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.

Kamalika Abeygunawardena and husband Malin Weeraratne and a Beetle

Here is a tale of typical Ceylonese hospitality and respect for doctors, at that time, related by our batch-mate Kamalika Abeygunewardene’s husband, and our senior by a few years at the Medical Faculty, Dr.Malin Weeraratne.

“Kamalika was an intern in Kalutara, and I was surgical SHO, at Ridgeway, in early 1965, I was bringing her from Kalutara, for the weekend, in my Volkswagen Beetle, when it broke down somewhere near Panadura, I believe. Since I knew the problem was with the carburetor, I was in the process of dismantling it, when, a middle aged gentleman, from the house, near where the car broke down, came up and asked me, what I was doing. He saw Kamalika in the front seat, and I told him, that I was taking my wife, to Colombo, for the weekend. He then said, “This is what happens when teenagers get married early!” to which, I said, “Excuse me, we are not teenagers, we are doctors”. His face fell, and he told me that I should not get my hands dirty, and insisted that we come to his house. He asked his wife to make tea, and sent his servant to get the baas, to fix the car”.

Recalling Geri's antics, Milroy de Silva, Asoka, Kamalini, Bala, Bernie, Malin ...,

Those were the very early days.The time we entered the faculty every entrant(prospective) had to face an interview.We were priviledged to have Sir Nicholas Attygalle as one of the panelists.I had my viva and was asked by Sir Nicholas as to why I did not think of taking to teaching as a profession.This was after I replied to a question about the last book I had read just before the viva and said that I read"Good Bye Mr Chipps" and thought teaching was such a noble profession and was asked as to why I chose Medicineand I  replied that I thought medicine was a nobler profession.I was relating this to Gerry whom I had just met and asked him what they asked him.He said they  asked him what his hobby(ies) are and Gerry had answered "collecting jokes".Sir Nicholas had then asked what his latest was and Gerry had replied"coming for this interview"Whether this really was true or not that was a really great introduction to the tonic we got from Gerry throughout out grind at medical college.Those days psychiatry training was confined to a few lecture demonstrations at Mulleriyawa,and when we arrived there the Consultant(?Dr Welikala) had lined up about two or three catatonic Schizophrenics with Waxy Flexibility( a rare find these days with advanced treatment.).The consultant had just gone out of the room and to his dismay when he came back he saw his patients all arranged to dancing poses standing like statues,created by Gerry during those few moments.Gerry many thanks for your great company and hope you have the most hillarious farewell from your Prof Chair.

Milroy

Your piece on Jerry J reminded me about our block concert  where there was
a take on an affair the then British Minister of Defence whose name
I  believe was Profumo,  had with a high class prostitute by the name of
Christine Wheeler. It was titled "The Frisky Feeler Story" and Jerry played
the feminine role! Jerry, I recall developed Hepatitis and missed the
regular 2nd MBBS exam and so was forced to miss a term and doomed to
graduate later. This I believe does not happen now. In fact in many medical
schools where I taught and those in the US, when one falls ill and submits
an MC, he/she can take a repeat exam soon after. More recently on the rare
occassions when I met Jerry he would pull out from his wallet a piece of
paper with a few smutty jokes.
I would like to join in wishing him many many years in happy retirement and
am looking forward to his presentation at the next get-together
Asoka

Phillip,

I appreciate the time and trouble to e-mail all these nice poems etc in additon to all the other amusing episodes during medical college days and beyond.

You had asked about interesting episodes of Jerry.  I can not recall anything at present.  Please wish him a long and happy retirement.

I salute all of you for the courage you have had in staying and serving the country of your birth.  You have lived through the troubles and dangers.  So determined to serve.

May God bless you all for the courage and determination.

Kamalini 

phillip,
 as mentioned by Karals Jerry and Perin were outstanding entertainers in our batch,
Perin continued his entertaining  talent even after graduating ,He did his internships with me at Kurunegala ,others were Jameel ,Saravanamthu,Sebastiampillai,Lanka Wijeyasena,Derick de silva
Sabanayagam,Vimala Arumugam and Lida Anyhonipillai
At kurenagala we had annual Law-madical Criket match,established by sometime back by our predecessor .
We  usually have the match during the day and have a dinner dance and entertainment in the evening
Perin and Sabanayagam performed a Shadow Strip as part of the entertainment in the evening,
A large screen was set up 0n the stage ,and performers behind the screen so that the audience could not see them and a bright light was also placed behind the screen to project the images on to the screen and the audience could only see the shadows not the performers,
Perin did a female strip dance beautifully taking off (Her Clothes} one by one to a seductive music and Sabanayagam performed a supporting role as a male cast(pimp).
Many of the audience the doctors wives and friends and lawyers and their friends ,believed the casts
were real professionals until the screen was dropped to reveal the performers who were with minimum
clothing  to hide their naked bodies .Perin was also star performer during our get together at our frequent get together dinner and boozing  sessions at the resident quarters ,it was beatlemania time and he used to sing Beatles song solo's  we  really miss him ,
Bala

Perrin

last heard of him, following a desperate call from the eastern part of theUSA

religious convictions, prevented  a much needed  procedure, felt to be life saving.

attempts were made to find a solution, while respecting the religious convictions.

By the time  we were able to circumvent the delaying, legal needs,

it was to prove too late to save the lfe

and revisit the  beliefs.

Perrin succombed.

It was very sad indeed

While conveying this last ,sad  bit of information, one of our mutual friends, cried ove the phone.

bernie

Phillp,

Remembering Perrin, it is with sadness I note, his untimely demise, after
Coronary bypass surgery, in New Haven, Connecticut, several years ago.
It was arranged by my buddy, Lucky Fernando, Dr Laddie
Fernando(anesthesiologist)'s son, who is one of the most popular, and
capable internists at St Rapheal's Hospital.
Perrin was married to Lucky's sister.
Surgery was performed, by one of the best surgeons, but tragically, he
passed away due to complications.
I met him on that last fateful visit, and all of us went out for a movie, it
was Rocky, if I remember right.
Malin.

How very true. They were Gerry and perin great blokes and wonderful friends,
Karals

Phillip.

Iam seeing my emai; after sometime as i was away in Singapore for my daughters second child/s arrival .A nother caesar,another girl.MOther & baby doing well

Thanks for keeping us informed of the latest informatiom of our friends.

I was very sad to hear about Perin.

Gerry & Perrin were such fun guys,always cracking a joke,always bringing a laugh to everyone.

Chandra