VINEET THE ROCKSTAR!!!! [SPECTRUM 2013]

28th September 2013. Saturday. 12 noon approx.
Vineet performed on his Octapad for the first time in front of approximately 200 or more people (mostly participants, teachers , parents, guests from the 5 Topmost schools of Asansol). The venue was his own school - St. Patrick's Higher Secondary School's Auditorium.

So as the story goes, Vin was supposed to take part in his Annual Talent show in school in August. I had in mind Justin Beiber's 'Baby' song for it and by pure chance, even got a video song of it where Justin sang the song only with a guitarist. It was the Best option and Vin started practising for it with the help of his Octapad Teacher (who's very kind enough to give him his classes at home once every week). At first Vin was a bit reluctant- he said there was not much time. Then we got news that the Talent show was only for kids upto Class 7. Then came the Half-yearly exams and we forgot all about it. Then after exams we came to know that the Annual Inter-school Fest of St. Patrick's School - ''SPECTRUM 2013'' was going to be held and Vin would perform the very same song. Vin was a bit nervous again, but his Sir gave him confidence that he would practice with him and it would be just fine. So they practised some more for 2-3 days and then his Sir had to leave for somewhere Outstation for an emergency, then our player (was supposed to be) conked out, and I was all worked up.I made Vin practise the last part with a 'roll-over' with the computer's help, but Vin would get worked up. I thought he wouldn't be able to perform. Then , as I believe , 'God Helps those who help themselves', things started falling in place. The night before the Programme it suddenly struck me that I had 'cut' the video from the point where Justin is playing the fool and laughing with his guitarist , at Vin's behest and had saved it in a format which my player was unable to read. And at 11.30 p.m. I tried out the original piece without cuts and it played perfectly well. So my player was perfectly alright. I beamed 'coz Vin's Sir would be coming early morning to help him practise last minute before he went on stage. By now Vin was already playing like a pro and I left for my work with a lighter heart :)

When Vin's part came, I gave the 'cut' CD to the person in charge of the music and during our short conversation , I think I confused the poor fellow. He stopped the CD seconds before it ended. So Vin could not do the roll-over. But inspite of it, the performance was great and everyone cheered for him. He even got a 'Participant' token! :)

He was Vineet, the Rockstar that day!!!

Click here to see the video of Vin's performance

Urinary Tract Infection after 6 years....

The last time Vin had a Urinary Tract Infection was way back in 2007, when his ureters had developed a false passage and CIC was becoming increasingly difficult. And then one night I punctured something and blood started coming out in the urine to my Horror!! We then rushed first to Kolkata for the tests and then to 'Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore'. It was there that we were introduced to overnight draining, etc.
          I don't know whether this infection was related to the seasonal flu that Vineet had just had the week before. He was on antibiotics for it and hence loose motion due to them. And then the fever came back. It couldn't be anything else, so we did the Urine culture and there it was.... a UTI. Well, he got antibiotics again, they are over now, and his fever is gone too (Praise God), but UTIs do something worse- weaken him. He's still recovering though he looks better. So our strategy of thinking that 'we need not do a CIC during the day because he has overnight draining' is not going to work perhaps. And of course there is always a Bigger problem - Vineet does not drink adequate water. Especially in school. It leads to his urine being stagnant for longer periods in his urinary bladder and hence the more chances of infection. I'm supposed to give him Cranberry juice which works well for bladder - flushing, but its not regular in supply here in India. I might have to try the online shops now. So thats all for now folks...thought I'd pass on the details...
                       The latest is, Vineet is preparing for his Talent show this year to be held soon and this time he plans to play the Octapad for Justin Beiber's 'Baby' vocals :) Will let you know how it was....till then..

 

The Cure - Episode 5 : Wearable Robot (courtesy- AlJazeeraEnglish)

I am goin to have a sleepless night because of this video I saw today!!!!!!!! I'm just SO SPEECHLESS!!

VIN GOES TO SEE THE TAJ MAHAL !! (DAY 4)

We returned very late in the night from Fatehpur-Sikri to Delhi. Next morning we rested and left for Raj Ghat (the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi laid to rest here) and then to Red Fort. Raj Ghat was a Beautiful place and if time was not a constraint, we would have liked to sit there a while in the cool breeze and listen to the famous song-' Vaishnav jan toh...' being played all the while..



RAMP AT THE ENTRANCE TO RAJ GHAT



VIN, HIS GRANDMOTHER AND SISTER AT RAJ GHAT

Thereafter we went to the 'Red Fort' which was nearby and our van was let in right upto the Ticket counter because of Vin! :) There was a good amount of Security there and when we went in, there was a flea market there! As we went in further, we visited a 'Pre-independance' Museum as well as a museum with stuff from the Mughal Ages. It was quite an eye-opener for Vin and his sis. The grounds were very extended and by the time we covered most of it, our legs ached from all the walking. Ramps were built everywhere and needless to say, I was very pleased with Delhi after all this.

So that was the last day of our visits to historical places in and around Delhi. Even though I have not put up pics here, but I must mention that in Delhi there were ramps all around even in public places, all the bus-stands, and I even saw a wheelchair-lift for taking them down to the Metro-station. So I shall conclude here by voting for Delhi as the 'Most Accessible' city in India. And a Very Special Vote of Thanks to the 'Archaeological survey of India' for making Vin and so 'our' trip a very 'accessible' one!

Oh wait! I had said in the 1st part of this Trip series that I would mention about the New Delhi railway Station again. So while we were boarding our return train, we booked two coolies again and as we were alighting from the stairs on to our platform, what do I see? A mini golf-cart on the station with 2-3 aged people on it. I stopped, asked the driver how he came onto the platform and he answered - there are two ways ma'm. but why? ' And I showed him Vin coming down the stairs in his very tired dad's arms and said- these coolies made fools out of us. He said -Please take my number and if you ever come down again, please call me and please know that we are always at your service.' I smiled. So New Delhi lived up to my expectations- Most wheelchair-accessible City :)

VIN GOES TO SEE THE 'TAJ MAHAL' !! (Day 3)

And so finally on Day 3, we were all set to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra. Agra is a city located some 200 kilometres from New Delhi and we can go there by train or bus or even hire a taxi. We opted for a Taxi because it would free us from the 'time-fixes' in all other modes of transport. We opted for the new 'National Highway' from Delhi to Agra. Its called the 'Yamuna-ExpressWay". Yamuna is the name of the river beside which the Taj has been built. It was the neatest and best Expressway I have ever experienced until now :)


THE 'YAMUNA EXPRESSWAY'


So we reached Agra after 4 hours, but it could have been earlier- our Taxi had a tyre puncture! We reached at around 12 noon. New rules!- we had to leave our Taxi at the stand and hire a'Battery-operated' rickshaw. This so, because the Taj was getting corroded due to fuel emmissions. Good thing. The bad thing was , that the fellow who's taxi we hired charged us a whooping hundred bucks for a ride of 3 minutes, when it should have been only Rupees 5 per head!(as we realised on our way back from the Taj). There were also available horse-tongas and camel-tongas, and although Vinisha saw them for the first time, she kept snorting her nose at the smell of animal-crap all around. You couldn't see them(the place was neatly maintained), but you got the stink :/

Then we bought tickets for the Entrance and we had to go in queue while Vineet the Great had Direct Access through the Main Gate with his dad as escort!! He really is a 'Maharajah'!! :D

Entrance to the Taj Mahal

A little tragedy happened here and it had to do with Vinisha's favourite 'Snow-white' Princess doll that she carried along till here in her bag- the security people naturally confiscated it- A doll was good enough to put bombs in it. Never mind it it was 'Snow-white' or a Princess doll, or Vinisha Victor's favourite doll- the lady-constable almost laughed at Vinisha!So I had to go all the way down the road to a 'Locker room' and deposit her doll for a small fee. When I returned, Vinisha was almost in tears and only when I consoled her that 'snow-white' was resting safely in a room, that she felt okay! :D Girls!
So we walked in, and my smile came back- there were ramps all around!!

 

FINALLY!! THE TAJ MAHAL!!!

 

AND THEN CAME THE BLOOPER OF THE ENTIRE TRIP- THERE WAS NO RAMP TO GO UP TO THE MAIN MAUSOLEUM OF THE TAJ

WE WATCHED  HELPLESSLY AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO DO EXCEPT CARRY VIN UP THE STAIRS.

THE GUARD WAS SO 'UN-HELPFUL', HE EVEN REFUSED TO LOOK AFTER VIN'S WHEELCHAIR HERE, SO VIN'S GRANDMA VOLUNTEERED TO STAY BACK DOWN ('COZ SHE HAD BEEN HERE EARLIER TOO)

 

 

NEEDLESS TO SAY - WE WERE TIRED AND DISAPPOINTED.................

So Vin's dad carried him up the stairs and with much difficulty reached the parapet where people could sit down. After taking a small rest , Vin, his dad and Vinisha went in and walked across through the mausoleum and then we took some pictures. Then we decided to go back down. Uh-Oh! More trouble. The wheelchair was at the Entrance side and the 'Exit' side did not have a Ramp!! Poor dad had to carry Vin some more after climbing down the stairs. He was totally exhausted! Someone Please TAKE NOTE!! Its not as easy as you would like to believe!!

 

 

We left tired and a little disappointed, but took care not to let Vin feel 'our' disappointment..

 

Next me and Vinisha walked to the Locker room again to collect her 'Snow-white' and the man at the counter didn't even check our token! One look at Vinisha and he knew the doll was hers!!LOL!!

:)

NEXT WE WENT TO SEE THE 'AGRA FORT' SITUTATED NEARBY

Here we got ourselves a 'Helper' to wheel Vin around and this was an intelligent thing to do we realised as we went up the slope towards the castle. Here too, we found wheelchair ramps all over the place and my smile came back :))

 

We made a quick survey, watched the Taj again through the castle windows and hurried towards 'Fatehpur-Sikri', a place well-known for being made by Akbar the Great Emperor and the 175 feet tall door called' Buland Darwaza'. It was supposed to be an hour or so ride from Agra and since it was already afternoon, we rushed. We reached just in time for the last bus up the hill to the castle, and Surprise of all surprises- There was a ramp leading up the adjacent door. So we had Vin being able to go up to see a 175 feet tall door called 'Buland Darwaza' made by Akbar the Great!

 

 

THANKYOU INDIA TOURISM DEPARTMENT AND ARCHAELOGICAL SURVEY OF INDIA! THANKYOU SO SO MUCH! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR A SMALL BOY ON A WHEELCHAIR!!

 

 YES, THAT WAS AS HIGH AS VIN WAS ABLE TO GO! THANKS TO SOME WOODEN PLANKS AND SOME HUMANE PEOPLE! :)

VIN GOES TO SEE THE 'TAJ MAHAL' (DAY 2)

The next day we went to see the 'Qutab-Minar'. It was evening time and the place was full of tourists. As we neared this very well-known ancient monument, what a surprise! There was a ramp leading upto it!

THE FIRST RAMP LEADING TO THE MONUMENT



I was overjoyed needless to say- all my worries of Vin being able to go upto the monument vanished!!It was a very very high structure and we had to crane our necks to see its end. There were some more ancient structures in the campus and Vin was able to go everywhere- Thanks a ton to 'The Archaeological Survey of India'. Our gratitude is beyond measure :)

RAMPS GOING UP TO THE "RUST-FREE' IRON PILLAR

THE 'RUST-FREE' IRON PILLAR IN THE BACKGROUND




 

It was a beautiful day and inspite of the sun, there was a lovely cool breeze all around. We then left the site to go to another beautiful monument- The Lotus Temple. Its built in the shape of a lotus and somewhat resembles the 'Opera House' of Sydney. But we ran out of luck - All monuments in and around Delhi shut down by 5 p.m. So we could only have a glimpse of it from outside the boundary. Here is how it actually looks like-

THE LOTUS TEMPLE IN NEW DELHI


That was the end of Day 2

 

VINEET GOES TO SEE THE TAJ MAHAL !! DAY 1

It happened so soon, I am still amazed its over - Vineet's trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal!

 



So apparently a year or two back, Vin told his dad he wanted to see the Taj Mahal. I don't exactly recollect why he specifically wanted to see it and not another. So his papa said there will be a school term break in March and we can all go then. Then we forgot all about it. In January this year, Vin was chatting with his grandma who had just returned from her holiday to my younger BIL's home in Abu Dhabi. And he repeated about the Agra trip. That was how we were reminded of it and immediately we did the bookings. Time flew and on 22nd March, we boarded the overnight train to New Delhi (Agra city is just another 200 kms from Delhi).
                    No sooner did we reach New Delhi railway station, when we searched for a ramp, we were told by the coolies there-' The ramp is way off- around one kilometre away. Save time and hire two of us and you'll be out in no time.'Seemed okay to us and we hired two coolies and even then we had Vin being carried by his papa. Papa was very exhausted by the time we climbed a flight of stairs, then walked quite some distance and then another flight of stairs to go down. And all this while I kept thinking to myself- This is my country's capital city and look at its state - ramps have been made miles away!! Our Asansol city railway station is so much easily accessible. Nevertheless...This story is to be carried forward. So please read the end part about New Delhi Railway Station again...

VINEET IN FRONT OF INDIA GATE, NEW DELHI, INDIA

So the first day we planned to around the nearby areas such as 'Rashtrapati Bhawan'(the President's residence) and the 'INDIA GATE". It was a beautiful evening and there was cool breeze all around. Vin took lots of snaps with his camera and saw the R B through locked gates. Many other tourists were also there. Then we took a walk towards India Gate situated nearby. We passed beautiful gardens and the Parliament House as well on the way. But Alas! when we reached India Gate no one was allowed to go up to it, 'coz there had been a haul of bombs by terrorists the day before. So we had to satisfy ourselves by taking snaps from a distance. It was a beautiful place- the parks in front of it- there were families sitting and chatting, small babies in strollers, young couples and plenty of snack-vendors. It was a very homely sight :)