Bonjoor Vishnupriya

Bozo and I are clearly very similar. When I was in hospital, the nurses kept calling me in the name I was registered, Vishnupriya. And getting very limited response to it.

Then my family recalled the issue we had had with Bozo in his kennel. When he was a pup I had fancily gotten Bonjour written on the tag attached to his collar. Seeing that, the people there were apparently calling him Bonjoor. Bonjoor as a result was giving a shit at commands and instructions. Till we realised the implications of my creativity, removed the collar and rectified his name with the people there.
They remembered that and asked the nurses to call me Priya. Sure enough, I knew I when was being spoken to and listened. Needless to say, things improved after that.

The healing power of music

The volume and depth in this piece changes beautifully. Am sure you will enjoy it. Listen in good speakers, after you read the rest of this message! Brahms waltz 15 in A Flat Major by Leopoldo Lipstein (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jjkCmUO_ms) DON’T DISMISS MUSIC IN HEALING. I learnt this piece in August 2020. (My experience in learning to play the piano from scratch started while I was at work in my mid twenties in 2008. In Bengaluru, now in my mid 40s I am learning at Theme Institute of Music) My experience knowing this piece has healed me for sure, and still is! We had a driving accident in Dec 2020, my husband and I ended up in ICU at Tata Main Hospital (TMH) in Jamshedpur. After he was released, he realised the issues the nursing team and doctors were having with me in communicating/understanding me, so he insisted on intervening. He realised the big gap was in my being stressed. So he played the music which I was learning and loved, almost all the time. I heard and was able to respond appropriately following instructions. (The nursing team there realised my progress and also appreciated the music for the other patients.) Being discharged after 2 months in ICU on life support (I still have no memory yet of my time there), but after another 2 months of being released, and recovering at home, hearing this piece again, I howled. So I wrote this to share with others – that don’t dismiss music in healing. Attached for your pleasure: Brahms waltz 15 in A Flat Major by Leopoldo Lipstein (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jjkCmUO_ms) I will try and post the same piece by me here, just to share where I was with it. Its an advanced level piece (Grade 6 exam syllabus one when I had learnt it, though I have a music book which says it was for Grade 3). I have formally given only Grade 2. Have restarted piano classes now, and very clearly getting there, slow and steady.

My father's blessing

Friends refer to it as a ‘magical return’ to normalcy. I refer to it as my father’s blessing. We (my husband Shailesh, our doggy Bonjour and I) had a very serious car accident on Christmas day, 2020. We were driving from Kolkata – my parental home - to Ranchi – where my in-laws were staying. We lost control of the car to avoid a biker who suddenly came on the wrong side of road. We saved him, so the Universe saved us. The car did several turns and smashed with the divider on my side. My husband and I went into coma. As I understand from people, Bozo (our doggy’s pet name) was physically unharmed, but was obviously traumatized. The police needed help to retrieve all of us: my sister spoke on loud speaker to calm him down, then they could untangle us from the mess. Anyways, apparently we got sufficient help and got admitted, as an exception, to Tata Medical Hospital, Jamshedpur – which is normally only for Tata employees. My husband immediately had a skull surgery to save his brain, and I was on life support till February 2021. Bozo was collected from the police station in December 2020 and was eventually with my parents in Kolkata. I believe I lost my father the day after he ensured I was released from hospital in February 2021- the next day he passed away after reaching home. My conscious memory becomes active from April 2021. Shailesh & I recovered with my in-laws in Ranchi after I was released from hospital in February 2021. I started walking in May 2021, being confined to the bed and wheelchair till then. We got Bozo back with us in August 2021 and we returned home to Bengaluru, by road - s.l.o.w.l.y. – in September 2021.) As a blessing from my father, on his birthday this year, 29th September 2022, I got the agreement from Fedfina to join as a Consultant to help me get back to normal work life. Looking forward to a great journey.

Update till now, post my FIRST blog post!

We had driven fine to Calcutta end November 2020. Spent a month there with my parents. Were driving to visit my in-laws in Ranchi when near Jamshedpur, a fellow on a bike came suddenly on the wrong side of the road. We saved him (which is why the universe saved us) but lost control of the car. I understand it smashed with the divider on my side at high speed. Both of us went into coma, and the car is written off. Apparently, the cops needed help with Bozo as he wasn't letting anyone come near. Nothing got whacked from the car! The cops then used Shailesh's phone (mine was totally smashed) to call family. Then my sister spoke on loudspeaker to Bozo, when he allowed the cops to retrieve him. Apparently we got enough help and thankfully got admitted into Tata hospital in Jamshedpur. Shailesh had a skull surgery, to save his brain. And I was put on life support.. Bozo was retrieved from the cops by relatives and taken back to Calcutta within a day. Was there till we managed to get him back to us in Ranchi in August. Feb I got discharged from hospital, was taken care of by Shailesh and my in-laws at home. Got my consciousness/memory/alertness back from April. Was able to walk from May. Have a rod in my thigh so was on bed rest till then. Three of us came back from Ranchi to Blr in September last year, together in a hired cab, s.l.o.w.l.y! Bozo's visit to allopathic vets is done and dusted. They recommended 3 surgeries at his age after what he went through!! On our homeopathic treatment he is FINE and back to his active self now. Shailesh is half a homeopath what with his heavy reading of it, thanks to Bozo and me!!

My learnings and insights: 1.0.1

In facing, and surviving, heavily adverse and unfortunate circumstances, is evidently the Universe's attempt to show you your strength. (I know I had some doubts about mine!) And the help you get from completely unexpected sources will prove you are in sync with the Universe. May I be of unexpected help to others. Serious insights I am taking away from this (which might be helpful to you so am sharing it here): 1) EVERY situation is good. 2) It is happening because you have to EXPERIENCE it. 3) Every moment you experience, is a LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. 4) If you can be helpful to someone else, it is the added benefit of that moment.

Angkor What?!

This has not been updated for a LONG time!

Updating here..

Stuff that I recently wrote, I thought was getting posted here. But it has got updated in Bozo's blog for some reason. So am mentioning, if you are reading this, go to 'Bonjour M Bozo' blogspot for the recent stuff.