This too shall pass

I have been off-line for several weeks now and this is purely due to health reasons. Couple of weeks ago, I was back in Los Angeles for a 10-day visit to the US. On Day 2, I felt an acute pain in the left lower abdomen. The pain was so severe that I had to contact a very good friend of ours who is a doctor. I was quickly diagnosed with a kidney stone and before I could say "Rock", I found myself on a bed in an Emergency Room with an IV in my arm. After a CAT Scan and blood test, I was prescribed strong pain medication along with antibiotics. On Day 3, I was a plane headed back to Bangalore.

I landed on early morning Friday after a very long and uncomfortable (due to the pain) plane ride. The pain was still fairly strong but I thought the pain killers would do the trick. I even headed to the office for a meeting. But then the pain increased so much that I had to turn right back and head home. If you have ever suffered from a kidney stone, my deepest sympathies are with you. If you have not, you are lucky and please drink 3 liters of water each day!

I was back in the Emergency Room (this time in Bangalore)! I finally passed the stone and life has since been limping back to normalcy. An ultra-sound test has shown that there are 2 or 3 more in my kidney and I have been prescribed a treatment called litho-tripsy by the urologist. And friends and family have been very kind and checking on my health and prescribing a host of treatment options ranging from homeopathy, yoga and ayurvedic massages to beer, stem of the banana plant and a host of other remedies. I am determined to try ALL of them!

Thank you all for your support during this time. And most of all, thanks to my lovely wife, Mona, without whose constant help and strong support, this would not have passed!