Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Our Teachers
We learned the finer art of tending to the sick under the healing hands of such eminent teachers as Professors O.E.R. Abhayaratne, A.C.E. Koch, M.J. Waas, A.A. Hoover, S.R. Kottegoda, G.H. Cooray, H.V.J. Fernando, A.D. Chapman, A.S. Dissanaike, K. Rajasuriya, D.A. Ranasinghe, Milroy Paul, R.A. Navaratne, C.C. de Silva, Priyani Soysa ably assisted by N.D.W. Lionel, Valentine Basnayake, Carlo Fonseka, Lester Jayawardene, Sobitha Pandithratne, Daphne Attygalle, Mrs. Yoganathan, W.J. Gomes, Nandadasa Kodagoda, Earle de Fonseka, A. Sinnethamby, T. Visvanathan, M.C. Karunairatnam and Oliver Peiris. We “clerked” under the giant clinicians of the day such as P.R. Anthonis, L.D.C. Austin, D.F.de S. Gunawardene, C.J.L. Misso, N.A.J. Niles, K.G. Jayasekara, Noel Bartholomeuz, E.C.J. Rustomjee, D.J. Attygalle, R.P. Jayewardene, W.Wijenaike, Oliver Medonza, R.S. Thanabalasunderam, Ernie Peiris, Stella de Silva, Stanley de Silva, Hamza, Hunt, E.H. Mirando, P.R. Walpita, G.N. Perera, the two Rasanayagams (ENT “Rasa” and Orthopaedic “Rasa”), Arulpragasam, Francis Silva, Rienzie Peiris, Deva Adithya, Sri Skandarajah, Thamber, Pararajasegaram, Sivasubramaniam, Lloyd Weerakoon, Lucas, Ponnambalam, Shelton Cabraal, Darrel Weinman, George Ratnavale, Willie Ratnavale, J.R. Wilson, and so on. Only a handful of them are living today. But their dedication to teaching and memories of all the long hours they spent with medical students and patients in the wards will always be remembered.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Familiar Sights - 1
This is the Kynsey Road entrance to the General Hospital, Colombo (now known as the National Hospital of Sri Lanka).
During our medical student days, there was a middle-aged woman dressed in saree who was peddling multi-coloured medicinal oils in tiny bottles near the hospital gate. Just before visiting hours, she had a captive audience of patients' visitors and she waxed eloquent about the healing powers of the oils (kokatath thailaya). During the freshers' rag of June 1962, I was ordered by our honourable seniors to buy a tea bun from the milk booth near the clock tower, stuff it in my mouth (with half of it jutting out) and stand beside the woman with my hands behind my back. It must have been some sight to see a young man dressed in a white satin drill suit, wearing one tennis shoe and one black shoe with not only a shoeflower in the coat buttonhole, but also a brinjal round the neck, standing side by side with the woman while she was doing her sales talk. When the saleswoman chased me away uttering some choice words after tolerating me for some time, I was quite relieved!
During our medical student days, there was a middle-aged woman dressed in saree who was peddling multi-coloured medicinal oils in tiny bottles near the hospital gate. Just before visiting hours, she had a captive audience of patients' visitors and she waxed eloquent about the healing powers of the oils (kokatath thailaya). During the freshers' rag of June 1962, I was ordered by our honourable seniors to buy a tea bun from the milk booth near the clock tower, stuff it in my mouth (with half of it jutting out) and stand beside the woman with my hands behind my back. It must have been some sight to see a young man dressed in a white satin drill suit, wearing one tennis shoe and one black shoe with not only a shoeflower in the coat buttonhole, but also a brinjal round the neck, standing side by side with the woman while she was doing her sales talk. When the saleswoman chased me away uttering some choice words after tolerating me for some time, I was quite relieved!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
In Memoriam
We came to know each other almost half a century ago. Since then, thirteen of our dear friends have departed this world. On the eve of our 50th Anniversary, let us pay homage to them with bowed heads.
Remembering:
1. S.R. de Silva (Sunna)
2. A.R.K. Paul (Russel)
3. Ms. M.D.F. de Silva Paul (Dawne)
4. R.A.D.W. Bernard (Bernard Randeniya)
5. N. Chandrasiri (Chandre)
6. V. Ganeson (Ganesh)
7. L.G.D.K. Herath (Irwin)
8. V.Kunasingham (Kunam)
9. B.L. Perera (BL)
10. B. Somasunderam (Bobby)
11. K. Sunderampillai (Pillai)
12. D.E.T. Wickramarachchi (Tudor)
13. K.N. Wimalaratne (Kiththa)
Remembering:
1. S.R. de Silva (Sunna)
2. A.R.K. Paul (Russel)
3. Ms. M.D.F. de Silva Paul (Dawne)
4. R.A.D.W. Bernard (Bernard Randeniya)
5. N. Chandrasiri (Chandre)
6. V. Ganeson (Ganesh)
7. L.G.D.K. Herath (Irwin)
8. V.Kunasingham (Kunam)
9. B.L. Perera (BL)
10. B. Somasunderam (Bobby)
11. K. Sunderampillai (Pillai)
12. D.E.T. Wickramarachchi (Tudor)
13. K.N. Wimalaratne (Kiththa)
Planning for the 50th Anniversary
Hello Everyone!
As we start planning for our 50th Anniversary of entering medical school, I have taken the first steps in developing a simple blog for easier communication. Anyone can post whatever he or she wants that might be of interest to batch colleagues (that includes news, pictures, e-mail messages, announcements etc.). I am sending this message out to a few (who I think spend some time at the computer each day) in a separate e-mail for the purpose of getting initial feedback. Please feel free to send in your comments to: batch1962@gmail.com or direct to my personal e-mail address: luckyabey@gmail.com. We can improve on it as we go on and gather momentum.
Lakshman Abeyagunawardene (Lucky)
As we start planning for our 50th Anniversary of entering medical school, I have taken the first steps in developing a simple blog for easier communication. Anyone can post whatever he or she wants that might be of interest to batch colleagues (that includes news, pictures, e-mail messages, announcements etc.). I am sending this message out to a few (who I think spend some time at the computer each day) in a separate e-mail for the purpose of getting initial feedback. Please feel free to send in your comments to: batch1962@gmail.com or direct to my personal e-mail address: luckyabey@gmail.com. We can improve on it as we go on and gather momentum.
Lakshman Abeyagunawardene (Lucky)
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