Ignorance isn't always bliss...

Over the years, my family has contributed to the bank accounts of several medical practitioners. Save for the really serious and scary illnesses (much to my dismay, I might add), between the four of us, we've managed to have pretty much every illness in the books. And managed to visit numerous doctors and hospitals to boot.

Which is why I was rather startled to discover a new side to Indian doctors some time back. Someone in the family is undergoing treatment for something (forthcoming, ain't I? it's not me, by the way) and has been visiting a new doctor (by new, I mean we hadn't honoured this particular place with our patronage previously).

So anyway, this particular chap has been prescribing medicines to us, and as our habit is, we've been coming back home and looking up those medicines on the 'net. (Have I not told you how useful the thing is?!?) And as it turns out, this doctor is not as forthcoming as we'd like him to be. He has prescribed two drugs, one which is for something entirely different from the presenting problem, and another one which can have serious side effects if used for a long time.

Now maybe these medicines are what is needed for our situation, but that does not mean he can give any freaking drug without even explaining to us why he's doing so or what possible consequences there could as a result of these drugs.

My father tells this is very typical of Indian doctors; they like to believe we're all ignorant buffoons and don't need to be told anything beyond the very obvious. I think it's utterly irresponsible of them to do so. Not everyone looks up their prescribed medicines like we do, and there is always the chance that things could go very wrong with the consumption of these drugs. And it amazes me that these doctors can be such idiots.

So I was wondering...

I woke up yesterday morning with a question on my mind.

One of the symptoms of schizophrenia is a "disturbace of thought content" wherein a schizophrenic may experience various forms of delusions or false beliefs.

Now, in the Harry Potter universe, there is potion called Veritaserum. For the uninitiated, Veritaserum is a 'truth potion', just a few drops of which can cause the drinker to spill his/her deepest secrets.

So my question was, if a schizophrenic is given Veritaserum, would (s)he speak the truth as we, the supposedly "normal" people of the world, see it? Or would (s)he continue to express the truth as perceived by him/her?

For the schizophrenic, these delusions are very, very real. So my guess is, even Veritaserum wouldn't be able to make him/her perceive reality the way others around him/her do. Because it would make him/her speak the truth that (s)he sees.

I wake up with weird thoughts.

The best laid plans of men and mice...

I found this really brilliant poem in a book I was reading; thought I'll post it here.

PLANNING

I had planned the meeting of us,
Glad beneath a starlit sky,
Swift compelling arms around me,
While enchanted moments fly.

I had thought of things to tell you,
Only you could understand,
As we walked together,
In a rare enchanted land.

But you came an hour too early,
And the kitchen floor was wet,
I was elbow deep in dishes,
And my hair was in a net.

As I wrung the soapy dishcloth,
My romance was all a wreck,
And for one hot bothered moment,
I'd have rather wrung your neck.

- Sonia Hardie

Ain't it perfect?!? =)