List of contents

Introduction

A sentimental fool

SECTION 1: AMMA

1. Ordinary, yet remarkable

2. Then and now

3. The amma I hardly knew

4. Aortic dissection

5. The amma I started knowing

6. A beautiful amma

7. Dominant

8. Silly for us, significant for her

9. A tale of two pumps

10. Flooded but not floored

11. Nursing hopes

12. Baa-laa-jee

13. Generous in and out

14. Dedicated

15. Simple

16. Enthusiastic

17. Honest

18. Each in its place

19. Smartness that matters

20. Bee and queen bee

21. Alive = active

22. Every amma is a story

23. Appa

SECTION 2: TICKING TIME BOMBS

24. Weak hearts

25. All’s well. Really?

26. Another aortic dissection!

27. She wouldn’t survive 10 hours!

28. Ticking time bomb

29. Lighting a bomb everyday

30. Flirting with danger

31. A second ticking time bomb

32. Dilation dilemma

33. Landing with a thud in my heart

34. The toy that kept falling

35. Hypertension

SECTION 3: AMMA AND ME

36. Absent-minded consultant

37. Life on a thin branch

38. Tempering tempers

39. Down to earth

40. Sense and sensibility

41. The salesman who hated to talk

42. A wave with a hope

43. An agnostic almost gets religion

44. Nut cases

45. Designing good times

46. Tickling my soles

47. Of academic interest

48. Pride

49. I am her friend

50. I am her guide

51. Big and small

SECTION 4: LEG PAIN

52. Varicose veins

53. Pulling up my socks

54. Restless legs syndrome

55. Painful companion

56. Lucky for a while

57. Hard lessons from strong medicines

58. Sleepless nights

59. Helplessly hurtful

60. Fleas.com

61. A sucker a minute

62. Physics and chemistry

63. A million massages

64. Achilles leg

65. A walking pharmacy

SECTION 5: COVID AND AMMA’S LAST DAYS

66. Getting domesticated

67. Down memory lane

68. Kolams

69. I was her child again

70. And then she became my child

71. I was her doctor

72. When strengths become weaknesses

73. The Big Sleep

74. Last days at home

75. Fighting till the end

76. Way to go

77. The luckiest son alive

78. And yet, a bit unlucky

SECTION 6: HEALTH AND MEDICINE

79. Blood pressure

80. Smart health management

81. Aortic disorders

82. Trends in aortic diseases treatment

83. Natural RLS treatments

84. Medical education

85. Unique symptoms

86. Side effects of medications

87. Conservative medical management

88. Hospital experiences

SECTION 7: THOUGHTS

89. Who will cry when you die?

90. Holding a mirror to myself

91. Sons and daughters

92. Priceless

93. Living to a 100

94. Healthcare is a black box

95. A template for doctor-patient communications

96. Of men and machines

97. Old lives matter

98. Bridging the generation gap

99. Is feeling the meaning?

100. Thank you

101. Rejoicing in a beginning

102. This work