Page 54 - Khabar Magazine (February 2020)

Reflections Providing Optimum Vascular Treatment

Suburban America A chawl in Mumbai
• Varicose Veins/Spider Veins

• Peripheral Arterial Disease

• Aneurysms

• Carotid Disease
It is human nature to crave what we don’t have. It is precisely because my
desire for space and newness was met, I have been able to become more aware
of the trade-offs. And so, I am getting ready for the next “new” experience. • Diabetic Foot/Leg Ulcer

One day I hope to live in a big city, amid the people and the traffic and with
easy access to a whole array of cultural pursuits. Maybe then I will have • Leg Pain/DVT
the best of both worlds—Mumbai in America!
• AV Fistula Surgery/Maintenance
to painstakingly nudge them open. of a desire to get to know each other and do things
One spring we decided to pull up the old carpet and together. My children have built-in friends—they run
polish the beautiful wood floors that were underneath. across the street to their friends’ homes as easily as I www.navascularclinic.com
A handyman friend had told us it was an easy task—a used to, to my friend who lived upstairs in the chawl.
weekend’s job at most. By the time we bought all the Making play dates seems so ’80s!
right tools we had spent about half of what we would It is human nature to crave what we don’t have. It Same day appointments
have spent if we had had the whole job done by a pro. As is precisely because my desire for space and newness
if to add insult to injury (or is it the other way around?), was met, I have been able to become more aware of the
I developed severe pain in my wrists as I wrestled to get trade-offs. And so, I am getting ready for the next “new”
the heavy-duty staples off. Finally, we ended up calling experience. One day I hope to live in a big city, amid the
a pro anyway. people and the traffic and with easy access to a whole
The worst experience was when the hot water array of cultural pursuits. Maybe then I will have the
heater gave out. It was the middle of December and I best of both worlds—Mumbai in America!
was at the tail end of my second pregnancy. Not only There are other options that offer more social
were we without hot water at a vulnerable time, we connectedness as well. With adult children living far
also had to deal with a flooded basement. After frantic away and leading busy lives, the definition of family
calling we found a guy who agreed to replace the heater has had to change. Longer life spans also mean that
and dry the basement. We probably paid through our people live fairly active lives after retiring from their
noses for the promptness, but also for our vulnerability professions. The combination of these twin social
and our ignorance. developments has given rise to concepts such as co-
So, sure, our desire for a newer house was about housing and intentional communities. I, for one, would
wanting more space—after all, why would people who welcome the opportunity to live in a community Thomas Matthews Uthan Vivek Samuel Victoria
have lived in cramped accommodations most of their of people who share my values, MD, FACS MD, FACS MD, RPVI
formative years not want an abundance of space? But interests, and priorities. I am ever
it was also a desire to have a home where everything on my way to just the kind of home
worked and where everything had a long life of service that fits the person that I am—or
still left. that I’m trying to become. 1-800-VEIN-DOC Phone: 770-771-5260
The good news is that my new neighborhood is
not as devoid of character as it is so often portrayed. Nandini Patwardhan is a freelance writer
In fact, compared to my old neighborhood, the new based in Raleigh, North Carolina. She and 1100 Northside Forsyth DR, Suite 360, Cumming, GA 30041
one provides more of a sense of community. All my Ranjani Rao founded Story Artisan Press,
neighbors are new to the neighborhood and have kids which published Train Friends. 6300 Hospital Pkwy, Suite 375, Johns Creek, GA 30097
of about the same ages as mine. So there is much more
771 Old Norcross Road, Suite 300, Lawrenceville, GA 30045

1357 Hembree Road, Suite 240, Roswell, GA 30076
52 • FEBRUARY• 2020 KHABAR MAGAZINE