Organs of my healthy, aged Dad stand rejected

           My 86 year old father, Shri M.V. Joshi, always led a healthy lifestyle. On 20^th Oct’2013, Sunday Evening, he suffered a cardiac arrest at home in Delhi. He was rushed to the nearest hospital ( Private ) where his heartbeats were revived after a few minutes. Since then he is on ventilator. The Doctors attending tell us that the ‘Brain’ did not get oxygenated blood supply during the time the heart stopped which is why, it is not showing any activity. However, the other organs are working satisfactorily.

Whatever! This is certainly not a dignified end for someone who always yearned for a “clean dispatch” from the world!  And yet this is the price he has to pay for pledging to donate as many organs as possible for the needy. And for this, my father had even registered himself with Organ Retrieval Banking Organization (ORBO), which is a part of AIIMS, some years ago. His Registration No. being 1207.

Considering the possibility that the Brain may not respond and subsequently may be declared Brain-Dead, my brother contacted ORBO on Tuesday 22^nd Oct.’13, by sending detailed e-mail at the address mentioned in their web-site and also telephonically, the organization showed total disinterest stating that my father is above 80 years & hence none of his organs will be of any use. At the most, the cornea can be retrieved and for this we can get in touch with them even after the body is brought home.

Not even a brief explanation was given as to how being 86 years old disqualifies him from being a donor, when the web-site www.aiims.edu/aiims/orbo clearly mentions that anybody above 18 years can donate organs regardless of age, gender, etc. I hereby quote some of the points mentioned in their website-

·      There is scarcity of organs and donors.

·      A small part of pancreas can help a diabetic

·      A small section of Liver  is capable of regenerating

·      One kidney can help sustain a life.

·      Skin can be transplanted for severe burns cases.

The detailed e-mail sent to info@orbo.org , an address mentioned in web-site, is “undelivered” due to site-error. Upon Google search of www.orbo.org , I found that the domain name is for sale.

In the e-mail & also during telephonic talk, my brother mentioned the names of attending Doctors and Hospital. But ORBO is not interested to contact the Doctor or Hospital / send somebody to check the Donor for suitability / help us & Doctors through the legal procedure. Instead, the onus has been put on us, that we get the Donor declared Brain-Dead by getting the private hospital to assemble teams of Specialists Doctors ,conduct required tests and declare him Brain-Dead. Only after that we should contact ORBO.

Even if we assume that the organs offered for transplant have well passed the required age and if at all may serve for short duration only, how can we overlook the scarcity of organs / waiting lists with AIIMs and Govt. Hospital? Surely, there will be some ready takers as they are being offered FREE OF COST by the source.

Why then this rejection / reluctance by ORBO?  We are sure that his “aged” organs could help a person for a few years.  Besides, there is always a chance that the organs may adapt to younger bodies!

A private hospital may lack the motivation to undertake the legal procedures / resources for organ retrieval but ORBO has the necessary trained and experienced staff as also the resources for this cause. It is a common knowledge that time is an important element in such cases, as the patient’s heart may stop again and not revive at all. This would not only mean that whatever available is lost – not only the organs but also the last wish of the man who wished to contribute even after his death.

This is truly a sad happening for India.

People of Delhi and Indore.

After my one month stay in Delhi, I am back in Indore.I

A group of students in college asked me how I find Delhi as compared to Indore.

An interesting question! And so I told them my honest opinion. In Delhi, it is the third generation of women working. Where as in Indore, women have just started to work. It was no surprise therefore to see 70 plus women going  to banks in Delhi to get their passbooks updated. And while I was amazed to see them conducting the business, the bank staff and others were absolutely cool about it. Well, Indore will take some time to reach that stage!

In Delhi because of hectic life, I saw women mostly in salwar-kameez and jeans-top with saree reserved for an occasional wear. In Indore, sarees are still in fashion. But then that's bound to be! Indore is famous for its Maheshwari & Chanderi sarees.

However, one thing goes against the Delhi people. They lack patience to stand in queue. And so it is common to see fights at post offices and other such places. That's where Indore scores over Delhi! In Indore be it GPO or any other place, it is quite common to see people standing in queues . 

Should we say, laid back attitude helps at times!

Try Mix 'N' Match!

As I said, I am in Delhi for my son's exams. Staying in a bachelor's accommodation, I often feel the need to go to the market. For all my laziness, I do enjoy once I step into the market.
Punjabi women have an excellent dress sense. And you truly find them well-dressed from head to toe. So that day, just as I stepped out of the grocer's shop, I spotted a mother-daughter duo. They picked up a 'Kurta' (Top) for just Rs.100 at a sale. Next, they stepped into another shop that was also running a sale. They purchased a pair of leggings that were equally cheap. This way, they had a set not costing more than Rs.800. That gave me an idea that I could do it too.
I needed some hand towels and so I turned towards a Handloom shop. And I spotted them there too. They were now buying material for curtains. Here too, they adopted the attitude of mix 'n' match. And frankly, the combination they chose was so good! Again, it hardly cost them much.
I ended up envying them. I think, every woman should know a bit of tailoring so as to do some quick measurements and calculations. And I am sure, such a woman could end up exuding beauty in everything. That too, without spending much!
Worth thinking I guess!

Happy Diwali & A Prosperous New Business Year!

    Diwali, the festival of lights, has arrived yet again. This was the day when Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya with wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after 14 years of exile. Even today we celebrate this occasion by decorating our homes, lighting candles and distributing sweets to all near and dear ones. This besides, Diwali also marks the beginning of a new business year. Thus for those in business, Diwali also means the start of new ledger books.

This Diwali, I am in Delhi with my son. The weather is nice and exhilarating. Today’s Delhi is different from the 70’s & 80’s. The buying capacity has increased tremendously. In a way, it’s good. With consumers ready to buy good stuff, marketing fanciful or creative products sure looks easy as compared to yesteryear.

If I have to compare Indore and Delhi, I will say that people here are more professional. In the last 2 days that I have gone to the market, not a single shopkeeper has handed me a toffee due to scarcity of change. That’s sure a big thing! It means not wasting time checking change before stepping out of the house- something very harrowing! Besides, be it a vegetable vendor or some small shop, nowhere did I get a feel that I was being overcharged.

This way, I think I have a lot of good things to tell my husband & friends when I return to Indore in a month’s time.

But for now-   A Very Happy & a Prosperous Business Year to All My Readers & Friends!

Parental Blues

It's been a long holiday. No server and all!

It started with my visit to Delhi with a sole mission of finding a decent dwelling for my son who has just picked up a job. And guys, that was not easy. It's not just finding a room! It's all about finding good neighbours, good companions and good surroundings for your very own flesh and blood-whom you have raised with lots of expectations. In fact, I had almost finalized a room on the terrace of one of the housing societies- a walking distance from my Dad's colony. Alas, only to discover later that the boy he was to share the bathroom with, was in fact a good year or two older than me! What's more, he was given to heavy drinking. He also had a grown -up daughter who stayed with him. It was all very risky. I certainly didn't agree with the statement of the landlady," After all, the man is earning Rs70,000 per month! So what is wrong?" The images of Ratan Tata, Narayan Murthy, Nandan Nilekeni flashed before my eyes. These great men knew how to keep themselves busy usefully. Certainly, high salary was no justification for a wrongful behaviour. Further, I was not going to allow my son's mind be polluted this way. There are a lot of good things to be done in life. Drinking is no way.

Anyway, all is well that ends well! We succeeded in getting a flat just opposite my dad's in the same residential colony. And it happened on the 3rd or 4th day of our search, putting to rest all my woes and fears. All was forgotten when we met our ever trustworthy and helpful family friends' -the great Sharmajis' and Nandis' soon after. I don't know what we do without them. They have always been there to lend their shoulders in times of difficulty.