Old emails, Sujiva Ratnnayake, Vignaraja, Malin Weeraratne,

Dear Phillip,

     Many years ago my daughter then about 6 or 7 years old came across death ( I cannot remember whose ) Anyway she suddenly realised and asked me a question about the point of it all. So I mentioned all the people like Edison who had invented the light bulb etc. and done something for the world. She listened and said "They all died anyway"! So the bottom line (for me) in human life is happiness. Your villager achieved this. If we all thought like him the nations wouldn't be looking for continuing unlimited economic growth on a finite world. Have you heard what the king of Bhutan said. His bottom line is the Gross National Happiness not the Gross national product.

Regards

Sujiva.

Hi Phillipo,

I have seen lots of your emails.I am a computer iliterate and a bad one finger typist.I heard that our next reunion is in Melbourne in Dec.2006.Are you coming?.David did enjoy his Anaesthetic appointment in Colombo. Pl;ease say Hello to your wife and your Daugters especially Queenie. Dr Meyers was impressed with her organisation.

I am going to Mt Kailash in July.Nadanachandran,his wife,his BIL and his wife are hoping to join us.Your note about Patchaya and Ganeshanayagam brought memories of the past!.Please keep in touch.I have three email addresses.

Home address: vigna@internode.on.net

Surgery addrtess: vigna@bigpond.net.au  

My laptop on my consulting desk is vigna-rajah@hotmail.com .I can access this email from any computer.

My surgery computer is busy as it is used by the girls for typing letters and sending accounts.I can access it only afterhours,

vigna

Hello Malin,

I was at Ridgeway with Stella from Dec 1965 to June 1966 doing internship and post intern work before being posted as DMO Koslanda. Asoka Jayaweera was my colleague. He had an affair with Coroner Egerton Weerakoon's daughter while doing internship and got married to her later. Thiagaraja was Mrs Barr-Kumarakulasinghe's SHO, and Ratnavale (Mascon's) was Stella's SHO. Ooyirilankumaran was doing internship with Prof CC de Silva with Buddy Reid. More stories of them will follow. Dr.Pereira who later migrated to Australia, was also SHO. I did a 'pen knife' tracheostomy in the Diphtheria ward as an intern, and the child survived. You might have heard of it while you were there. It was a jolly time at the quarters at Ridgeway. Thavarasa, WMT Weerasinghe, Thiags, all of used to play badminton in the court there. This was folled by a beer,at the Health Service Sports Club at Castle Street.  Such were the good old days. As the poet said:-

" Oh for the touch of a vanished hand,

And the sound of a voice that is still"

Philip

Hello Philip,

No, I did not hear of your tracheostomy, but glad to hear of it. Speaking of which, I was designated “tracheostomy surgeon”for two years, perhaps after you had left LRH, when I was working with Sandy,about whose misdeeds, I can write a book. I was on call every other night. We were quite pally with Emille Pereira and his wife, Gneesha, and we holidayed with them in Nuwara eliya, in ’67. Thiags was my batchmate and buddy, and I last met him in Wakefield, UK in ’01. I hung out at the quarters sometimes, so I am sure I must have run into you.

Malin.