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Showing posts from June, 2024

Dementia: problem, risks, effects, and management

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I had met my classmate around 4 months back and informed her also about my mom's death. But in a recent email, she wrote to me that I had met her a couple of years back. She also enquired about my mom. Seeing her email, the first thought that came to my mind was: is she suffering from early dementia. I hope not. Maybe, she just forgot about the time that I had met her a few months back. Maybe because it was a hurried and surprise visit.  Nonetheless, dementia is on the rise. It affects people after 60 years of age. The increased life expectancy means that one will see more of such cases in the near future.  India has around 10 million dementia cases out of the world total of 57 million. This is a huge percentage. It affects not only an individual but the whole family. There is this individual who is physically okay but mentally absent. The person needs custodial care and it could turn out to be expensive. It is also emotionally disturbing to see your loved one in that state of...

Swimming pools and seas are not for me!!!

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I love swimming but I think swimming is not for me. Everytime I have waded into water, I have landed with some serious illnesses.  Hepatitis A I was small and in school when my father decided to take me swimming along with him. He was good in swimming and diving. I accompanied him for a few weeks. But I developed fever, yellowish discoloration of urine and yellow sclera. I was diagnosed with hepatitis A.  An analysis of the possible causes was done. I used to never eat or drink outside. My parents were very strict on it. For school, I used to carry boiled and filtered water from home in a plastic water bottle. I used to have home cooked food at school lunch time: bread butter, bread milkmaid, bread jam or rice with curd. Then from where did I contract the bad virus? Further investigations pinpointed to the swimming pool as the likely cause of my illness. I recovered slowly with my parents' love, care and nutritious diet. But my return to the swimming pool was halted. Dad too s...