reluctant florence nightingale

Phew, so after the depressing year, here's some stuff thats happening, which should be depressing, but is quite funny in a frustrating kind of way. So I come back to Mumbai from Singapore, content with the progress made there, waiting for some official papers, and hoping to travel to exotic places in des, before I venture back to the working jungle after my long hiatus. 

And I have some deep muscle pain, which means I have some exhausting even if indulgent ayurvedic treatment, ( full on massage, muscle manipulation, acupressure, acupuncture), the entire works everyday for a week, 4 hours a day.  During such time I polished my Marathi skills, smelled of oil all the time, and almost slept on a blanket of needles inserted fashionably in my shoulders.

2 days later, I hear my cousin who studies in Matunga is coming down with TB, so I travel with him to Bombay hospital, and spend almost 2-3 days playing nurse, marathi liaison, doctor liasion, pharmacist liaison and financier. The duties included traveling to and fro from Goregaon to Churchgate in the second class ladies compartment where, I actually reaped more benefits of a full body massage than I could at any ayurvedic centre. 

Then I needed lenses, so I took my Mom along, and she apparently has cataract and glaucoma, which of course needed to be operated on urgently. Needless to say she heard several unkind things from me for the next 4 days for her lackadaisical attitude, while shuffling her back and forth to various eye surgeons. Finally one of her eye underwent surgery, and she suddenly became very conscientious of her health and was all 'I cannot move incase my eye explodes'. My father quickly disappeared, since he had some important business way in the North East ( in case we wished him back quickly ). 

Meanwhile, in the neighborhood, my bhabhi (sister in law) developed a mysterious ailment which several blood tests and xrays later remained undetectable, so much so that I was tempted to call House, and entice him with the case. And her husband, sweet brother of mine disappeared for some, yes you guessed it, important business again to the North. During which time the mysterious ailment all but bed rid her, which meant more strange and very expensive tests, and a sudden increase in demand for my nursing and (ahem!) cooking capabilities. 

Oh and I heard today, my cousin in Dahisar and her mom are down with viral fever. I am opening a home clinic, and have invited them over. First class treatment from a nocturnal, lamp bearing, sleep deprived nurse awaits them. I see sick people.