The Project
What would a project which involves visiting the rural parts of 12 states of India and train the physicians , nurses, counsellors, physiotherapists and anyone who wishes to be involved in palliative care for free look like?
What if you added to that journey, looking after the people diagnosed with illnesses that are degenerative or/and do not have a cure or the treatment provides no response-Illness that live with them for the days they live?
If your mind didnt stop at that and you questioned the culture that equates "success" with beating time, defeating death and demonises the dark? You designated time and space just to do this and called people together in a Death Cafe?
And the thought ," What was it like before this?" comes to your mind and you want to hear from cultures that don't wrestle with time, celebrate the decay and the death knowing well that there is no stand still and that is not afraid to hold space for silence?You meet the tribes and see what the end of life rituals look like?
You meet people, even medical professionals who, trained to "save, heal" take off the coats , bring down the barrier of separation and are not afraid to say, "I don't know."? People who smile and cry and are not afraid to to either and shatter the hierarchy? Who collaborate and create beautiful and meaningful moments that extend to form "lifespan now."?
You see young men who woke up at 11 AM to privileges of jobs that automatically place one in the upper strata, leave the lure of it and merge among others to take care of their loved ones. A husband who cannot touch his wife with desire because his mind keeps telling him he's awful since she is on Chemo and has a few months left and that he is a pervert? 16 year old boy who asks "What other way to join the police force?" after he finds himself paralysed waist down?
These are the questions that come to mind as I prepare myself for this 15 month journey across India, I try to sense what would it be like and I am filled with expansion at how much more I will be attentive to life, how dynamically I will be meeting people with vulnerability on both ends.I feel excited/fearful about my ability to connect with people, to mobilise resources and help with logistics in states Ive never been and where I am going to stay for a month.
I write to all teaching institutions and organisations that care for the people who are frail due to age or disease and tell them about this project , ask them to see if they want their staff to be trained. I write to the Health directorates of the states and celebrate the response from 2 and fume at the other 12. I learn how to shoot and look for a second hand or loaned camera.
As I do all this something in me keeps trying to make sense of all thats happening. This project which appears to be humungous to me can also something else, something filled with ease, connection I realise. I promise myself to let life affect me , before during and after this and to take time , to take as much time as I require. To own my life and occupy space. To ask and receive , to gift and not run away. The Stephan jetkinsons "Die Wise" on my windowsill keeps staring at me as I take weeks before I go back to it tiptoeing, it is hard, its poetic prose that questions and commands and most importantly changes.
I take time off work, connect with hospitals, NGOs, University students and Directors of Tribal welfare programmes.People cannot understand why anyone would be so interested in this to take a year off and train for free;Suspicion makes them take a step back, few other hospitals do not want to be associated with the death and deacaying, forget dying. Few others ask how this will get another certificate, I tell them that they can then pay 2000INR and receive one from IAPC ( Indian Association Of Palliative Care) after giving an exam and that the training will make it easy for them to pass and will indeed be more.I fret and fume.I escape to read some literature as a way of balming myself.I write at terrifying pace.
I also meet people who are touched enough to ask me how they can help, can they book the tickets? Can they arrange for the stay? How will they be able to connect to the work I am doing further? When will the next Death Cafe be? What can we do about the Advance directive bill as the public?They don't hesitate to donate 500 INR and buy me a lemonade "for now" or suggest to book tickets on the go for me when I worry about not knowing the time in each state.An HOD who asks me to stay at her house during the project.
The journey begins in the preparation and preparation involves meeting myself and people fully, I am doing just that.If any of you reading this know of organisations who would like the training, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and a month , Who know spaces open to socio political discussions and movie screenings, Students or professors of universities and direct personal contacts with people belonging to tribal cultures, please get in touch with me. Help is always welcome for places to stay ( month long) and monetary support.
Please mail me at dreamsorama@gmail.com to ask for th module used for the training, research abstract, CV or any other information you might need.
Here is the link
https://milaap.org/fundraisers/Palliativecaretraining?utm_source=email&utm_medium=dashboard-promo
What if you added to that journey, looking after the people diagnosed with illnesses that are degenerative or/and do not have a cure or the treatment provides no response-Illness that live with them for the days they live?
If your mind didnt stop at that and you questioned the culture that equates "success" with beating time, defeating death and demonises the dark? You designated time and space just to do this and called people together in a Death Cafe?
And the thought ," What was it like before this?" comes to your mind and you want to hear from cultures that don't wrestle with time, celebrate the decay and the death knowing well that there is no stand still and that is not afraid to hold space for silence?You meet the tribes and see what the end of life rituals look like?
You meet people, even medical professionals who, trained to "save, heal" take off the coats , bring down the barrier of separation and are not afraid to say, "I don't know."? People who smile and cry and are not afraid to to either and shatter the hierarchy? Who collaborate and create beautiful and meaningful moments that extend to form "lifespan now."?
You see young men who woke up at 11 AM to privileges of jobs that automatically place one in the upper strata, leave the lure of it and merge among others to take care of their loved ones. A husband who cannot touch his wife with desire because his mind keeps telling him he's awful since she is on Chemo and has a few months left and that he is a pervert? 16 year old boy who asks "What other way to join the police force?" after he finds himself paralysed waist down?
These are the questions that come to mind as I prepare myself for this 15 month journey across India, I try to sense what would it be like and I am filled with expansion at how much more I will be attentive to life, how dynamically I will be meeting people with vulnerability on both ends.I feel excited/fearful about my ability to connect with people, to mobilise resources and help with logistics in states Ive never been and where I am going to stay for a month.
I write to all teaching institutions and organisations that care for the people who are frail due to age or disease and tell them about this project , ask them to see if they want their staff to be trained. I write to the Health directorates of the states and celebrate the response from 2 and fume at the other 12. I learn how to shoot and look for a second hand or loaned camera.
As I do all this something in me keeps trying to make sense of all thats happening. This project which appears to be humungous to me can also something else, something filled with ease, connection I realise. I promise myself to let life affect me , before during and after this and to take time , to take as much time as I require. To own my life and occupy space. To ask and receive , to gift and not run away. The Stephan jetkinsons "Die Wise" on my windowsill keeps staring at me as I take weeks before I go back to it tiptoeing, it is hard, its poetic prose that questions and commands and most importantly changes.
I take time off work, connect with hospitals, NGOs, University students and Directors of Tribal welfare programmes.People cannot understand why anyone would be so interested in this to take a year off and train for free;Suspicion makes them take a step back, few other hospitals do not want to be associated with the death and deacaying, forget dying. Few others ask how this will get another certificate, I tell them that they can then pay 2000INR and receive one from IAPC ( Indian Association Of Palliative Care) after giving an exam and that the training will make it easy for them to pass and will indeed be more.I fret and fume.I escape to read some literature as a way of balming myself.I write at terrifying pace.
I also meet people who are touched enough to ask me how they can help, can they book the tickets? Can they arrange for the stay? How will they be able to connect to the work I am doing further? When will the next Death Cafe be? What can we do about the Advance directive bill as the public?They don't hesitate to donate 500 INR and buy me a lemonade "for now" or suggest to book tickets on the go for me when I worry about not knowing the time in each state.An HOD who asks me to stay at her house during the project.
The journey begins in the preparation and preparation involves meeting myself and people fully, I am doing just that.If any of you reading this know of organisations who would like the training, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days and a month , Who know spaces open to socio political discussions and movie screenings, Students or professors of universities and direct personal contacts with people belonging to tribal cultures, please get in touch with me. Help is always welcome for places to stay ( month long) and monetary support.
Please mail me at dreamsorama@gmail.com to ask for th module used for the training, research abstract, CV or any other information you might need.
Here is the link
https://milaap.org/fundraisers/Palliativecaretraining?utm_source=email&utm_medium=dashboard-promo
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