heal.travel.love

The Qualms of an intensivist !

It’s 0200 hours , and my brain is starting to shut down as the beeps of the monitor play a lullaby , and patients go into snooze mode ,

Alas here I am, doc the patient is desaturating , the Romanian frontal abscess guy, who I thought was incomprehensible was more than jus a language barrier , he was getting hypoxic and turning blue as the adrenaline in my system shot up . The level headed anaesthetist in me said , it’s pretty straightforward : intubAte , ventilate , get the sats up , arrange a scan and take him to theatre if need be. The humongous checklists before an intubation had to be foreseen, and bam the tube was in , like I knew I could if I was even half dead . I bag and bag and bag !!! The chest won’t rise ! I hold a breath , hoping his lungs would breathe . I call for help letting my mind rattle through a pneumothorax, a consolidation or an aspiration! And as my boss arrives a chest X-ray to say his lung blew up ! We give electrolytes, loads of PEEP, a 100%oxygen ! But the peep did neither perk me up or his alveoli! We bronch bronch bronch ! And get the slimy stuff out of his chest . Then comes the shake , shake , shake and get more muck out of the chest . It’s 0500 hrs , and jus alveoli begin to swell in joys of getting some oxygen ! He looks pink with life , as I blush through the adrenaline rush and the caffeine shots ! It’s just another day in the intensive care . You pat your back , gorge on bacon and toast and get ready for another night !

Shake shake shake !!!! Is what I learnt 😁

Morning musings !

Yet another morning ! In a trance from the occurrences of last night , making my way home from work . In my attempt to fit in my steps and tire myself to sleep, I step onto the not so touristy parts of Liverpool. Once a major port , a thriving and bustling city of trade , this beautiful city went to crumbles during war . What ensued was dark grey ages of economic depression. I got down at the station of Sandhills and as I walked home towards the docks, in all the greatness and emptiness of old warehouses , I reimagined days bustling with life .

As I walk through these empty warehouses, I all see the ever changing face of Liverpool 🙂 The city rose from its brawly reputation to a capital known for its culture , the lovely people , pubs , football and the grand national

I walk further and stumble upon Stanley docks , one of the stops of the Liverpool Leeds canal system .

The system laid out in the 1700’s bears witness to the evolution that has taken most of human civilisation. Despite all the change that surrounds these beautiful canals , they have stood the test of time and the waters lie still , ever ready for another change

Change is the only thing that’s constant , some changes can rock your world, the rest can shock you , but hope will still keeping runnin, just like the water that fills these canals ♥️

30 commandments @ Thirty !

I was in my early 20’s when I chanced upon this Gul Panag starer movie titled ‘ Turning 30’ . Long story short , the movie spun around a single woman in Mumbai leading and living up the urban Mumbai life stepping into her dreaded thirty. There was some part of me back then which did not believe in the fact that someone could be independent , have a wonderful career yet be single at 30 .

PS : I was naive back then and was pretty much in my own bubble .

The daunting nightmare of turning 30 chanced upon me a few months ago and I was my real life Gul Panag living it up, spending my birthday with my dearest ones. My darling brother by my side , soaking my feet in the beaches of Pondicherry as the clock struck 1200 there I was , thinking I had my youth washed away by the seas that kissed my feet. Well 2 months into my thirties, I must say , I feel pretty awesome myself! And with this i present my 30 commandments @ Thirty 🙂

#1 Smile, Smile and Smile

#2 Learn to say NO

#3 Live in a different city or country

#4 Travel far , wide and to the unknown

#5 Do not get too comfortable in a place or a situation

#6 Get lost in a foreign land

#7 Travel solo

#8 Get that adrenaline junkie in you kicking

#9 Eat healthy , wholesome and hearty

#10 Drink responsibly

#11 Live for the present

#12 Exercise is the answer, do not ask the question

#13 Learn a new skill

#14 Rediscover a forgotten skill

#15 Be passionate about work

#16 Unwind over the weekend

#17 Have your close 4 friends you can fall to no matter what

#18 Start opening up to your family , they know you best

#19 PMS is legitimate

#20 Cleaning is therapeutic

#21 Skin care regimens is not a myth

#22 Sunscreen is your BFF

#23 A charming sunkissed Italian date should be on your bucket list

#24 Get that one black dress you would wear on a date , that one smart dress you can slay your presentation in

#25 Move into a sexy apartment and live it up

#26 Be the perfect host/ guest at a party

#27 Cook that one signature dish that can woo your loved ones

#28 Keep a good bank balance . Money is important

#29 Be the best version of yourself you have ever been

#30 Do not wait for the right person or the right moment to live out your life

These are my 30 commandments in no particular order. A shout out to all of you out there. Add on to the list of crazy commandments 🙂

Damsel at A’DAM!!!

I hate short holidays !!! It makes me feel that even before I have soaked into the holiday spirits , I need to get back to mundane work. Nevertheless the travel bug hit the four of us once again to go on an epic trip to Amsterdam 😁

Day 1 :

Day 1 was dope and began with an exaggerated early flight from Liverpool airport ! Half asleep we dragged ourselves on our way to the airport and still in our REM phase of sleep managed our ways to Amsterdam!

Amsterdam was a breath of fresh air ( the air smelt sweet 😛 ) . The colours of autumn and the innumerous canals was pleasure the very soar eyes ! We started our trip with the melancholic trip to the Ann frank house which I managed not to go to ( museums somehow not my thing) As I waited for my friends I roamed around various roads to find innumerable “coffeeshops” , quirky vintage stores and Ofc the signature tulip stores and cheese stores ! Well one could easily skip lunch after entering a cheese store , the cheese for tasting satiates you in every possible sense ! By the end of the trip we became cheese connoisseurs and well yeah a few pounds heavier ! ( not complaining) The later parts of the day we roamed through the Jordan quarter of the city and ended up falling in love with all the art and vintage shops !

Day 2 :

Well if you are young and not a morning person the best thing is never to book a tour for 0830 especially after a crazy night out and an early morning flight ! The universe conspired against our trip to the windmills ! But yea the silver lining to it was a 7 hour trip starting at 1200 and a bright sunny day in October . With no time to waste we strolled through the iconic Dam square which is bejewelled by the not so touristy palace , the museum and the Amsterdam monument! The star of dam square is a very small eatery called manneken pis ( well the real manneken pis is in Brussels and I swear has nothing to with fries ) which serves the best fried in Amsterdam with yummy dips and huge huge portions!! With bellies heavy and a touristy canal cruise we made our way to ZAchen sans and found a city straight out from a fairy tale ! Beautiful lakes , grazing sheep and picturesque windmills that work even today ! The tour took us through another small town called Volendam where we stocked up loads of cheese, amazing stroopwaffles and freshly caught herrings ! The trip ended in a Marken , a small fishermen village with an educational session on how clogs are made ( not the most comfortable of shoes but not I see where croc got their not so glamorous designs from ) The day ended with some indulgence into the areas around the canal painted red 🤪

Day 3 :

A late relaxed morning, we headed to Albert Cuyp! One of the oldest and still existent markets in Amsterdam we came across everything that was Dutch ! We loaded ourselves with mini pancakes , Heineken and bitter balls ! The roads studded with local independent sellers , we found great buys of winter clothing ! The street is irresistible for a shopaholic foodie! we went on a night cruise with the city lit up and the light drizzle making it perfect to head to a club for some non stop dancing !

Day 4

The thoughts of getting home got our moods to a new low which was brightened by the autumn colours of vondel Park !

Amsterdam as a city has an charm by itself ! The city has a slow pace , with warm people and even warmer smiles ! Though Amsterdam is famous for its legal weed and sex , all we found through the streets was happy people . Though a major tourist city we did not face any touts during our stay and were gladly impressed by the beauty that is Amsterdam!

A dive to remember

24th of May 2018 seemed like the perfect weather and vibe for a romantic getaway, but we chose different. On the country side of the Czech Republic , me and my partner in crime Ms Lemos , decided to get our unparalleled adrenaline surge for life , yes we did dive from the skies , float amongst the clouds , be a part of the whole wide atmosphere before we touched land , unscathed

The idea of travelling to Prague revolved around the intent of getting to sky dive . This was our first European encounter and man I must say it was worth it ! The journey from Prague started with a bang . We were welcomed by a sleek driver on an Audi on a rainy day to Prague. Our spirits were low on seeing the rains lest our moods stayed top in form . Thankfully we woke up the next day to bright and dry weather and the first act of crime was taking the plunge .

The drive from Prague to the air base was a tumulous and tedious one . We tried to keep our spirits together and were kept in company by a very nice Korean gentleman ( whose name we forgot to ask )

We were the second batch to get to the sky diving . The moment of glory came upon as we wore our harnesses and looked dapper in our suits , the photo sessions ensued . I was greeted by my instructor , a very happy go luck chap . As I boarded the light weight craft, my heart started getting heavy with fear and self doubted . The flight was almost 15 minutes to reach to an altitude of 14000 feet . The scenery below did calm my nerves . As the craft opened up I sat at the edge of the plane , clouds above and below me and the hush of air on my face . Before I could even realise , I was one amongst the clouds screaming my gut out , falling at the speed of 200 kph. This was my moment , just me , the earth and of course yea my lifeline – my instructor . As the parachute opened up , the intense variations in the atmospheric pressure eased out and we swayed around a good 12 to 13 minutes capturing a beautiful panorama of the untouched countryside of the Czech . I think we perhaps saw parts of the Alpine Germany as well . It was finally the kick in your moment – yes the landing . The thing I feared the most was the part of landing on your bum , but in all honesty this was a breeze . And yes that long time dream of soaring to heights and being in total serenity came true .

Our sky dive experience ended up with happy moment and some Czech beers and Czech dumplings to follow

To know more about our sky dive experience click on the link

Falling through the clouds… My experience with sky diving!

Why are we the ultimate working class ????

May 14th 2018 , it is not a fancy date or a day that I would remember in future ! This day just means that 6 months have flown by in seas beyond the Bay of Bengal ! And here I am sitting in a Costa cafe , sipping on a cold brew and indulging in a good 1000 kcal “snack” which I will have to burn in eternity to come ! But no ! I am not gonna lament about those love handles ! Not today !!!

Cool!! So rewind! To the moment of sipping a cold brew and looking at life move by ! I see young women showing off their fake tan , young boys showing off those well sculpted calves (uuufffff my weakness 😛 ) but most of all what interests me is my neighbouring table of three women just talking about things right from the Second World War to planning a vacation to sun bathe and get some real tan ! What intrigued me is that they are all post retirement , one on a wheel chair , enjoying a nice latte and a good dose of nicotine ! What amuses me ! Is that I love the way people live in this part of the world ! I love the way the older generation love putting in their jazziest clothes on a Saturday night and enjoy the gin and tonic ! I love the way the older generation just dance and make merry and put my life to shame !!!! I love the way that the NHS did not give up on a 90 year old male with a brain bleed and let him live with dignity after surgery !

These might seem like everyday occurrences to a layman but what intrigued me is the scenario down in india and the fact that we will always remain a workaholic class ! As a kid you are made to go to school and get a degree to procure a stable job in future ! Our vacations are usually clubbed with a purpose of visiting a relative / wedding or to mend the most of your tour guide ! Once you graduate out of college it’s instilled in your head that you join the rat race of mediocrity; that you dare not be different or pose a 90 degree trajectory because your neighbor who you never talk to might get upset that you don’t follow” the guide book of being mediocre ” All through the dog years from 25 to 65 years of age you concentrate so hard on making enough money so that you can get your double degree kid married lavishly with guests who come to just make more gossip !!!! And the legacy continues!

The worst comes when you are at the age of retirement! You never know what to do in your free time because you are never used to being free in your 65 years of life ! You are bred for a purpose and you wanna keep treading that purpose ! It is true that old age is the worst phase in India ! There are no concrete pension plans for retired people to lead a life of dignity ! Every now and then the aged parent is looked as a burden and is ill treated ! And all this why !!! Because they don’t have an apparent purpose in the society after a particular age ! The ageing population is one that is most neglected in India physically and emotionally! It’s time we come up with concrete retirement plan, come up with liveable aged homes because it’s only right that we give everyone the dignity to walk with their head up high

To know the magnitude of the situation click on https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3025153/

Lemme get back to my cold brew and enjoy this current purposeless moment of mine !!! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3025153/

Sejourn @ Yorkshire Dales !

I always have been a wanderer by feet and at soul ; and what better way to start romanticisng the English countryside than an encounter at beautiful Yorkshire . Yorkshire is a beautiful county in England and boasts of its cultural links right from the ice age , to the Romans, the Vikings , the upheavals of the Tudor dynasty and the present day English culture. We tread on this beautiful journey on the Easter weekend , 2 Indians and a mafia Polish ( to safe guard two pretty women, click their pics and well enough to cook amazing Polish delicacies ) Our trip started off with a scenic road trip through the vast meadows that the county had to offer.

We landed on the beautiful,scenic and pristine town of Giggleswick where the river Ribble seperates it from the cute town of Settle. As we wandered our way we were in high spirits as the ebb and flow of the river Ribble that flowed with us. We stayed in a cute little cottage called the Black Horse cottage which was kissed on either sides by similar looking cottages and an old fashioned pub with a very British bartender. The cottage was immaculate with care taken to every small detailing of the house . We fell in love with the warmth of the cottage and more importantly the warmth of the fireplace. Cosy and warm we spent the night with loads of laughter, loads of food and music to feed the soul ( CCHHHHHOH!!! inclusive ) The evening menu consisted of a Polish easter delicacy called Zurek .goo.gl/maps/BZXRdQhjuEp

The next morning welcomed us to the ever windy and unpredictable weather of UK . Being Easter we were left with no better option than to chomp on scrumptuous poached eggs and sausages and headed to the city of Skipton. As we walked our way to the train station in Settle we realised there was everything beautiful about the countryside. The well kept houses, the Victorian architecture, the wild Daffodils that colour up the landscape and the beautiful railway station . The station was a tourist attraction in itself. Coloured in white and red and kissed with beautiful flowers of sweet peas and Daffodils this spot became our favorite picture spot.

We reached the beautiful town of Skipton and hungry as ever we gorged on fish and chips at Bizzie Lizzie’s . We then made our way to the Skipton Castle which is considered to be the most well kept castle in England. The castle premises was like a time travel to the time of the tudor dynasty. The yew treat planted by Lady Anne Clifford lay testimony to the lives led and the lives shed. Lady Anne Clifford was considered as one of the strongest woman of her times who rebelled all social norms and nobility to win back the castle. Her soul rests in peace in Appleby and simply lit up my unrest soul . The day ended with endless moments that took our breath away with the architecture that transported us to the medieval era.

They say that the good times fly by and we hold back to the bad times, so was our trip. This was the last leg of our trip. We headed by car towards the town of Ingelton. Our hungry tummies led us to one of the most awarded bakeries in the region called the Season’s bakery. The bakery had boasted its multiple loafs f breads and the die for fluffy doughnuts and chocolate eclairs. If given a chance I would simply tent outside Season’s bakery.

It was time to unload the carbs and off we were into White scar caves with the beautiful pennines making a poster perfect backdrop. I am someone who hates the crowd and all touristy stuff that comes with major attractions. I went back to my 9th Geography classes of stalactites and stalagmite formations. As the not so bad cave tour ended we were on a caving spree which took us to the Ingelbourough caves. A 1.5 mile walk took us to this awe inspiring cave that stood testimony to the evolutionary changes that mother Earth has been through. There was an undaunting sense of mystery that lay billions of years ago. The fossils that lay as life swept out of existence reinforced the fact that change is permanent. All the squatting while caving got our appetites raving as we landed in the medieval Maypole Inn . We feasted on typical English roast lunches and washed our food with some ciders and Ales and alas it was time to head to Liverpool

This is gonna be one of my many blogs to follow on the English countryside . I would love my fellow bloggers to give me travel ideas through the English countryside.

PS Check out the pic blog @lemoschrissy.wordpress.com/…/yorkshire-diary-a-weekend-through-pictures