Pras and I had found that BIAS-8 would take us to the airport about 30 minutes before the landing of the jet on which my in-laws were coming. We woke up by 5 am, made lunch ready, munched a quick breakfast and walked to the bus stop. The bus was supposed to be there by 9am but came by 9:20am. We then bought 2 tickets, 150 rupees each, for the airport. We reached the airport at 10:40am. Now, we had to spend over an hour waiting. For a while, we walked up and down, had a hot chocolate, read some papers, took another walk, commented on the number of muslims who had come to welcome their kin who would be returning from Haj, cleaned bird shit off Pras's tee and went to the loo. The flight was about 10 minutes delayed - my in-laws had boarded the flight at Coimbatore. They seemed very content and relaxed when we saw them - I thought they may be a nervous wreck - as it was their first time on a flight. We got onto a taxi and we were on our way home. On reaching home, they were impressed with my cooking - except for less salt and the rice a bit under cooked by their standards. They then took a nap while Pras and I watched TV. In the evening, we went to the mall, where amma bought a saree. Now, I must tell you that amma can never say "NO" to a saree :) For dinner that night, I tried my hand at "Kerala Parotta". Well, it came out quite ok - except they would have been softer had I used some egg while making the dough. The next morning, we had aloo paratas for breakfast and then Pras and I went off to buy NSC certificates - I need to submit investment proof between Jan 5th and 15th, 2010. My mother-in-law made sambar while we were away. When we got back - Pras was a bit taken aback that he would have to have sambar on the second consecutive day - but I must say, the sambar made by my experienced amma was really good. The same was had for dinner.
Now, you must understand that my in-laws don't really know what to expect from me cause of the difference in our cultures and the way I've been brought up. It was a welcome surprise to them that I was able to cook and that I would keep the house clean and all that. Amma has just recovered from a broken right wrist and hence, can't do too much cooking. Achcha helps her out and due to this, he has become less particular about the taste of food - thank god. I was really worried as I always use less salt and achcha had once gotten very angry when the salt was less in the sambar made by a relative after my wedding.
By the second day, things were really cool and going smooth, especially since there were not too many expectations.
On the third day, we went to watch Avatar. We had an awful lunch at the food court in Swagath Garuda Mall and I must say - the cinema inside a mall is a real no-no - there was not enough aisle space. We got our 3-d viewing glasses and had a nice time watching Avatar - this movie is a real must-watch - for the graphics as well as the message - "You can not keep screwing with nature". We returned home, had a light dinner and went to the bed.
The next day, we woke up early, had a tasty upma for breakfast and embarked on our tour of Bangalore. We visited the Bannerghata National Park, LalBagh Botanical Garden, Sankey Tank, ISKCON and Shiva temple. BNP was a welcome surprise - I loved the drive to there and the place was nice. The Royal Tiger was so majestic and I just could not get enough of it. Amma and Achcha, though, did not seem too satisfied with this. LalBagh also did not impress them. Sadly, LalBagh did not impress me much too - it has changed so much since when I used to go with my cousin sis and sit on the rocks and chew on roasted corn. We had lunch at "Woodlands" and got to know that ISKCON is open to public only at 4pm. Hence, we went to the park near Sankey Tank - very beautiful and spent some time there. We then went to ISKCON - which is now a "COMMERCIAL TEMPLE". They asked us to buy a special ticket worth 150 rupees which also entitled us to books worth 50 rupees when they actually don't have a single book worth 50 rupees there. So, eventually, you need to pay more :P
We then started back home and on the way visited the Shivan temple at Marathahalli. Well, Pras and I were not very interested in waiting for an hour in the queue and hence stayed in the car, had a chai, bought a small piece of cake to celebrate amma's missed b'day. It was Amma's b'day, the day she landed in bangalore but they never told us :( The next morning, Pras went to IIM. I made chutney, sambar and dosa for breakfast and for lunch, we had sambar and rice. I had a long chat with amma and achcha and made them realize how corrupt even religious institutions have become. We cleaned the house after which Achcha and I bought fish and amma made fish curry with fish fry that day. The next day, we went shopping again and Achcha bought Pras and me a top each :) Achcha insisted I buy a jean too but I refused as there were no offers on. The rest of the day, we relaxed and talked.
I must say, it was really nice to have my in-laws over. I was a bit tense in the beginning and so were they but when they saw that I was at ease doing the work, they relaxed. Yes, I did get a bit irritated when they stepped on my feet while I was cooking but that is ok - I need to get used to having someone around me in the kitchen. Staying alone and being independent has its pros and cons - you learn a lot but makes you so independent that any extra help seems like an interference.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Lasik Surgery
I have wanted to get this done for a long time now. However, earlier I used to wonder if it was worth spending 25k on correcting what nature has given me and sometimes used to think that I would feel lost without my glasses - behind which I often hide. Well, my hubby is a really fantastic guy - he just has this do-or-die attitude sometimes and he was my strength all through. The date and time of the surgery were fixed just the day before the surgery on the 31st of December, 09. Yes, I was doing the most unthinkable - getting operated on the 1st day of the New Year :) We were asked to be at the hospital around 11am. Till I woke up on the 1st, I was still wondering whether I should really go in for the surgery or not. Well, as fate would have it, out of anxiety, I got my period earlier too. Now, for people who know me well, know what this means - I will be flat on the bed. But, hubby dear perked me up and off we went. My "know-it-all" uncle and cousin sister came over to give me moral support. This sister, Subbu, has undergone this surgery before too. So, it made me feel a lot better. There were a few last minute tests done to confirm my actual power. The doctor met me and gave me strict instructions - keep watching the green light at all times, it may however, disappear for 20 seconds, but don't get tense. I was shown my room and asked to change into a "LARGE" purple coloured outfit. I was a bit reluctant cause of the size but once I was in it, it felt like heaven - the cloth was so soft and wearable and the colour kind of soothed my nerves. Drops were inserted into my eyes two times - they were either antibiotic drops which also helped numb the nerve endings in the eye. Though I was told that the surgery would take place at around 12pm, I was called at around 12:45pm. A cap was placed over my head and I was given large gauzy shoes for my feet. I said a final good bye to my hubby dearest and went into the room, where I was seated and a last dose of drops was administered. Pras did sneak in and I did get a last glance at him before the nurse shooed him away :( I was really nervous. I wanted to just run back home.
I was taken into the surgery room and asked to lay on the bed. The nurse was a real darling - so warm and I could the warmth of her smile radiated out of the mask too. The doctor, then asked me to open my eyes wide, look up at him. He then placed a shield so that my eyes would stay open through the surgery. I asked the nurse to hold my hand. She was holding my left hand. Suddenly, there was cold water running down my face and I panicked and lifted my right hand to stop whatever it was that the doctor was doing. This really pissed off the doctor. He was just flushing my eye out. However, I have this fear of water going into my ear. But the doctor did not give me a chance to tell him of my fears :(. He always cut me short as soon as I had uttered "But doctor....". The doctor then attached a lens of sorts onto my eye. This time again, I got tense and started telling him that I could not see the green light . The doctor got really angry and told me that he had already informed me that the light will disappear for 20 seconds or so. I relaxed. Then, a light beam, like the one in the xerox copier which moves from one side to the other, went over my eye and once more the eye was flushed and cleaned and I was told that the right eye was done. And then, I started shivering. I wonder why I was shivering after the procedure was done.
Now, this doctor, he got on my nerves by telling me that the easier part was over and he was about to do the left eye which had more power and hence required more co-operation. The doctor kept contradicting himself - one moment he would tell me that I was co-operating well, following all instructions and the very next moment he said that I was not at all following his instructions. Now, amongst all this, the doctor had also moved aside the overhead green light and while my eye was searching for this, he shouted at me to stop searching and to look at the green light, which obviously was out of my line-of-sight. Then, when I told him that I could not see it, he asked me to at least look in the direction of the light, after which he realized that it was moved aside and corrected its alignment with a humph!! This time, they placed a ball of cotton in my left ear to prevent the water from going in. He did shout at me one more time for moving my eyeball from one side to another. At last, it was all over. As soon as I got out of the theatre, the doctor complained to Pras about how tense I was inside the theatre - obviously - my first surgery!!!
I was sent to my room, administered some drops and given the "Gola - Italy design" goggles and asked to wear those. We ordered lunch from the cateteria and were waiting, when we were asked to meet the doctor. There was another gentleman who had been operated before[luckily] me, cause he was mentioning some sort of issue in vision after the surgery. As soon as the doctor saw me - "Jyothiiiii, you made my life miserable in the theatre" to which I promptly replied "Sorry Doc". I will never forget the accent and tone with which he said that. I also thanked the lord that I did not get operated before the other person - imagine what would have happened if the doctor had to operate the other chap, who had -7.5 power, after I had irritated him.
I was then told what I could do and could not do and was sent home. I was able to watch TV. I was able to read.
For 15 days, I can not splash water on my face - hence no face wash nor hair wash. I am not supposed to touch my eyes nor rub them.
I had a follow up check up yesterday and my power is nil now - though, the left eye is not 100% clear - but they had already told me that they can't guarantee a 100% correction. However, with both eyes, my vision is now a full 6/6. I was told that I need not wear the sunglasses anymore too.
This morning, I woke up and was watching SRK on "Lift Kara De" and guess what?? My hand went up to push my spectacles up my nose, only to realize that I wont be wearing any henceforth - fingers crossed :)
P.S. I got my surgery done at Sankara Eye Hospital, Kundalahalli Gate, Marathahalli, Bangalore.
I was taken into the surgery room and asked to lay on the bed. The nurse was a real darling - so warm and I could the warmth of her smile radiated out of the mask too. The doctor, then asked me to open my eyes wide, look up at him. He then placed a shield so that my eyes would stay open through the surgery. I asked the nurse to hold my hand. She was holding my left hand. Suddenly, there was cold water running down my face and I panicked and lifted my right hand to stop whatever it was that the doctor was doing. This really pissed off the doctor. He was just flushing my eye out. However, I have this fear of water going into my ear. But the doctor did not give me a chance to tell him of my fears :(. He always cut me short as soon as I had uttered "But doctor....". The doctor then attached a lens of sorts onto my eye. This time again, I got tense and started telling him that I could not see the green light . The doctor got really angry and told me that he had already informed me that the light will disappear for 20 seconds or so. I relaxed. Then, a light beam, like the one in the xerox copier which moves from one side to the other, went over my eye and once more the eye was flushed and cleaned and I was told that the right eye was done. And then, I started shivering. I wonder why I was shivering after the procedure was done.
Now, this doctor, he got on my nerves by telling me that the easier part was over and he was about to do the left eye which had more power and hence required more co-operation. The doctor kept contradicting himself - one moment he would tell me that I was co-operating well, following all instructions and the very next moment he said that I was not at all following his instructions. Now, amongst all this, the doctor had also moved aside the overhead green light and while my eye was searching for this, he shouted at me to stop searching and to look at the green light, which obviously was out of my line-of-sight. Then, when I told him that I could not see it, he asked me to at least look in the direction of the light, after which he realized that it was moved aside and corrected its alignment with a humph!! This time, they placed a ball of cotton in my left ear to prevent the water from going in. He did shout at me one more time for moving my eyeball from one side to another. At last, it was all over. As soon as I got out of the theatre, the doctor complained to Pras about how tense I was inside the theatre - obviously - my first surgery!!!
I was sent to my room, administered some drops and given the "Gola - Italy design" goggles and asked to wear those. We ordered lunch from the cateteria and were waiting, when we were asked to meet the doctor. There was another gentleman who had been operated before[luckily] me, cause he was mentioning some sort of issue in vision after the surgery. As soon as the doctor saw me - "Jyothiiiii, you made my life miserable in the theatre" to which I promptly replied "Sorry Doc". I will never forget the accent and tone with which he said that. I also thanked the lord that I did not get operated before the other person - imagine what would have happened if the doctor had to operate the other chap, who had -7.5 power, after I had irritated him.
I was then told what I could do and could not do and was sent home. I was able to watch TV. I was able to read.
For 15 days, I can not splash water on my face - hence no face wash nor hair wash. I am not supposed to touch my eyes nor rub them.
I had a follow up check up yesterday and my power is nil now - though, the left eye is not 100% clear - but they had already told me that they can't guarantee a 100% correction. However, with both eyes, my vision is now a full 6/6. I was told that I need not wear the sunglasses anymore too.
This morning, I woke up and was watching SRK on "Lift Kara De" and guess what?? My hand went up to push my spectacles up my nose, only to realize that I wont be wearing any henceforth - fingers crossed :)
P.S. I got my surgery done at Sankara Eye Hospital, Kundalahalli Gate, Marathahalli, Bangalore.
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