Mar adentro*

A conversation with Tommy reminded me of this movie that I had seen many months ago. I must say that it was one of the best movies I have seen so far. Its based on a very controversial true story of a young man who injures himself while diving into the sea and is paralysed neck down. He then fights with the law to end his life with dignity. Deserves 8.5/10. Highly recommended.



* Translates to 'The Sea Inside'

Asta la Vista

Wonder how BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) on the next release of windows (Windows Vista) looks like?

Ants eat away woman's eye in hospital

REUTERS Says:

KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - A woman receiving treatment for diabetes at a state-run hospital in eastern India lost one of her eyes after ants nibbled away at it, officials said on Tuesday.

The patient recovering from a post-surgery infection shrieked for help as the ants attacked her on Sunday night, but nurses told her it was normal to feel pain from the infection.

On Monday, the patient's family saw a gaping hole with swarming ants in it when they lifted the bandage on her left eye.

Authorities of the Sambhunath Hospital in Kolkata said they were probing the incident.

"It's not uncommon for ants to attack diabetic patients. We have set up a committee to investigate the unfortunate incident," hospital superintendent A. Adhikary said.

Scampering rats and stray cats and dogs sharing bed space with patients are not uncommon sights at India's overcrowded state-run hospitals that are used by millions of poor and middle-class people.

I am speechless...or have I not been in touch with reality? Did I hear someone asking why India is still called a "developing nation"?

Cricket crazy India - The 'Chappel' effect

'Chappel' has more or less the same pronunciation as a word in kannada, which means Slippers.

Heartwrenching

On the other side of our border:

This earthquake has changed my life. I had three sisters and two brothers but now I am left with two sisters and no brother.

On October 8 I was at my office in Karachi when my mother called me and said a very strong earthquake had hit Islamabad, northern Pakistan and Kashmir.

That evening, we went to Islamabad and straight to Margala Towers to look for my sister. It was complete mayhem. We were told that our best hope was to contact the local hospitals.

Margala Towers
Our worst nightmare came true in the hospital mortuary. My mother and I spotted my sister's locket around the neck of a dead woman. Her face was disfigured beyond recognition.

When my sister's body was unearthed from the debris, a young child was found holding on to her. This was my 11-month-old nephew who also died but, unlike his mother, his face was unhurt. We recognised him immediately.

By then we had heard nothing from my brother who had gone to Balakot. I rushed there myself.

For the second time in 24 hours, my worst nightmare became a reality. A young man had rescued two bodies from a destroyed car.

My brother had died.

Return to Kashmir
I returned to Kashmir with a relief team.

What I have learned is that my personal loss and grief is nothing to what these people are going through.

My personal loss and grief is nothing to what these people are going through
In the small hours of 23 October we reached Naran. We saw people taking refuge in makeshift tents. Dozens of people were so badly injured that it would have been criminal not to stay and give them treatment.

In Jhelum Valley things were really bad. The doctors in our team told us that at least 17 children needed immediate treatment. But how could we take 17 kids back to Muzaffarabad? We had only just arrived on mules after hours of a very arduous journey.

Mahrukh and her 'lala'
In the group, there was a young girl called Mahrukh. Her father, mother and sister died. She was left with her brother, whom she lovingly referred to as "my lala" (my dear brother).

Children in Muzaffarabad
Her lala was running a very high fever so we decided to take him and 16 other children back with us to Muzaffarabad on the mules. When she saw that we were taking him with us, Mahrukh said to me, "Adnan, this is all I have, please make sure my lala gets well".

The journey was tiring and it rained. Children were getting sicker. Our doctors said they needed to be hospitalised.

But there is a huge gap between what we want and what we have.

The one thing we did not have any control over turned out to be the lives of the children we had taken with us. Seven died either on the way or after reaching the medical camp in Muzaffarabad.

Mahrukh's lala was among those who did not survive.

I was really depressed, I didn't know how I could face Marukh. I failed to save what she said was the only thing she had.

We came here to save lives but we've ended up giving back dead bodies to people who had little anyway.

Unbearable cold
People from all over the world have contacted me after reading my diary and they have been asking me how to help. I tell them only one thing: get here as soon as you can because the clock of death in this region is clicking fast.

This is everyone's moment to save humanity.

It's getting unbearably cold here in tents in Muzaffarabad. We don't have enough warm clothes for the team.

We came here to save lives but we've ended up giving back dead bodies

Mahrukh, whom I had started calling Farhana (the name of my sister who died in Islamabad), developed a very high temperature.

I received an urgent call from a doctor on our team who said Mahrukh's condition was deteriorating fast. We rushed to the hospital.

But now, Mahrukh, that beautiful young girl, is not with us.

Another life is no longer.

How would we feel if this had happened to us? If these people were part of our family?

Its high time we do something. Its time to at least donate...

Care.org
Oxfam
Relief International

source: BBC report