Ram Gawande's Blog

Sad News

ramgawande — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 02:41:50 +0000

It is with great sadness that we write to let you know that Dr. Atmaram Gawande passed away peacefully, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, at 6:10 p.m. EST, at the age of 76, from complications of cancer. The son of Sitaram and Gopikabai Gawande, he was born and raised in the small village of Uti in the Indian state of Maharashtra in a family of seven brothers and five sisters. He graduated from Nagpur Medical College in 1962 and came to New York City for his training in general surgery. There he met and married his wife, Dr. Sushila Gawande, and started a family. He obtained his specialty training in urology at Martland Medical Hospital in Newark, New Jersey. He and his family settled in Athens, Ohio, in 1973, where he became a widely respected urologist at O’Bleness Memorial Hospital and prominent local leader and philanthropist. He has served as hospital chief of staff, president of the Athens County Medical Society, and doctor to more than 25,000 patients in the community. He was a devoted Rotarian, serving as local president and, after his retirement from surgery in 2009, as district governor, and led numerous humanitarian projects both locally and abroad. He loved the generosity, lifelong friendship, creativity, and vibrancy of the people of Athens. He also committed a major portion of his life and resources to developing the education and economy of the region in India where he had grown up. He was especially proud of his role in developing GSG College, Umarkhed, Maharasthra, a rural college that now provides an advanced education to 2,000 students a year in a region that had no college. He is survived by his wife, Sushila of Athens; two children, Atul of Newton, Mass., and Meeta of Jersey City, N.J.; and three grandchildren, Walker, Hattie and Hunter Gawande. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Aug. 20 at the Margaret Walter Hall Rotunda, South Green Drive, Ohio University, Athens. Arrangements are with Jagers & Sons Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations should go to the Athens Rotary Foundation — Gawande Scholarship fund, which provides tuition assistance for Hocking College and Ohio University students. Address: P.O. Box 681, Athens, OH 45701. Please share a memory, a note of condolence, or sign the online register book at www.jagersfuneralhome.com, or by sending a message to sumeetag@aol.com.

Happy New year

ramgawande — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 21:50:54 +0000

Dear friends

It is now 10 weeks post radiation. I am gaining stength every day.

We had a wondeful Thanksgiving as my children and grand children and also my brother Tukaram his wife Sunanda were with us. In addition his son Ashish and daughter Vidhya joined us with their 3 children each, So we 19 relatives with 9 children. Gala of loving people.

Well I must tell you about my dear friend Sheila Mark who has been coming every day to support me. Well she is a physical therapist so she is giving me myofascial realese treatments for my back.. I don’t know what I would have donee without her. She is an Angel sent for me.

Well we both have been working on several projects together on books. We compleated our book on my District conference. It is compendum of every thing that went on for a whole year. It is amazing thing and took us 2 months to put it together. You have to see it to believe it.

Another miracle is I forgot about my back pain and hand pain as we were engrossed in making a book. Sheila is grest with computer work that is a blessing.

We also worked on the book on water project that I did in 1992. We put text and all related story.. It brought back many sweet memories. The book is abosolutely great .

I have accomplished a lot with my friend Sheila.

Well to recuperate from my illness I needed to treat my body and my mind and my spirit.

My wife Sushi My friend Sheila and all of you are with me. I am not alone. That is a powerful healing factor.

Happy Thanksgiving

ramgawande — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 02:17:51 +0000

Dear Friends,

I especially want to thank you for being with me all this year. Your love, affection and support made me stronger, and I felt never alone as I was surrounded by you.

This 2010 Thanksgiving has a special meaning to me as I see the gift of life & appreciation of life in a very unique way. I had taken many things for granted. The simple things life gives are magnificent.

Now I have learned to be thankful for every little thing that life is giving.
I am having my children, grandchildren, my brother and his children and grandchildren visiting. 17 of us will be sitting, eating and just having a good time. I am thankful for all the gifts of life.

Thanks for being part of my life.

Ram & Sushi

Four Weeks Post Radiation

ramgawande — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 21:00:23 +0000

It is now 4 weeks after the end of radiation. I am pleased to let you know that I am feeling better and gaining weight. Only problem is no taste of food yet. I think I will get the normal taste of food in a week or so. Thanks for your support, good wishes and prayers. I am blessed. Love, Ram

Ringing the Bell

ramgawande — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:52:32 +0000

Today is a special day as I finish my last treatment. It was a long ordeal of 6 weeks away from home. I sustained only because of my wife’s loving care, my visit to my grandchildren, Atul, Meeta & Katheline. I watched the US open tennis with Atul. Hunter beat me at Connect 4 and I accepted that gracefully. Katheline fed us well.

My friend PDG AC Moncrief cheered me all the time and connected with my classmates. My family from India & brother Tukarm from Texas called all the time. Athens friends were extra nice to give transportation, food & love. You all were very dear to me as you kept me in your thoughts. This is what sustained me.

So I stand to ring the bell with my wife & friendly radiation team.
One journey has ended, another begins.
I ring the bell for treatments ended.
I ring the bell for wounds mended.
Thanks for listening to my story,
Now I proclaim !!!
I celebrate life by ringing this Bell.

Six treatments to go!

ramgawande — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 17:29:48 +0000

Dear friends Sorry I had been under the weather fir last week. The good news is now only 6 treatments to go. Last day is Oct 12 This is my day of celebration.

September 29, 2010

ramgawande — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:27:26 +0000

Dear friends:
I must admit that laziness is creeping on me; I am sorry for that. I tell my self that I will do it later and that does not happen.

Anyway, my last week was a little lazy, low energy, low appetite, but that is what is expected – no reason to feel low. I saw my oncologist and he is pleased with my progress . That is an encouraging, positive thing.

I am pushing my self to do better to eat, walk brisk and that is what I am doing & that is helping.
Now only 10 treatments are remaining & I am looking optimistically to end this ordeal. My left hand function is better, the pain is less, and that is making me happy.
You all are cheering me to get over the hurdle .
Thanks to my dear family and friends
My love and kisses.
R
U

Third weekof treatment

ramgawande — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 23:29:34 +0000

Last week Sept 13 to 17 was uneventful as I tolerated the treatment well but then I returned to Athens on Sept 17. Dr Ashok Gupta drove us to Athens in great care and comfort. So blessed to have friends who treat us like family. Very touching experience. At end of the day I was exhausted, weak, headache. All I could do was sleep, not a good feeling. Saturday was worst as I was wobbly & dopey. So I talked to my oncologist who put me on 4 mgs of prednisone that was a miracle. Sunday was a new day & feeling normal, which was so meaningful & meant so much to me. I enjoyed my home flowers, clearing the mail, talking to my dear friends & was perfect day. Watched Indian movie that I had not done for a while. Monday was another such day. Yet drove us to Vienna, WV. Our dear friend Usha Vasan a very dear soul – She drove us to Cleveland in Lexus in comfort. We reached 3PM. Usha drove back alone. What a friend. We are blessed with great friends. Yesterday was my 12th treatment. It went well. Thank you my friends for your love and affection. I cannot thank enough my wife and children for treating me like a baby.

Love, Ram

Radiation with Birthday & Visit to Grandkids

ramgawande — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 13:44:51 +0000

Dear Friends and Family:

I felt much better after my rest in Athens over a long Labor Day weekend. Our friends, Rajan & Manju Koshal, were very gracious to take us to Cleveland, entertain us, and give us moral support that day. They stayed with us for the treatment with their smiles. That evening they returned home very late after settling us. I had a treatment on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning. My treatments were well-tolerated. It looks like I am gradually getting better with my nausea and energy. I visited the palliative treatment team of physicians who prescribed medications to overcome my loss of appetite and nausea. That seems to be working slowly. My treatment on Friday was 6:30 in the morning. I rested some time, and then flew to Boston that afternoon to be with my grandchildren and children. My flight was nice, and I did not have problem with nausea. As soon as we landed in Boston, I had a message from Atul that he is at the airport to pick us up, as he had flown from Washington that day. Meeta joined us that same evening at Atul’s home, and we had a family reunion. I spent my weekend with my grandchildren and children. This has definitely helped me in my mood, energy and appetite.

By the way, my birthday celebration started on Thursday and went on until suddenly as I received calls and emails from friends and family all over and from India. It was interesting I had forgotten my birthday, as I had to rush to go to radiation treatment 6:30 in the morning. The radiation technologist asked my birthday, and then he said, “Oh! This is your birthday! Happy Birthday!” But this birthday did not have the same zip I usually have. But overall I think I had a wonderful birthday(s) for the last few days.

Thank you for your prayers and support. It is making me stronger every day.

Love,

Ram

Radiation treatment begins

ramgawande — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:32:46 +0000

Dear Friends,

Now my new adventure has begun. I was reluctant to travel this path but now I have no choice as I need some relief from my symptoms of heavy tingling in my left hand that is painful as the day progresses and it is getting worse day by day. So I wanted to embark on this treatment as soon as possible.

My first visit to the radiation oncologist was last Friday August 27, when I talked to my radiation oncologist and had my measurements for my mask. This was an early morning trip so we had to start at 4AM from Athens to reach Cleveland by 8 AM. We lucked out to get a young OU student Eusing and his girl friend to drive us in the wee hours and bring us back.

My first radiation treatment was today, Sept 2, at 4PM. Eusing and Kelly took us. Nurse Mary was nice to me and gentle as this was my first time entry to radiation unit. It was little intimidating as it was a big machine and I was to lie flat on the hard metal bed with thin cushion, and no support for my neck except some hard board. I had hard time laying as I was having neck pain already. Then she snapped a mask on my face and neck so tight that i felt smothered. I shouted I can’t breath. They calmed me down and wiggled my mask to make me little comfortable. The worst part was the tight mask on my neck and hard time to swallow.
Treatment lasted 35 minutes and that evening felt tightness and swelling in the neck. I iced it down.

Next day, Friday Sept 3, treatment went smoothly. The mask had to be tight on my face and neck so the radiation beam is directed precisely on my neck tumor. Then we rushed back to Athens, a 4 hour trip. This was hard on me. I was exhausted and run down.

This effect lasted till Sunday. Sunday I felt better. My energy level better. My friend gave me hand reflexology that also helped .
I stopped all my medications now like Neurontin and Skelaxan. That also helped. Today is Monday, Sept 6, and I am feeling almost back to myself and had good breakfast.

Now we are getting ready to go back to Cleveland on Tuesday, Sept 7. Our friend Rajan and Manju Koshal are going to drive us. That should be fine.

I am little preoccupied with my problems and said nothing about the stress my wife Sushi is going through. She has been an Angel and she has been almost catering to all my needs. That bothers me a lot as I hate to do that but I am glad she is there. I do not know what I would be without her.

As I am getting older I am appreciating her more and more.
My children are much appreciated and loved, too.

Well friends I appreciate your support equally that is sustaining me.

Thanks
Ram