A Side of Sweet

Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums – India

One half day per month, the doctors at Tibetan Delek Hospital volunteer in the Dharamsala slums via Tong-Len, a volunteer organization that aims to improve living conditions of misplaced families who inhabit the slums

Mobile Clinic - Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums India

I wish I could say that I finished the day fulfilled and feeling like I’d made a difference, but that was definitely not the case. We did not have much of an idea what we were in for when the wonderful staff of Tong Len picked us up. When we arrived, we found that the local “tavern” (aka drinking tent) had been tidied up for us to use as our clinic away from home.

Tong Len Mobile Clinic - Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums India

All medications could be dispensed on site without the need for a prescription. We could not do any blood tests or advanced examinations, instead we recommended that the patients visit the local hospital for testing for things like tuberculosis. Two local men translated for us and the patients formed a small mob waiting to be seen.

Tong Len Mobile Clinic - Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums India

Mobile Clinic - Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums India

We did out best with few resources and shoddy translation to diagnose and treat patients appropriately. It seemed like the patients had one of two complaints – back/body pain, or stomach pain. Both are incredibly nonspecific and usually fairly harmless as long as other “warning signs” are not present.” We treated them diclofenac gel (topical ibuprofen) or albendazole (de-worming medication) or a proton pump inhibitor (like Prilosec). In the words of one of the docs, “Given the living conditions, they probably all have worms.”

It seemed that some patients knew what medicine they needed before I even saw them. I asked the nurse running the clinic about this, and she said “Oh, they come every month with the same complaint. If they don’t get a medicine, they think the doctor is rubbish and go see someone else.” It’s unclear whether people even take the medicines, or if there is a stockpile hidden somewhere.

Mobile Clinic - Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums India

Overall, it was very eye-opening to see the conditions of the Dharamsala slums and to see some of the good that Tong-Len is able to do. They run a tent school where children receive instruction in English, Hindi, and mathematics and they also started a fresh fruit and vegetable stand next door.

Tong Len Mobile Clinic - Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums India

Mobile Clinic - Volunteering in the Dharamsala Slums India

Does Your Run Have This? Running in Mcleod Ganj, India

Don’t forget that I’m donating all advertising revenue this month to Delek Hospital for the care of Tibetan refugees! Just click on the ads on both sides and bottom of the blog!

Given that Dharamsala and Mcleod Ganj are nestled at the base of the Himalayan mountains, I wasn’t sure if I could find a nice place to run without heading straight up a mountain. Luckily, running in Mcleod Ganj, India was beautiful and not all about steep inclines! I was able to find a mildly hilly route with scenic views. It was great to train at altitude while in India, even if I will lose all the advantages when I travel for two weeks at sea level.

In honor of my awesome runs in Mcleod Ganj, I present this post – “Does Your Run Have This?”

Does your run have rhododendron trees with scenic valley views?

How about snow capped peaks?

And foraging cattle?

Does your run have friendly dogs who follow you for the majority of your half hour run?

Does you run have lots of tree cover and a monkey that looks like it came out of a horror movie? Edited2

How about a red-faced monkey smoking a straw?

And finally, does your run have a quiet little cathedral called St. John in the Wilderness, where you can see the crumbling tombstones of people from as far back as the 1800’s?

And of course, exotic birds!

I’ve finished my month at Delek Hospital and I’m hitting the road. This means I have to say good bye to this lovely run in Mcleod Ganj! *Tear*

Curious where I was? You can find a map of my run here.

TGIF

I think many of us are glad the week is over. Here in India, the thoughts of what happened in Boston this week have weighed heavily on my mind. For me, running is a sacred and joyous thing, and something that keeps me balanced and energized. Even here in India, I’ve kept up a running routine, much to the amusement of the locals. The idea of individuals or organized groups using a fitness-related event to cause so much pain and destruction is something I still can’t comprehend.

I have never run the Boston Marathon, but having been a competitive athlete I know what it’s like to get ready for a huge race. My heart goes out to everyone affected by the events in Boston – the families who lost loved ones, the runners who may never run again due to injuries from the race, those who were “just around the corner” when the bombs detonated, and also to those runners who came within minutes of crossing the finish line of the Boston Marathon, only to have that dream taken away from them. It’s just so horrific.

One of my favorite ladies on the planet, Amy Poehler, talks about the events in Boston in this short video. She is personal and honest and her reflections brought tears to my eyes.

My heart aches for you Boston.

To Do in Dharamsala – Norbulingka Institute

One of my favorite things that I did while In Dharamsala and Mcleod Ganj was visit the Norbulingka Institute. Norbulingka is about one hour from Mcleod Ganj using public transportation. It is as simple as hopping a bus at the Mcleod Ganj bus station and transferring in Dharamsala. The whole ride cost me 15 rupees ($.27) and was incredibly easy! In fact, the biggest interruption of the trip was a goat and sheep crossing:

Norbulingka Institute was established to help preserve Tibetan culture and traditional handicraft practices. Visitors can see and buy Thangka applique, woodcarving, metal working and embroidered clothing. I was able to pick up a pair of black loose fitting pants that will be perfect for our upcoming honeymoon to Morrocco!

One thing that surprised me was the amazing food at the Norbuligka cafe. Although it is expensive by Indian standards, the quality and taste of the food was on par with fine dining in the United States that costs much more. I had the special tofu and egg gyathuk (noodle soup with veggies), which was spectacular. I can’t wait to find a recipe so I can try to replicate it at home!

Norbulingka is incredibly beautiful and peaceful. I highly recommend you putting it on your “To Do in Dharamsala’ list!

Teenage Health Talks at Tibetan Children’s Village

Don’t forget that I’m donating all advertising revenue this month to Delek Hospital for the care of Tibetan refugees! Just click on the ads on both sides and bottom of the blog!

While volunteering at Tibetan Children’s Village, I was asked by the health committee to do some health education for the senior (grade 9-12) students while here. I gave separate boys and girls talks where the students were able to write down questions and submit them anonymously for me to answer.

I had tons of great questions on everything from acne to medicines that promise to make you taller to skin lightening creams. Just like we try to make ourselves tanner in the United States, the hope here is for fairer skin. The grass is always greener on the other side!

There were also a good number of sexual health questions, which I was very happy about. I really wanted the opportunity to dispel the myths that come with lack of knowledge and to promote healthy sexual behaviors.

(Click to enlarge)

The last health talk I gave was for World Health Day. It was for all of the senior students and ended up being about 500 students and staff! It was slightly intimidating to stand before such a large group and talk about being healthy. Okay, it was very intimidating!

I had a blast spending the week at TCV. It is my first time working with kids since September, as all of my recent rotations have been with adults. It really re-lit my passion for medicine and reconfirmed that training as a pediatrician will give me life-long fulfillment as a career. Working with kids is challenging and exciting and rewarding and I can’t wait to start residency at UCSF this summer!

Trekking Triund {Travel}

Don’t forget that I’m donating all advertising revenue this month to Delek Hospital for the care of Tibetan refugees! Just click on the ads on both sides and bottom of the blog!

One of the “must do” things in Mcleod Ganj is trekking to Triund. You can either start directly from Mcleod Ganj, or cut off a little time by taking a taxi to Gallu Temple to cut off about 3 Km. Of course we chose the long way! In general, Gallu Temple to the top and back is about a 5 to 6 hour hike. We hiked at a pretty rapid pace and managed to get to and from Mcleod Ganj in about 5 hours. Both Rosey and I are athletes, so keeping our heart rates up for the duration of the hike was actually our idea of a good time. You can continue your hike beyond Triund, but unless you are very familiar with the area, you need to hire a guide.

I would recommend starting the trek early. We left at 7 and hardly passed any travelers for our whole trek up. There were hardly any people at the top when we got there and the sky was very clear with the whole mountain range in view. On our way down, there were many more people and we could see that a cloud cover was forming that was going to obscure their view.

The trail is unmarked, but it’s very easy to follow. It is a moderate to easy hike, with lots of big steps but nothing treacherous. In fact, we saw a Tibetan family making the trek and they were accompanied by their mother who was 74 years old! There are also Indian women who do it every day with sticks on their backs!

At Triund, there is an open green space with stunning views of the Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas. It will definitely be one of the highlights of my trip to Dharamsala!

Click on the panoramic below to see a larger view!

Despite it being mid-April, there was still a bit of snow – ok, more like ice – within easy walking of Triund. What you see below is a very staged “snowball fight”.