No Bad Blood.

 

The little girl was meant to bloom like a flower bud,

But for a mutated gene in her blood,

She grew to be pale and weak,

Without the monthly transfusions her future seemed bleak. 

With this, she pushed ahead and played along

Just like the other kids, until she didn't feel so strong.

Every fortnight she came for her transfusion,

But her spleen responded with massive protrusion. 

A surgery to help alleviate her misery,

Her parents understood the urgency,

But a routine blood test revealed a depravity

Alas she had contracted seropositivity. 

With surgery still a far sight,

While being a double edged sword for her plight,

A little girl continues her fight,

All because of a transfusion which did not go right.

One of the regular patients to our Hospital, she is a case of Beta Thalassemia Major, a Haemolytic Anemia which has made her dependent on regular monthly transfusions. 

She was planned for a splenectomy since her spleen had enlarged massively as a disease consequence.

However on routine testing, she turned out to be retropositive (HIV +ve). Probably during one of  the regular transfusions she was receiving.

Sun Sand and Sea.

 The sea holds many memories for me,

The hot sands of Marina Beach as a child,

Holding my mother's hand tight as the waves encroached

As the waves retreated, further I approached. 

Riding the waves of the Arabian Sea many years later,

With my father beside me venturing further,

While the sea did not alarm me as before

It's vastness and placidity, I continued to adore. 

Many moons later on a solo journey I embarked,

The temple town of Gokarna I landmarked,

To cherish a solitary trip of my own

I ventured out of my comfort zone. 

With the little one there was another trip,

With sand castles and an adventurous dip.

Collecting seashells and colorful stones

Walking along the beach towards the unknowns. 

To the Island State with its turquoise and deep blue

Across the Bay of Bengal, we flew,

To an underwater rendezvous with the marine crew

And some magical nights at the beach under the gleaming moon. 

With friends several memories were made,

Be it Goa Gokarna or Malpe,

The Sea has always been the perfect holiday!

Watching the waves riding up the shore,

Each time inching further, a little more.

Looking at the Sun setting in an orange haze,

The blue sea mesmerizes in ripples and waves.