Reached home quite late after an active day at work. Scrapped the ‘New year party’ plan and decided to crash after a quick dinner. A perfunctory check of my e-mail throws about twenty ‘greeting’ mails. I invariably tend to shift+delete such e-mails as I prefer talking over the phone to e-mails/SMS/IM. But one particular mail from my sister just swept me off my feet..- ‘may this new year bring you closer and closer to everything you want to do…‘ These simple words are something that have stood by me all through. Miles away, she’s someone who’s been such a wonderful source of motivation for each and everything I do – day in and day out and I couldn’t see any better way of thanking her than warding off my sleep to take snapshot of the amazing year 0f 2009!
Couple of weeks back when I received an e-mail from Vibha from the GHAC group regarding a basic first aid certification course, I immediately RSVP’d as YES. This was not something I would miss at any cost. Having miraculously walked out unscathed through two major accidents, it was a lesson learnt the hard way to be equipped with at least minimal knowledge of first-aid. My futile attempts to try out CPR on a badly injured neighbour whom I was pillion riding with 9 years back and the Oil tanker incident four years back where I was equally helpless flashed out of memory as the detailed practical session commenced.Though I could not attend the whole two day program due to personal commitments, it was indeed one of the most fruitful programs / meets I’ve attended of late.
Unfortunately, here in India, most of us take things only on the frontal perspective. You do not learn or do something unless it is mandated and the pivotal source of information is available only to those who choose to delve in. Its an irony that even preliminary information is not dissipated to the masses and even if it is, it is done in the most rudimentary form that effectively does not make sense. Basic first aid sessions is something I guess every individual should be introduced to, irrespective of age. To be able to sustain a weaning life and if required, be responsible to keep the flame burning is a chance that we always hope does not cross our paths. But given todays’ fast paced life and highly inorganic growth in the cities, chances are pretty remote that you would see a day pass by without hearing an Ambulance hooting out there on the roads.
Given the fact that I’m much more active outdoors than indoors [I sometimes wonder how I even ended being a Software Engineer!], I’ve decided to update this post as and when I come across relevant information catering to first aid. That said, there’s absolutely no substitute to practical demonstration. So do attend a certification course whenever possible!
- In case of any eventuality perform DR. ABC – Look out for Danger, Check for Response, Check for Airway clearance, Check for Breathing, Check for Circulation
- Look out for Danger – [Electrical live wires, Wild animals etc. - Keep yourself safe and then only attempt rescue]
- Check for Response – Do NOT tap on the cheeks. Do NOT shake the body vigorously. Try vocal stimuli [call the patients name] and speak into his/her ears if required, shake the shoulders gently.
- Check for Airway clearance – In most of the cases, airway could be blocked by the tongue. Gently shift the face to either left or right and maintain in that position for about 15seconds.
- Check for Breathing – Raise the chin gently and sense if the person is breathing.
- Check for Circulation – With the first two fingers check for the Carotid pulse. [ Check adjacent to the adams apple].
- Pictographic representation of CPR [Source: http://southjerseycpr.com/]
- While shifting the patient to the hospital in case of non-availability of ambulance, make it a point to keep the persons head tilted to the left or right.
- If patient shows signs of life and you’re waiting for an ambulance, get the patient to posture 6.
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I’m out here seated in the balcony of my house with the lappy streaming out Yanni’s ‘Keys to imagination’. It’s not yet December, yet the chill is in the air already. Been a while that I visited my own blog so decided to keep things at bay and record things happening in my life.
Work’s been a bit demanding of late. Not really hectic but these late night client calls with atypical and unrelenting requests all in a short time span is sort of draining. I’m just hoping against hope that the next three days slice through comfortably.
There’s a lot that’s been happening otherwise too. A lot of decision making and much of selective time distribution for various activities.
Last weekend, thanks to the GHAC folks, I got to attend a very informative first aid certification course. Had some real good hands-on on performing CPR and understood in practical terms the imminent first aid doctrines in case of accidents or personal injury. Also got to meet couple of real cool folks! Sadly I could not join them the second day as I had to attend a family function.
This weekend would be one very important checkpoint in my career and I would prefer to keep it obscure till things materialize. If all goes well, I’ll be riding over to the Begumpet airport to catch up with the HBC folks for a conglomeration ride. Hell, I’m still riding if things don’t work the way I want it to. Badly need a long relaxing ride to let things sink in.
The weekend after this, I’d be running my first half marathon! Eagerly looking forward to this Nov 22nd. I’ve been training decently well [if not religiously!] for a month now and all I’m looking forward to is to complete the marathon without any major setbacks.
And then on December 13th, we at Aashayein foundation are organizing a walkathon – Walk On ’09. All proceeds from this event would be routed to the child education activities that the foundation has been diligently working towards for the past few years. This being the first time that we’re pulling up a show of this magnitude, there’s been a flurry of activity happening in the team. Everyone’s fingers are crossed and hope and excitement is high in the air.
Late this year during Christmas, I plan to head to the Pench tiger reserve for a Junglethlon. Activities would include Jungle mountain Biking, River bed running, rock climbing, rappelling, jungle navigation and survival! I’d initially planned to do a long ride in the western ghats in Kerala or around Araku but later decided to hold up these plans and head for the Junglethlon. The very thought gets the adrenalin spiking up and this seems to be quite a promising way to end the year.
Time to crash and rise to yet another day. And oh yes, avoid the run for the bus early in the morning tomorrow!
The last one month has been real crazy with a sudden upsurge in activity. Every other day a fresh thought pops up to do things in a different manner. The list of To-Do just gets bigger and bigger. Just thought I’d document them on a regular basis to keep the pulse on.
The Book – Been working on compiling a book of my treks/travels. This is turning out to be one mega affair. Quite complicated and time consuming. Seriously getting a book out is NO joke!
AUPS – Been regularly visiting the Arundati Upper Primary school every Saturday to take English classes for grade 6 kids. Man, these kids really need mighty help. Their standards are so damn low! Makes me wonder at times how effective these two hours a week is really going to be. But it has to go on!
HydVentura – But for a couple of us there aren’t many interested in taking up the reins. People just want to have everything organised for them! Of late, the club has become quite popular. In fact I’ve been getting calls from quite a few folks requesting outings to be arranged for their groups. Somehow need to find means to make the club less dependent on just a couple of people.
Site maintenance – Currently administering three portals – The HydVentura site, My own site and Dad’s blog. At times it becomes a real pain to keep a tab on them. So far so good though.
GMAT – One of the few important decisions taken. This seems to be one major thing that’s tightening the ropes. Morning rides during weekends are sacrificed for the classes and The Official guide has now replaced the novels / books which I otherwise used to read during the 1hr commute to work during weekdays.
Work – Things seem to have caught up pretty fast. Right from a rise in the number of requests to client calls received at home. Last months been one hectic patch.
Riding – This had taken a backseat thanks to the Chestburn. Back to form now though. The next big ride is chalked out this weekend – The 62km Freedom ride. About 175 riders in the city would be riding togetherfor a cause. Eagerly looking forward to it!
Reading – Completed Into thin Air and Himalaya . Two must read books for any travel enthusiast! Currently reading Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. Plan to read Three men in a Boat next!
21:00hrs. The much anticipated friday evening is right here. The screeching bus and incessant traffic honks for the past two hours or so aid in a poignant continuation to the so called semi-annual meet at work. My weary mind slowly starts easing out as I get down from the bus and walk back home from Habsiguda cross-roads. As I enter the colony, a waft of breeze somehow seems to carry away all issues with it and slowly the ambience sinks in.
Looks like there’s been a decent shower in this part of the city and as is characteristic, there seems to be no power. The colony surprisingly seems to be pretty silent. The central garden which otherwise is paraded by health conscious people and of late couples, seems to have no visitors today. There’s not a soul on the road. No kids wailing, no dogs barking. All of a sudden, it all looks as if I’m the only one living in this society. The roads seem to be much wider and all that illuminates it is the moonlight making its way down here through dense clouds. A gentle drizzle starts and as Henley’s ‘Hotel California’ from my music player echoes down my ear canal, I somehow feel the drizzle giving lfe to the stoic road. It’s like I’ve found company for my walk back home.
For some weird reason, my thought process catapults me back to this realization. This is probably the second shower that we’ve had since the monsoon has supposedly begun. The Met center forecasts a below normal rainfall this year and in ways relating this to what the people in Jibhi had mentioned about the lack of snowfall for the past two years, somehow brings out a chill down my spine. I desperately seek to ward this thought off but the truth still remains. It’s all just a game of Dave. Knowingly or unknowingly we’re jumping from one foothold to another in search of the unknown or in the quest for that final destination; quite obliviously disregarding what we’re leaving behind. The real question is how much fuel would be left, as we pass on the torch of life to the forthcoming generations.
When I was a kid, I had a fancy for bikes and cars. I in fact dreamed of becoming a cab driver one day! Today I literally feel like showing my third finger to people out here who commute alone even for short distances in their personal vehicle. My friends and relatives, all the more. People, If you think you’re saving time[and money] in commuting on your own vehicle to work and back; believe me you’re no wiser than a 10year old kid. It pains to see so many so called knowledgeable people depleting resources in thin air for nothing at all. The other day, I was going through a very interesting presentation on how road traffic could be starkly reduced if even fifteen percent of the current vehicular population shifts to Public transport. Lesser noise, lesser pollution and quicker transit. What else could you ask for? Damn, I lose a fucking five hours a day in travel! At the end of the day, It’s not the work that tires me. It’s this pollution and noise during the travel that fatigues me out. At times, I wonder why we humans fail to pick the baton and walk the talk when we have the solution right in front of us. It’s just about getting the wheel rolling. Just a minuscule change in the way you do your day to day activities for the good of everyone around you. Who cares?
The power suddenly fires up in the electric wires above me and then in minutes, the colony is back to life. There’s a sudden flurry of activity. Kids suddenly pop from nowhere, A baby starts wailing out of the blue, there’s this Pressure cooker whistling out – all just like a tape being re-winded and suddenly played. And in all this cacophony, someone’s voice just gets subdued.
At times, it pays to listen to the road talking.