Me Coffee and books!

 

Me Coffee and books!

Books are our best friends in the quest for knowledge and our loyal companions in the journey of life. The happiest feeling in life is to drink a hot cup of coffee while reading your favorite book and immersing yourself completely in another world. When thinking of a title, I tried to think of what words would explain who I am. I couldn't include everything but what kept coming back to me was...coffee and books. But those who know me well know my love of my morning coffee, everything that has to do with tea time reading books.

I am a great lover of books since my childhood.  I love brand new hardback books and the way they smell when you open them for the first time. I love ratty old paperbacks that are leather soft from years of rereading .I love to read anything available be it chandamama, twinkle, Mulla's stories, panchatantra or any other novels. I am a great fan of legends like Sivsankari, Vasanthi, Indumathi, sujatha,chetan bhagat, Vairamuthu, Kalki, Ramanichandran, Lakshmi... The list is endless. I was an avid reader before I had kids for myself!! As a vigorous reader, not specially one or the one author. Whenever I feel sad or demotivated, I used to read Robert Sc huller, Napoleon hill, Shiv khera etc. Even now I avail almost every opportunity I get to read whatever kind of books I can lay my hand on. From magazines to newspapers, novels to short stories, kids school stuff to eBooks. But no matter it was a thick book or a thin one, colored or in B& W, for kids or for adults. I think I ...... loved to re-read it at any point of time It never ever made me  tired of reading because it was new every time you look through it

 

Reading is a beautiful experience, irrespective of seasons or time. Reading in a A charming Winter Or a rainy season or a warm summer evening reading book is a heart-warming little book that comforts and entertains delightfully is a blissful experience. However, the best feeling is when you sit inside a blanket fort, sip a cup of hot coffee, and read a good book when it is raining outside. A good read has the power to transport you from reality to the imaginative world of the characters where you feel that you are also a part of their story. Moreover, it’s better to read a book than sleep or do something useless.

 

 One should often indulge in a good book here and there to enhance their knowledge and broaden their perspective on life. Reading is important because it develops our thoughts, gives us endless knowledge and lessons while keeping our minds active. Books can hold and keep all kinds of information, stories, thoughts and feelings unlike anything else in this world. The importance of a book to help us learn and understand things cannot be underestimated.

I love books while reading "You forget everything. The hours slip by. You travel in your chair through centuries you seem to see before you, your thoughts are caught up in the story, dallying with the details or following the course of the plot, you enter into characters. The book jumps about from place to place as our characters live and grow. My heart beats a little faster when, in my reading, every book, every take you see, has a soul.” The soul of the one who wrote it, and the soul of those who read it and lived and dreamed of it.

Books are to our rescue always, be it a long journey or a long day, You can have your book with you and forget the time. There are many books that have impressed me. It may be Historical, fictional, romantic, spiritual Or scientifical ;The book motivates me, it makes me cry , makes me laugh, makes me fall in love with life again, makes me to think ,makes me look for the small blessings that GOD has bestowed me with.

My all-time favourites are Aesop's fables, Jataka tales and the Panchatantra, Vikram and Vetal ,  Tenali Rama, Ramayana & Mahabharatha.still I love to read Ambuli mama Vikram vedal.

Some books I read it again & again

I completed Valmiki Ramayana seven Kandas in Tamil from which you can learn the way to reach God. Though I have heard and read Ramayana book before, this is entirely different. There are so many things written in this book which I never knew before. It gives peace of mind by reading this book. Everyone knows Ramayana. It’s such a divine story that I feel like reading again and again.

In my teenage I read Rajaji’s Mahabharatha. C. Rajagopalachari has retold the age old tale of Pandavas and Kauravas , of dharma and adharma in the most simple way possible. Along with his fantastic style of storytelling It is a whole literature in itself, containing a code of life, a philosophy of social and ethical relations, and speculative thought on human problems that is hard to rival.. still I love to read again & again.

Bharathiyar Kavidhaigal: I grow up falling in love with his poems, since my eighth standard. I have read almost all of his complete poems. Each page contains a pearl which can be worn throughout the life. Some of his poems are related to freedom struggle but it could still be related to current scenario. He has given poems to suit everyone's mood varying from nature, devotion, love and struggle, patriotism and society.

For Romance I love to read Ramani chandran. Ramani’s plot lines have followed one of three themes “concepts ”Triangle love, Problem in Marriage ... there’s a misunderstanding and Then finally they finally come together, And they lived happily ever after. I love her writing style almost I read all her novels.

Ponniyin Selvan a Tamil novel that takes us way back to the good olden days. It has everything in it. The romance, the vengeance, the war, the friendship, and what not. It’s a Master piece of Kalki's works. The story is about the great king Raja Raja Chola. The book consists of 5 volumes. When I started reading I got so much involved that I completed the book in a matter of 3 days’ time. I was able to visualise the story and that is the success of the author. The book tempts me to see Tanjore, Kodikarai and other places in the story.

Another Book by Kalki Sivakamiyin Sabatham.The Sivagamiyin Sapatham is a historical novel sets in 7th century South India. This ancient novel considered one of the most significant historical novels ever written in Tamil Literature.I could visualize the scenes, characters ofcourse every instants delivered in the book and hailed by the surprise almost in every page I really fall in Love with Mahendra vermapallavan. - I simply love the way it is narrated. You get to know many things, in fact when I read this book for the first time, I could not wait to finish it and to ensure the truth of the details I even googled the events and pictures.

Another one of my favorite author is Sandilyan. He was an Indian writer known for his historical fiction novels in Tamil. He is known for his historical romance and adventure novels, often set in the times of the Chola and Pandya empires.I had read Jaladeepam, Pallava thilagam , yavanarani .But one of my favourite novel is kadal Pura contain 3 volumes. Research about ship building technology in 1067 A.D were explained in this historical novel and war shipping techniques over that period.In “Kadal Pura”, you are going to know everything about Kulothungan… who destroyed the entire territory of Kalinga. If you know a little more about this novel, this is supposed to be a prequel to Kalingattuparani, a masterpiece of Tamizh Literature.

Why I liked the book? Because this book makes you laugh, cry, smile to yourself, and bite your lips with a heavy heart. But at the end it gives you a sense of realization of what's life's real happiness

.

But now I am living with late  Mr. Balakumaran' s UDAYAR Yes he is just living legend. The book contains the life of Raja Raja Chola, his dynasty, how he ruled, how Chola maintained his courtyard and many more details.he just take us to 15th ,16th century and the enormous work the author did and write the book,it narrates how the Big Temple of Tanjore built, what the method used,with full stone and how they took the top tomb which is built upon one single stone, how they transport it.It just astonishing no one can read just like that book. We have to understand and swallow the contents, slowly we start living in that period! Wow what a divine experience!

So many books are in my list to read but,

 

What a blessing it is to love books." The book in hand that usually speaks through printed words, seemed to question him verbally, “Coffee? Tea? or Me?”. Without any second thought I say I love books!

*Image Taken- google images

My Thyroidectomy Experience

All is well that ends well! Past one and half years I didn’t post anything. My health is not so good Last week only Doctors gave me clean chit that I am free from all diseases. I am so happy to hear that word. In past six months my life turn upside down I had a rebirth not once thrice. I had two major surgery in my neck then corona.  Here I am sharing my Experience.

What is a thyroid?

Sitting at the front of the neck below the Adam’s apple, this tiny butterfly-shaped gland has a huge impact on our life as it produces hormones that regulate our body’s vital functions including metabolism, growth, development, mood and fertility and affecting many of the body’s most important organs, including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin.

Your thyroid plays a crucial role in so many of your body’s systems, but how much do you know about the little gland that has such a huge responsibility in your health and well-being? After my experience it’s the perfect time to learn more about this small but mighty organ and the importance knowing what to look for to ensure your thyroid is functioning as it should.

My Thyroidectomy Experience:

I had a tumour growth in my thyroid gland began in last July. My diagnosis came about from an almost an incidental finding. I had had a ‘feeling’ there was something wrong with my neck for over a year and numerous symptoms which I now know indicate thyroid cancer. When I noticed a persistent ache under my jaw, I assumed I was suffering from dental pain. My dentist identified a slight swelling in my neck and suggested that I had strained a neck muscle.

When the ache refused to go away, my dentist advised to do USG... I had the scan on last Aug which showed a suspicious nodule attached to my right thyroid lobe and advised for further investigation. In the meantime I can see small lump near right collar bone along with swollen neck and pain spread to right shoulder and till my right breast .I started worrying about the pain. My family  Dr advised to do Thyroid Nuclear Scan. After 3 days report came with Cold nodule in right lobe of Thyroid. Report Advised to do FNAC. (A cold nodule is a thyroid nodule that does not produce thyroid hormone. On a radioactive iodine uptake test a cold nodule takes up less radioactive material than the surrounding thyroid tissue. A cold nodule may be malignant or benign.). Till then I am very blank about thyroid I thought Dr will prescribe medicine and I will be alright. Without suggesting any medicine after seeing this Report My Dr is serious. He advised to do immediately FNAC.

Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC): A thyroid fine needle aspiration biopsy is a procedure that removes a small sample of tissue from your thyroid gland. Cells are removed through a small, hollow needle. The sample is sent to the lab for analysis. For me It done 3 times two times in September   then after 6 weeks November end it done. Report came as Suspicious of Follicular /Hurthlecell Neoplasam.

The experience of the FNA is more painful. Directly they injected needle  into the thyroid area and to remove some cells for testing. It was painful experience and feel uncomfortable. The wait for the results was much worse. The results came back as thy, no cancer cells was detected in the sample however the cells present were abnormal.

After seeing the report He advised surgery that to you need good hand of Dr.(That means you'll want a highly qualified surgeon to perform the procedure.)

Totally we are blank whom to approach where to find dr? Nothing we don’t know. I send my reports to known persons .but no one have the idea about this surgery. Here came one of my relative whom I met in marriage function is a Doctor and I discussed my problem. She came forward and send my reports to her colleagues .Within an hour I got message and got Drs appointment. Among the finest Neck Surgery Doctors in the city, Dr. Gouri Mam (Tata Memorial Hospital) is the best doctor for Oncosurgery.

We both went and met her she go through all my reports and spoke very kindly and gave me confidence and then advised to do few test in Tmh.

After seeing reports she confirmed my surgery date. Before that she advised to take pre anaesthesia test that is different department. They need to give OK certificate. Therefore a partial thyroidectomy was advised by my Dr.GouriMam
 

This news was hard to digest. I have always had a major fear my every waking day was spent feeling dread and of the verge of tears, I wasn't sleeping and struggling to eat. I had the surgery on December 24th it underwent 5 hrs. and I kept in ICU for 9 hrs. The operation was successful, though, in the theirs words, ‘challenging’: a large growth was removed from my thyroid gland as well as one of the lobes of the gland itself.

 

 I had my drain taken out the next morning, which was unpleasant but manageable. the pain was minimal and controlled easily by paracetamol .My wound was held together by staples which is pretty shocking to look at to begin with but three days later to have the staples removed. The wound is red and swollen still but very neat I recovered well I discharged from the hospital  after 5 days, the worst bit of it all was the staying in hospital

 

I am waiting for the results of the biopsy test.but I am calm and keeping myself and feed a positive mind. Reports showed that the growth was cancerous: Hurthle cell carcinoma. A second operation would be required to remove the rest of the thyroid gland.

The diagnosis that followed, together with all the information about the necessary course of treatment, was a lot to take in. The thyroidectomy showed that The Doctor explained to me that I would need radioactive iodine treatment after surgery, to destroy any remaining cancerous cells. I would also need to take thyroxine for the rest of my life. Before I could fully digest this news, I found myself preparing for the second surgical procedure. I was really scared about second surgery tat to in same place. My whole family were in shock hard to digest. My second surgery held on March 12th. After my relatively swift recovery from the first operation, it took longer to recover from the second, a total thyroidectomy. This operation became bit serious again I kept in ICU my oxy and pulse went down and I had low-grade fever and operated place bulge made worrisome to Drs. Continuous injections , medicine and Care made me Normal and discharged after 6 days.One happy note my second biopsy test is normal.

For several weeks after surgery, I experienced pain in my neck and felt very tired. Keeping to the prescribed low iodine diet before the radioactive iodine treatment wasn’t too problematic, though I really disliked the isolation in one room once the treatment began.

The overwhelmingly positive news that I received after the uptake scan On April 9th  , however, was that the cancerous cells had not spread and that the RAI treatment had been effective in eliminating the remaining thyroid cells.

If I’m honest, my experience of thyroid cancer and its treatment was sometimes frightening and often exhausting. The diagnosis was a shock, the gravity of which didn’t completely hit me until after the second operation. Beyond the discomfort of the surgery, I simply wanted to know how long the treatment would take and when I would be able to return to ‘normal’ life.

For me, the best way to do this was to gather as much of the right information as possible, I think the best way of doing this is to speak to someone who has gone through the same thing. , I had a wonderful family supporting me and excellent doctors but I still felt very isolated and lonely at times, no-one I knew had even heard of thyroid cancer, radioactive iodine, treatment in isolation, challenge scans, becoming hypothyroid for scans and treatment, let alone experienced it.

But unfortunately after my scan I got corona that was worst experience than ever. I had very high temperature with low oxy level .I thought I am going to die.I am in semi-conscious state for twenty days. As mentioned earlier, I had a wonderful family supporting me and excellent doctors saved me once again.

Over the course of the treatment I tried to find strategies for coping. I was determined to stay as positive as possible, despite doubts and anxieties. I found it important to keep my illness in perspective, knowing from the outset that the prognosis for a full recovery was very good. I am incredibly grateful to all the doctors team who treated me and made my return to health possible. While things seemed pretty grim just a few months ago, I can now look forward to making the most of life and realizing long-held ambitions.

I am also indebted to my family and friends whose support was invaluable in so many ways. I am enjoying life to the full now and am more fulfilled personally than I have ever been.

 There is a great deal of fear and anxiety that comes along with a thyroid cancer diagnosis, but with early detection and modern advancement in treatment technology along with proper patient education and appropriate care, excellent treatment outcomes are likely good.

I wanted to post on here my experience so far in the hope that it may help and give reassurance to others in a similar situation. If our journey can help someone else and make it a little easier, then that’s what counts!

My Art Journey!

My Art Journey!

I could address my passions of life after I completed my worldly responsibilities, and art is one of them. When I took up painting in 2017 when I shifted to Bangalore. In new city to avoid my Loneliness and in order to mend a broken health, I didn’t think I would have any talent at drawing or painting. I am completely self-taught and inspired by others. I’m not one of those ‘expressive’ artist. I think my creativity levels heighten when I'm stressed or depressed. ...sometimes it is one step backwards, two steps forward, but at least I am still giving it a go.

 

Initially I used to concentrate more on Indian folk arts. Especially I used to focus on Madhubhani, Warli and pattachitra paintings, Gond art. Recently I was amazed to see Kerala Mural paintings in temple walls and learnt Mural painting. It is rich, vibrant bold yet delicate style of painting. Paintings show artistic brilliance as there is acute clarity in form, costumes and expressions.

 

My art experience which I acquired by teaching myself. And later I took guidance from Bhavika. I am very happy that I learnt blending colours, shading and detailing. It has driven me to experiment in various art media and explore various themes and style. Yet I practice my art with own boundaries.

Instead I try to do other things besides paint/draw that can still be I always have such pretty images in my head that I would love to put down on paper. A self-taught artist, who doesn't restrict herself to one single medium and paints on just about anything.

 

 She has transformed mundane things like tea kettles, buckets, plates and even a chair into pieces of art.

 

One of the most important things I learned is that as an artist one should always be ready to learn and improve, as there’s always something else to learn. And art is one of them. I remember how relaxed I felt when I was painting. Inspiration is all around you. Start to notice what attracts you and record it as a reference for future paintings. The more you begin to notice the inspiration around you, the sharper you will get at recognizing it. . In every painting I try to learn, improve, Experiment & put my more effort.

 

Art is healing because it forces you to forge a connection between your mind and your body. Every time you sit down to write a song or paint a picture, you’re using mental processes in a physically engaging activity. One of the best ways of coping with and transforming emotional pain into something meaningful is to express it through creativity. It has made me thrilled because I have found myself most peaceful when I have been closest to creating.  This painting is probably the onset of my creative journey in life and decided to continue this art.

JaishreeIyer