csn48@aol.com to me show details 21:10 (1 day ago)
1.Lovely to note that you also have the wonderful experience working in Barnsley. We can form a small association of Barnsley Hospital. Like Philip & Piyaseeli, I also worked in Barnsley as a paediatric registrar from 1977-1980. At the time we had 2 paediatric consultants whose management appeared diametrically opposite ( one will insist on LP on every infant who had a febrile convulsion whilst the other will only do a LP if < 9 months etc) As the only shared registrar I had to decide the mangement strategies for children depending on who was on call giving the conflicting advice to the parents.
2. Majority of GPS were pretty useless and referred almost all the trivia especially during the nights and week ends.
3. Most of the families were relatively poor due to pit closures but were very respectful of the doctors. Most of them had not even travelled to Sheffield (only 16 odd miles away & a big city) in their life time.
4. The monthly rentals for a 3 bed roomed house then was £28.00. When this was raised to 30.00 the resident doctors protested ( I was the junior doctors president at the time) and we got a reduction of £1.00 as a result.
5. Most of the consultants were of Indian origin and the clinical tutor was Dr Ghosh. The weekly lunch hour meetings were sponsored by various drug firms and majority of the times, buffet meal was Asian type.
I have read Philip's book < I left SL ( I had very little else to do I guess) and I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. Not everyone has the time and the inclination & perhaps the talent ( what a good excuse) like Philip.
Best wishes
Nana
sena nanayakkara
This blog is about the entrants in the year 1960, to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ceylon, Colombo. The email address for communications is, 1960batch@gmail.com. Please BOOKMARK this page for easier access later.Photo is the entrance porch of the old General Hospital, Colombo, still in existence. Please use the search box below to look for your requirement.
Monday, August 9, 2010
email from Philip - reply to Piyaseeli.
Hello Piyaseeli,
I am glad to hear that you found the book 'The Cry of the Devil Bird' interesting.Your suggestion re the incidents in the batchmates if sent to me could be published on the batch web if short and sent to the 1960 batch email address namely1960batch@gmail.com. Souvenir 2 refers to 'Friends, dreams and memories' I presume.
Philip
I am glad to hear that you found the book 'The Cry of the Devil Bird' interesting.Your suggestion re the incidents in the batchmates if sent to me could be published on the batch web if short and sent to the 1960 batch email address namely1960batch@gmail.com. Souvenir 2 refers to 'Friends, dreams and memories' I presume.
Philip
email from Piyaseeli
Hello Philip,
I have finished reading about 2/3rds of your book. I found it very interesting to read. It made me wonder why we dont put into writing some of our (all our batch mates)experiences, We ofcourse have worked in the wilderness in Srilanka for a good length of time.
I was wondering whether it would be a good idea for us to circulate interesting, hilarious expieriences we have faced during our medical career, just an odd one at a time. It will keep us in touch with everyone.
I too worked in Barnsley , GH in 1992 as a locum consultant in GU medicine & worked for 3 days at Sheffield ,Royal Hallamshire hospital, & 2 days in Barnsley.I was stationed in Barnsley.& travelled by train in the morning & got a lift back from a worker in the hospital vesper.I was reminded of the latter when reading your book. One thing that struck me was the poverty. Almost all the women who were employed as nurses had husbands who were laid off work.I will certainly read your book to a finish. One other thing , Tissa speaks of a souvenir 2 . Is it the same as the book Friends, memories...or a different one?
Piyaseeli
I have finished reading about 2/3rds of your book. I found it very interesting to read. It made me wonder why we dont put into writing some of our (all our batch mates)experiences, We ofcourse have worked in the wilderness in Srilanka for a good length of time.
I was wondering whether it would be a good idea for us to circulate interesting, hilarious expieriences we have faced during our medical career, just an odd one at a time. It will keep us in touch with everyone.
I too worked in Barnsley , GH in 1992 as a locum consultant in GU medicine & worked for 3 days at Sheffield ,Royal Hallamshire hospital, & 2 days in Barnsley.I was stationed in Barnsley.& travelled by train in the morning & got a lift back from a worker in the hospital vesper.I was reminded of the latter when reading your book. One thing that struck me was the poverty. Almost all the women who were employed as nurses had husbands who were laid off work.I will certainly read your book to a finish. One other thing , Tissa speaks of a souvenir 2 . Is it the same as the book Friends, memories...or a different one?
Piyaseeli
Saturday, August 7, 2010
email from Therese
From: therese kariyawasam Date: 8 August 2010 07:05Subject: Request for informationTo: 1960batch@gmail.com
Hello Friends
I would be glad to have some information on the whereabouts of ourbatchmate Rohini Sivasubramaniam who was also my classmate at HolyFamily Convent Bambalapitiya.When I last met her many years ago, she said she was in UK and was anAnaesthtist.Please send me any information that will enable me to get in touchwith her againThank You
Therese Kariyawasam nee pereira
Hello Friends
I would be glad to have some information on the whereabouts of ourbatchmate Rohini Sivasubramaniam who was also my classmate at HolyFamily Convent Bambalapitiya.When I last met her many years ago, she said she was in UK and was anAnaesthtist.Please send me any information that will enable me to get in touchwith her againThank You
Therese Kariyawasam nee pereira
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
email from Sujiva
Dear Philip,
I enjoyed your book and so did my niece who I lent it to. In many ways you have had an interesting and emotionally satisfying career with a fair share of quirky experiences ("Is the prisoner fit to be hanged at 8 am?" when you had spent the night saving him from dying!). Looking back now that it is over, the war added to your experience though it was not what you would have chosen to happen. We were safe in Australia but my life would be a dull read.I was interested in your comments on religion. I think the religious divisions are a good example of the Sufi story of "The blind men and the elephant". None of the warring factions have seen the elephant.
I enjoyed the reunion very much and thank the hard work you and the organizing committee put in to make it happen so well.
RegardsSujiva
I enjoyed your book and so did my niece who I lent it to. In many ways you have had an interesting and emotionally satisfying career with a fair share of quirky experiences ("Is the prisoner fit to be hanged at 8 am?" when you had spent the night saving him from dying!). Looking back now that it is over, the war added to your experience though it was not what you would have chosen to happen. We were safe in Australia but my life would be a dull read.I was interested in your comments on religion. I think the religious divisions are a good example of the Sufi story of "The blind men and the elephant". None of the warring factions have seen the elephant.
I enjoyed the reunion very much and thank the hard work you and the organizing committee put in to make it happen so well.
RegardsSujiva
Monday, August 2, 2010
email from Tissa
Dear Nana!
I wish I could take credit for everything you have mentioned! That said, it is huge pleasure to be a part of larger enterprise to help the students. I follow events in Sri Lanka quite closely as I am sure you do as well and I am offended by the sheer waste of public resources to satisfy the egos of politicians. I remember a time when only ministers (and there were very few then) who had official cars. Now every MP has a fleet of them.
In fact on the day I left after the reunion, I missed my connection in Singapore because the President had taken a plane to go to Kiev during the previous week (with an entourage of almost 100 people) and that had ruined the Sri Lankan airlines schedule and a whole bunch of us had to spend a lot of time at various airports as a result. In the great scheme of things, this wasn't much but what is happening to students and the absence of resources to help their basic educational needs is another symptom of the same disease.
When you make these awards, you should give them the widest possible publicity and hopefully it will encourage other Colombo grads working in Sri Lanka to make small donations to the fund as well. A thousand Rs isn't much these days for people who do private practice and a 250 doctors could easily cover a scholarship. There are so many Colombo grads working in the States and we should make an appeal for $10.00 from each one (this amount will barely buy 3 gallons of petrol) and it will be money well spent. I have a tax deductible charity that I use for various other charitable donations in Sri lanka and it has worked quite well in the past. But a 10 dollar donation won't even qualify for a tax donation! I could quite easily use my Pay Pal account to collect the funds. That would keep the administrative costs to practically zero.
All the best,
Tissa
I wish I could take credit for everything you have mentioned! That said, it is huge pleasure to be a part of larger enterprise to help the students. I follow events in Sri Lanka quite closely as I am sure you do as well and I am offended by the sheer waste of public resources to satisfy the egos of politicians. I remember a time when only ministers (and there were very few then) who had official cars. Now every MP has a fleet of them.
In fact on the day I left after the reunion, I missed my connection in Singapore because the President had taken a plane to go to Kiev during the previous week (with an entourage of almost 100 people) and that had ruined the Sri Lankan airlines schedule and a whole bunch of us had to spend a lot of time at various airports as a result. In the great scheme of things, this wasn't much but what is happening to students and the absence of resources to help their basic educational needs is another symptom of the same disease.
When you make these awards, you should give them the widest possible publicity and hopefully it will encourage other Colombo grads working in Sri Lanka to make small donations to the fund as well. A thousand Rs isn't much these days for people who do private practice and a 250 doctors could easily cover a scholarship. There are so many Colombo grads working in the States and we should make an appeal for $10.00 from each one (this amount will barely buy 3 gallons of petrol) and it will be money well spent. I have a tax deductible charity that I use for various other charitable donations in Sri lanka and it has worked quite well in the past. But a 10 dollar donation won't even qualify for a tax donation! I could quite easily use my Pay Pal account to collect the funds. That would keep the administrative costs to practically zero.
All the best,
Tissa
email from Piyaseeli/ / Organising committee
Dear Kasturi
Thank you for your letter, Yes, undoubtedly without participants there would be no celebrations and for their part, Kapu has expressed his thanks in the souvenir as, well as when he made the welcoming address!!.
Your thoughts on the designing of underwear is very interesting and amusing. We are waiting for further communication between you and the Author of designing....Gerri.Yes, it is nice to feel appreciated & we thank all those who sent messages of appreciation. i.
It is also interesting to note that the emails exchanged amongst our batch mates have not fizzled out. Let's keep it going
Best wishes for good ,health, peace & happiness & lots of laughter
Organising committee
Thank you for your letter, Yes, undoubtedly without participants there would be no celebrations and for their part, Kapu has expressed his thanks in the souvenir as, well as when he made the welcoming address!!.
Your thoughts on the designing of underwear is very interesting and amusing. We are waiting for further communication between you and the Author of designing....Gerri.Yes, it is nice to feel appreciated & we thank all those who sent messages of appreciation. i.
It is also interesting to note that the emails exchanged amongst our batch mates have not fizzled out. Let's keep it going
Best wishes for good ,health, peace & happiness & lots of laughter
Organising committee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)