The relaxation technique and philosophy of a busy doctor couple

Kottayam: Dr T. K. Jayakumar,  who created history by conducting the first heart transplant in the government sector in the state at the Medical College Hospital here recently, is a workaholic. But he also finds ample time to relax in his busy schedule as head of the department of cardio-vascular and thoracic surgery at the MCH where he does bypass surgeries frequently. When he gets a few minutes in between examining  the patients at the Intensive Care Unit, he goes into a virtual trance or hums a melody.

 

“Relaxing while attending to the patients is needed  as we have to pay them the  maximum care and attention. Soothing  our minds  is needed to increase our productivity, as a minor error of judgment can make things difficult for us to handle,” Dr Jayakumar explained.  

 

His work stretches for many hours as he has  dedicated his  whole time for the patients and his profession. His attitude was moulded by his father who was  mathematics teacher at the NSS high school, Kidangoor. He had asked him never to worry about money but  be dedicated to one’s profession.

 

He was a discerning political observer and  was interested in  Gandhian  and Nehruvian philosophies before he started his  doctor’s profession.  His wife, Dr  Lakshmi Jayakumar, head of the department of plastic surgery at the MCH, also  “devours anything in print she gets,”  he says.

 

She is a follower of Harry Porter, Jeffry Archer as well as Swami Vivekananda. Impressed by the philosophy of life espoused by  social reformer Sri ‘M’, the couple sent their elder daughter Chinmayi, a tenth standard student,  to  the ‘Peepal Grove’ school in Andhra Pradesh.  Dr Lakshmi, a native of Thiruvalla,  says that it was  through reading his books that they  decided to follow his philosophy of life.

 

She is adept in multi-tasking and manages her household affairs also. Dr Jayakumar gets only limited time to spend with his kids. The younger son Chidanand is a fourth standard student of  Chinmaya school, Kottayam. The couple rarely go for outings together. This has prompted their  daughter to say  that she will never be a doctor.

 

Dr Jayakumar had a passion for agriculture while he was an MBBS and MS student  in  the medical college here and grew crops like paddy, plantain and coconut  in his field at Kidangoor and Ayarkunnam.