Wedisinghe's 'Thank you cards'

Odds and ends

King Rajasinghe of Kandy

http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=12104

The betrayal of King Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe

 http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2016/04/20/how-ekneligoda-nilame-tortured-the-king/comment-page-1/

Birthdays - Mana Wedisinghe and Mawilmada.

Mana Wedisinghe and Mawilmada have their birthdays today. We wish them many happy returns of the day.

Photos of the annual combined sessions of the Avissawella Clinical Society and the SLMA, 2018

Please click on the web-link below with speakers on :-

https://youtu.be/b3_hp0Fq78Y

Annual combined sessions of the Avissawella Clinical Society and SLMA, November 2018

DC Senaratne and better half Erandathie

 
Large as life and grinning from ear to ear. Sena has the classic smirk on his face. Photo taken at my residence in Avissawella few years back - Philip.

Appreciation of Dr. Darrel Weinman by Dr. Ranji Wikramanayake

email sent by Dr . Chitra Gallage nee Subhawickrema

Dr. Darrel Felix Weinman -  Sri Lankas Brilliant Neurosurgeon.

Darrel Weinman was born on 20/11/1929.

He attended St. Peters college Colombo where he was a brilliant student & excelled at sport. He was the school cricket captain. A few years ago when a mutual friend , Dr.Tony Don Michael passed away, I informed him. He said, “He was my protégé". Tony played cricket for the school, under Darrel

He was a good student & I am reliably informed by his classmate (from 2nd year St.Peters ) Dr.Derrick Nugara who graduated with  him, that he qualified with 1st class honours. I didn’t know him as a student as he was a few years senior to me, but in 1957, when he was studying for the primary FRCS, he borrowed a box of pathology slides from me Needless to say, he passed first & won the Hallet prize.

We were next. in London in 1960 when he was studying for the FRCS & I, the MRCP..We both returned to Ceylon in 1962, after passing our exams, to begin our careers at the general Hospital Colombo. I was appointed to the OPD, as Physician in 1964 & we did see a lot of each other.

But, it was in 1968 that our close friendship began when Dr. George Ratnavale, Neurologist took 6 months off. I had to act for him. Fortunately. after my MRCPE I had spent 3 months at the Maida Vale Hospital, post graduate Neurology course with some of Britain’s foremost Neurologists. I remember, in particular. presenting to Lord Russell Brain. This helped me to fit in easily to the job. We immediately set up a partnership, me the acting Neurologist & he, the Neurosurgeon. To say that he was brilliant is an understatement. we would do weekly joint ward rounds with our junior staff.

A new close relationship then began. At least2 or 3 times a week, the two if us would go out in the evening and have dinner(just the two of us).We would start at the Officers Mess at Galle face, He as in the army, then on to the Akase Kade or GOH (names fade!). All the waiters knew Weinman Mahathaya ! The routine after dinner was that we would visit the NSU (sometimes at midnight). He wanted to review the patients he had operated on that morning. Such was the dedication of the man. Many nurses would be sleeping on the floor, not knowing that the Boss was visiting!

It was at that time, his romance blossomed. His junior, Brinda & he fell in love. It was quite a romance. Rumour has it that when Brinda was a student, she had said, “One day I will marry Darrel Weinman". Only Brinda can confirm this. They lived happily married for almost 50 years.

He used to come home for my children’s b days. On one occasion, I was giving a talk to the post graduate institution on Diabetes which he attended. After the talk he came to me & said, “You are mad, giving your secrets away "! 

I left for UK in 1970. About 1973, Brinda came to London to sit her FRCS. Darrel accompanied her. They paid me a visit at my house in London. During the day, we took them to the races at Royal Ascot. We were near the stables when the Queen came round. Darrel the army man, stood to attention & saluted the queen. I was quite amused. In the night, they came home for dinner. After dinner, he & I sat in a room, the others in the next room. After a few drinks, he became quite emotional & said “I will go wherever you go.  “We were both contemplating moving to Australia

In 1975, I got a job as Consultant Physician to the Royal Prince Alfred Sydney. He wrote to me suggesting, that if I came over, we could start a group practice. Me as the physician, Brinda as the surgeon & he, the neurologist. As I had a hospital appointment, I had to turn down the offer.

We arrived in Sydney in Feb. 1975. 2 days after we arrived, he came home & drove us around the eastern suburbs particularly, Bondi Beach. We remained close & often visited each other.

His love was Neurosurgery. It was difficult to get a teaching hospital post as a neurosurgeon. He was appointed Neurosurgeon to Canterbury & Banks town hospitals. But neither had an ICU to look after neurosurgical patients. So, after some time he turned his talents to general Practice. He had a huge practice & his patients loved him.

The last occasion we probably met was when out mutual friend, Dr. Tony Don Michael visited Sydney. Her stayed with me& one evening we went to Darrel’s for dinner. Darrel was a gifted pianist& played by ear. After dinner, Darrel sat at the keyboards, Tony (a brilliant tenor) & all of us had a typical SriLankan "Sing song"

I had cardiac surgery in 2015 & now don’t drive much. Never at night. So although we spoke about getting together, it never happened.

He was a wonderful man, brilliant Neurosurgeon. Cared for his patients & loved his wife.

He will be sadly missed.

Ranji Wikramanayake

The Good Doctor

:  (JMA newsletter October 2018)

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JEY GUNASEGARAM

Tue, Nov 13, 10:42 PM (18 hours ago)

to Thayalan

Dear Thayalan,

Great article. Thanks. I fwded it to some Dr Friends of mine & others. Also to my friend with a huge contact list. Much needed.

Drs & Medical care in USA too has reached a very sad low. The Oath Of Maimonides & his Prayer- Also Oath of Hippocrates have been shoved under the rug- out of sight. These were written 400 B.C & after. Need to be kept in the forefront every where possible. MDs constantly reminded.

I was not perfect. I loved what I did. How fortunate I was to be a Doctor.. 

Just some things I went by- of many, for Success- The 3 As- Availability, Amiability & Ability in that Order.

Do not ASSume anything about anything, anybody or a Patient- I will make an 'ASS'(fool) of my self.

COMMUNICATION- so vital. As well as Educating the Patient & a close Relative of their Condition & What the Surgery I am going to do In every way Possible before, And getting back to them.

If I don't know, I will admit it. Promise to find out the Answer  from my Colleagues or else where. I remind them I am not GOD yet. 

$s  will be very attractive ( & Distracting)- I remind my self that the Patient can be my Close( my own) Relative &  do what I can to as to Treat them as such.

So on & so forth. Adages like- "Do unto others that you will like to be done to you". "Physician Heal thyself first" etc:

If a Patient is upset- It is not about you- they are fearful or as a result of something going in their life. If they are not responding to you - it is not you , it is about them - something that is going on. Not making others wrong. I fail many times.

You have in your Article put them in a structured way.

Much love to you & your Family.

The Best to you in all you are doing. It is to me like a Spring in a desert.

We as Docs keep reminding ourselves our humanity all the time. & try to be humble as much as we can.

I try not to be looking good, only to pass on what I learned in life. Yes, a Dr's Integrity, Authenticity & Compassion is Important. It is not easy - I try hard.

Thanks,

Jey

On November 12, 2018 at 9:40 PM Thayalan Ambalavanar <thayalan12@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

You may find this article that I wrote for the latest Jaffna Medical Association (JMA) newsletter of interest.Please feel free to share it.The word  kairasi (last para) was supposed to appear in Tamil but printer's glitch unfortunately made it it ifurhp!!

I would welcome comments!

Thanks.

Dr.Thayalan Ambalavanar

Funeral arrangements. Samanthi Wijewardane, nee Wedisinghe,

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Mana Wedisinghe

4:59 AM (1 hour ago)

to hpguna, Lucky, Lakshmen, Balasundaram, me, Jayalath, Chulani, Ruvini, Sarath, Musto, Tilak, Siri, Indira, Andrew, Prof, Premalatha, Loku

13945, Huntwick Drive.

Orlando. FL 32837. USA

Tel. +1 407 812 6335.

Dear friends.

It is with deep sorrow and sadness , that we inform you of the demise of our

beloved daughter , Samanthi Wijewardane.

Having fought a long battle against Ovarian Cancer , with courage and determination she finally

succumbed to it on 10^th November 2018.

Given below is the arrangements made for her final journey.

Address of the Funeral House.

Hunters Creek Family Funeral Care.

No 13001 S. John Young Parkway

Orlando FL 32837.

Viewing                   Saturday 17th Nov.       9.00  AM  to  11.00  AM

                                 Sunday  18th  Nov        8.30  AM    to  10.00  AM

Religious Ceremony ---do--- 10.00 AM to 11.00 AM 

Cremation               Sunday    18th Nov       12.00  Noon.

No Flowers please.

Instead as per Samanthi's wishes , please make donations to,

https://www.gofundme.com/in-memory-of-samanthi-wijewardane

Mana & Piyaseeli Wedisinghe.

Geri's antic

When I went to do my morning surgery list at the NHSL one morning at 7.45 am, Geri who was operating in the neighboring op suit in OTB was there. He greeted me and said 'Machan come and see what these buggers have done to the  toilet'. I followed him and on the toilet seat which was down, there was a circle of poo. I wanted to call the theatre sister when Geri put his hand on the 'poo' and put it in his pocket. It was an imitation plastic poo, which Geri had bought on a trip to Hong Kong a few days back. Geri was up to his old tricks. 

Lakshman Karalliedde

Nov 6, 2018, 10:04 PM (2 days ago)

Phillipo, 

Geri never failed to keep his friends amused. He stayed with us in London. He had to go to the Home office at 0800 regarding his visa and we decided around 1900that we should j have an early night as I -having experinced the way things happen at this very office for three years, suggested that I take him at 0600 hours ,so that he would be at the upper part of the queue. Bottom line, we went to sleep well after midnight-recalling  our past experiences at med school etc (He acted as Christine Keeler at our block concert) but somehow,we were there at 0600 hours -about  half hour drive from our place and there were at least twenty people forming the queue.Anyway,Geri came back and said that he had decided to get back to Sri Lanka as everyone who is applying for a stay in the UK is treated as a potential criminal. I had no choice as we had decided to educate our kids in London and at that time,I was also associated with the Ministry of Defence UK When I casually mentioned to the Brigadier in command of the military hospital, he said I suggest you take Ana Karenina to read while those stupid .... sort out your extension.But Geri is a very sensitive person

Canada's latest hit song

email forwarded by Lakshman Karalliedde

A life story from Australia/Sri Lanka

 

Please click on the picture below with speakers on :-

 

https://youtu.be/UTRJKRgJo7Y