Friday, June 30, 2017

Challenges in the life of an committed Indian lady doctor

Contd

Joel  continued to travel in his morris minor to different parts of the country to build on contract. Jaffna townhall is one of his best handiwork. Marble like floors, well architectured layout and rooms, It had a special splendor. At the inauguration he received a Key made in gold as mark of appreciation for his craftsmanship.  The town hall was destroyed by the LTTE in the seventies.
He was a  champion for the caste oppressed and spoke on this issue in many forums. When Mahatma Gandhi visited Jaffna, Joel sat with him on the dias. He wore silk whereas everyone else wore Khadi. When Gandhi asked him why he did that he replied that he is not a hypocrite like others who never wore Khadi on other days.      He contributed to the low caste children being admitted as equals in all schools and colleges.
Petcy read a lot; read whatever magazines she could. She wrote to all the evangelists abroad on regular basis and received their books and read them. She occasionally visited her parents in India. Two of her brothers stayed with her for brief periods of time. Whenever she could she sent home money. Joel supported the education of all his brothers in law.
It was at this time that Petcy felt the burden and neglect by her husband. She went back to India for a holiday and did not want to go back to Jaffna. She got a job in Madurai but the icome was too meager to manage herself and her 5 children. Zeline, Petcy’s friend was her support and comfort. Petcy’s parents helped to look after the children. Petcy struggled on as she hated Joel’s temper and tyranny. She missed not working as a doctor in Jaffna. She was sick of the heavy duties she had to look after the house and the family, the cows goat etc and do all the manual job. But as months went by, she felt she was denying her children the luxury of food clothes and fineries which were available to them in Jaffna.  Finally one day she decided to go back to Jaffna and sent a telegram to Joel. He came and took the entire family back to Jaffna, by flight.
They worshipped in Assembly of God church in Jaffna where Pastor Wardsworth was in Charge. This was a time that Petcy treasured as they were among friends. Sis Reinicker was the Danish Missionary there. The children also were nurtured in religion as well as in social skills in this Sunday School.
Padma, Petcy’s second daughter had rheumatic heart disease and was on regular treatment. There was no surgery available at that time. Gradually her condition worsened. Finally one morning she asked Petcy to pray for her and died in her arms. This was of great sorrow to Petcy. Everyone loved Padma and it took a while to get over the loss.
Wesley went to Jaffna College for his higher studies. Leela was admitted to Uduvil Girls high school. From there Wesley  went to Kandy University for his Bachelors. He then joined Trinity College as the Maths master and was always called the Pious Paul.

Petcy’s sojourn from Jaffna
It was at this time that Joel’s health was failing because of Diabetes and Hypertension. His business was not doing well either.  So Petcy and Joel decided that Petcy should start practicing medicine. This was after about 25 years since Madurai. So they left Tellippalai and migrated to Mattakuliya Colombo where they rented a large house opposite  a mosque. Petcy started  “St Paul’s Dispensary”. She was the nurse, the doctor and the dispenser. The clinic did fairly well. She started a branch in Negombo as well. So there she was back in the profession she trained for, back in the profession she loved and bloomed. She was loved and respected as a person of her own, as a doctor, and did not have to stay in the shadow of her husband. Her children saw her in her new role and were proud. So were her relatives  back in India.
Leela, the elder daughter got married to Kingsley working as an administrative person in a tea estate.They made a handsome couple but Petcy missed her. The income from the clinics was not steady and Petcy looked for a job. She was hired by a private hospital in Kalutara and then Trincomalee Shyamala Hospital. While Joel stayed in Tellippalai and visited Petcy, her children Sam and Daisy stayed with her, attending schools at different places. Those were financially tough times, but Petcy managed to lead the home and support it. Joel gave up his business as he had health problems.
As the medium of instruction in Government schools was changed to vernacular, Daisy was sent to Girls High School Kandy as a boarder. She was always good in studies and managed well. Sam was at Trinity College for a while but went back to Trincomalee. Shyamala Hospital paid little but Petcy regained her obstetric skills and became popular.
Daisy was in Jaffna College and then went to India, to do her pre university level in order to get into medicine. Petcy’s friend Zeline took Daisy under her feathers, and Daisy did very well. When she passed with distinction, Joel had just died of a heart attack. Petcy and Daisy were with him when he died in Trincomalee.

Petcy’s dream come true
Petcy always aspired for one of her children to become a doctor. She used to tell them stories about her student days at CMC Vellore, the experiences in Madurai District as a family doctor, her successes in managing childbirths in dire circumstances. Her daughter Daisy nurtured these in her heart and  despite stiff competition was given admission into CMC Vellore for MBBS course.  Petsy was overjoyed and thanked the Lord  for this blessing. Joel had died just before Daisy Left for the interview. Petcy struggled hard to see Daisy through the medicine course. This was the time when there were no emails or easy phone calls. She wrote to Daisy regularly encouraging her  every step of the way.
It was during this period that the Mission hospitals needed doctors and invited Petcy to join them. There she was- another dream came through, in working once more as a mission hospital doctor. She picked up the latest developments in family practice from her younger colleagues and became confident once  more. Daisy joined her during holidays and was a source of pride for her. Daisy got her scholarship in Vellore and this was a relief , lessening the burden of supporting her financially.
Petcy worked in Mc Leod Hospital, Inuvil and Green Hospital Manipay for many years. Then she was posted in Mission Hospital Paranthan, which was a  clinic with maternity services. She had just 2 nurses to assist her and was on call day and night. Dry area surrounded by forests. Snakes were abundant. They even have jumped on the desk through the window while chasing rats. Unflinchingly she carried on her work in this lonely rural place, far from Jaffna society.  Patients needing further treatment were referred to Kilinochi hospital by hospital van. She had a few friends. One was Boys’ Home run by a CSI Pastor and his family. The Manager of a bank and his wife in Kilinochi. Petcy’s children visited her as often as possible. She was proud when Daisy assisted her in maternity cases.  Petcy’s father JI MAnickavasagam died a few years earlier. He was a well respected teacher and popular for his strictness, helpfulness, fluency in English and for the evangelical work. He was heading a church while working as Head master of a  school in Cumbum. A street  was named after him.  Later on one Of the students whom he helped built a medical college. Manickavasagam’s photo adorned the entrance, and was given a salute every morning. Manickavasagam had visited Sri Lanka on a few occasions. But when he died there was only a helper beside him. Petcy could not go but she mourned for her beloved father.

She wanted to go back to India. She was also  trying to get Daisy married. Daisy wanted to fulfil her mother’s wish and decided to stay back in India. Thus when Daisy got married to a missionary in Orissa, Petcy decided to start her preparations to leave Sri Lanka.
Daisy and her husband Jacob worked in Orissa but faced hardships from the local community and decided to move back to Tamilnadu. In the meantime Petcy’s second son Sam decided to marry a nurse working in Paranthan. Sam’s son Sathiskumar, by his first wife who died came to Petcy’s house for all his holidays from his school Trinity College in Kandy. He was a concern to Petcy – a motherless child who needed affection and care. Petcy finally sold her house in Tellippalai and moved to be with Daisy in Chennai.
Petcy enjoyed the family of Sam while in Jaffna. Sam’s daughter was named after her- Aruliya. She also visited Wesley occasionally.
In the meantime Leela and Kingsley also migrated to India to work with Daisy, their only sister and be of support to her. Petcy  joined Daisy In Chennai and soon after when Daisy started her Postgraduate studies in Community medicine Vellore, she was happy to move in with her. She loved being in Vellore, seeing the patients walking in and out; discussing with Daisy the cases she sees. Her grand daughter Angeline was 2 years old and was pampered by her grandmother. Petcy’s sister Pankajam/ Anchy was living in Katpadi Vellore and visited her often. Her other cousins were also from the same town .These were happy times, giving her once more a sense of belonging. Petcy’s close friend Zeline was in Madurai and visited Chennai to see her daughter. This was also a special time of joy – as they had shared years of friendship and support.Petcy also visited her daughter Leela periodically in Peermed estate where Kinsley had joined as Manager.
During the last three months of her M.D. examination, Daisy had to put in hours of preparation and  had asked Petcy to stay with Leela and then Pankajam and she did not like this, as she felt she needed Daisy’s medical attention all the time. But she rejoiced when Daisy passed her examination well. The family then moved back to Chennai and stayed in Anna Nagar. Daisy tried to start private practice and It was Petcy who was seated in front looking for patients every day.
The end
Her strength was in her relationship with God. There was a Pentecostal church nearby and Daisy’s family started attending it. Petcy, and Daisy  were regular and were influenced by the teachings there. This included giving up wearing jewellery. Petcy was suffering from Hypertension and heart failure and was on medical treatment. After a few months,  she made a firm commitment to give up medicines. She had hypertension, chronic heart failure and slowly became breathless and unable to walk. Her health went downhill and became very ill. During spells of severe breathlessness,  Daisy was in a dilemma. The church advised her to yield her mother to God’s will and as a doctor, a daughter and a believer she had to take the decision. Petcy was firm, and hence Daisy had to give in though it tore her heart to see her suffer. Leela Wesley and Sam were informed of her condition and Leela came to Chennai. When Petcy breathed her last, the Pentecostal sisters were with her. Leela and Daisy were at her bedside.
Her funeral was well attended. Zeline  was present . Petcy had earlier told Daisy to play Jim Reeve’s song “I’ll fly away” and “My Cathedral”, “Beyond  the sunset” at her funeral. With a painful heart, these were played for her. She was buried in Kilpauk cemetery, Chennai. Wesley arrived the day after the funeral. During the last few weeks of Petcy’s suffering and end, Jacob, Daisy’s husband was away in the Netherlands and so Leela and Daisy had to conduct the funeral with the help of the church.




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