Visit to CMC, Vellore

Vellore, the city of 'spears' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellore), has a history of it's own and is world famous for it's 'Christian Medical College' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_Medical_College). I wanted to take my 72 year old father for a second opinion. Dr. Raghavendra who is an accomplished Radiologist practices here for now, and I'm deeply grateful for his kind help. His parents are our tenants and that's how I know him. I am in awe for his humility and his orientation towards 'serving the sick', wish I could learn and do more.

Dr. Raghavendra and I strike a few similar wavelenghts on many topics and that's how I admire him. He went onto book an appointment for my father, got the patient card and ensured that we met Dr. Eapen the Hepatologist at CMC. Dr. Eapen was a balding middle aged gentleman with very kind eyes and long hands with a slendar body. He reached out to us when I was waiting for him to call out my father's name amongst the many who were waiting to be called in the 'Hepatology' department.

Hepatalogy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hepatology) is that branch of medical science that deals with the study of the Li ver, Gall Bladder, Pancreas and Biliary tree-it's disorders and their management.

Dr. Eapen saw my father and asked me whether my father knew what he had, and I responded affirmatively. He called my father to sit down and I could see 'fear' in my father's eyes when he met the doctor.

The kind doctor explained what he thought of my father's situation and opined that a Liver Transplant was something that he'd not advice, as the risk's were outweighing the benefits.

My father's eye's sunk further into their orbits and I was feeling helpless and almost wanted to reach out and hug my father, but couldn't.

The doctor asked us to get in touch with an Oncologist (Oncology: The study of Cancer-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncology).

We left with Vellore with mixed feelings and soon over came it with a good lunch at 'Hotel Shalini'.

With full stomach's we were on our way towards Bengaluru, with my 'Srinath' my cousin at the wheel and I beside him struggling to keep my eyes open.