Good News, and Bad

Sitaram Hivarkar (l) greets us outside the Garden

Shekhawat curses his fate over breakfast at home

First the good news: Sitaram Hivarkar is back and will be exercising with us again. “I have shifted to Shantivan,” he said, greeting us outside the Garden gate. “I’ll try to join tomorrow itself for the exercises. How is everyone in the Club? I have been missing you all."
As a ‘founding father’ of Big Laaf, Sitaram used to conduct our exercises regularly till about five years back. Domestic compulsions made him relocate to Four Bungalows from where it was obviously difficult to commute to the Garden daily. Nevertheless, we kept in touch, allowing him to retain his membership and had also felicitated him on his 75th birthday (ref post of June 20, 2014).
Today, for his age, Sitaram looks unusually bright and more robust than what we had seen of him last. He has developed a knee problem though and requires a walking stick to move about. “Otherwise I feel fit and fine,” he said, flashing his trademark smile.
Now for the not-so-good news: The problem in Shekhawat’s chest (ref post of September 18) has relapsed. So acute is the pain that after leaving for the Garden this morning, he had to retrace his steps back home. “I cannot bear it any longer,” he gasped over the phone. “How much more do I have to suffer? I do not know what to do about these doctors.”
A small group from the Garden, led by Banoo Apa, paid him a courtesy visit. He was having his breakfast, but appeared to be in a belligerent mood. “I have a good mind to file a case of medical negligence against the doctors,” he said. “It’s been five years since I had the bypass surgery. And till date they cannot set right the problem of removing sutures. My son also insists on going to court.”
Shekhawat’s wife however, is against any litigation. She believes that the priority should be to address the problem at hand and later on, after full treatment, go to the press. She recounted the harassment the family has been through due to sheer incompetence on the part of the doctors. “They ought to be exposed in the media,” she asserted.

Bihari Milwani:
To remain happy, my personal experience has been to keep away from doctors and advocates. It is not advisable for Shekhawat to go for litigation. Further, in the event he loses the case, it will be more painful.

Lt Col Angad Singh (rtd):
It is nice to know that Sitaram Hivarkar is back. It will be good to have him as a regular member. So far as Shekhawat is concerned, for him the priority should be to get proper treatment. Health is more important than going to court. He should not waste his time and rather get proper treatment.