I'l be able to publish all his works in the future.
Why I don't lend books? I was happy lending books to friends in the hope of having fun analyzing, appreciating, criticizing about the general awesomeness of reading books. How wrong I was. I don't have many friends who love reading, may be one or two. As I've mentioned in my earlier posts, I've an impressive collection of books. When friends visit us, they want to borrow. Those are gone never to return. Even if they return, not without dog ears, oil/food/coffee stains, drenched it water, highlighted paragraphs. It takes me a herculean effort not to smash their head. Which part of the word "lend" you fail to understand? The word borrow means 'you promise to return it in the same condition within said time." One friend flatly refused borrowing books from me. I reminded her name of the books, date, time, and the situation. She then blabbered something about misplacing or losing on house shifting. It left a bad taste in my mouth. And now we don't see eye to eye. Most of them wouldn't even read those books. Then why pretend? My firm believe is reading is a hobby. It is nurtured from childhood. You either have it or you don't. I don't know a single person who picked this habit in later part of life. Now I lend books only to my baby sister who promptly returns in the same condition. I'm even contemplating the idea of displaying a sign board in front of book shelf saying 'You don't ask, I'l not say no. Books are my priced possession. You can lend money and get away with it, not books. This compulsion and obsession only a book lover can understand.
PS-I used to maintain XL sheet with book names, author's name, genre, lender's name, date, and time. Hey, I can't trust my impeccable memory for everything. Right?
Title: Gone Girl
Author: Gillian Flynn
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group
Genre: Thriller
Publication Year: 2012
From the blurb: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne's fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick's clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn't doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife's head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could
have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media--as well as Amy's fiercely doting parents--the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he's definitely bitter--but is he really a killer?
As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn't do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?
My take: Gone Girl is the international best seller. Book blurb was intriguing and it didn't fail me. Although, the ending baffled me a little, I assume it is the most befitting conclusion.
It is told in two perspectives. Nick's narration in the present time and Amy's diary entries of 7 years from current date. It is in their point-of-view, and both of them are very good deceivers. The two stories progressively merges into one. First half is tad bit slow. It deals with what happens in normal couple's life; losing job, moving to another city, in-laws, parent's illness, death. The book picks up in the second half. The truth unravels and it is revolting.
Amy is beautiful, super intelligent, manipulative, conniving, psychopath. She has an equally shrewd parents who wrote immensely popular "Amazing Amy" series, which is idolized version of Amy, their daughter. Nick is the handsome husband of Amy, narcissistic, selfish, insensitive, faithless, and carries a lot of parental issues. The way Amy and Nick play mind games with each other is thrilling. I felt really sorry for Amy's fairly controlling freak ex-boyfriend. He became a collateral damage in this dangerous game. Amy is rather in love with the idea of love, not really in. Her description of "cool girl" is engaging and disturbing. When Amy forces Nick to stay in the marriage, I couldn't sympathize with him. Maybe they deserve each other.
The story is edgy, racy, fresh, deeply disturbing, sinister, chilling and absolutely original. I am told Flynn's previous thrillers, Sharp Object and Dark Places are even brilliant than Gone Girl. They are already laying atop in my bookshelf.
PS: I loved Rosamund Pike's performance in the film adaptation. I could imagine no one better than her as Amy Elliot-Dunne.
