Chp 903. RIP Saddam

I’ve been blogging for almost 20 years now, and every now and then, it hits me just how much time has passed. 

But nothing drove that reality home more than when Shweta messaged me that Saddam, our beloved beagle, had been put down, at the ripe age of 12. 

I remember writing about the day we welcomed him into our lives (Hello Saddam), just a tiny ball of energy. 

Even though I exited from his life a couple of years later because I relocated to Pune, I could never forget the time I spent with him, the number of times he begged to be on my bed wagging his cute and stubby tail, snuggled next to me as I slept while he snored like a mini-thunderstorm, and being the best "good boy" when it comes to waiting for the command to eat his treat even though it was placed right in front of him.

Here are some of his photos I could find on my hard disk.

He came into our lives during our super busy and hectic incubator and start-up days, so Saddam spent a lot of his time in the office with us.

With Siddharth travelling to different cities and countries meeting different VCs and Angel Investors most of the time, Saddam spent most of the nights with me.

Snuggy bear.

Waking up to this every morning was pure bliss.

When I suddenly had to travel back to Mizoram because my dad was in the hospital, I quickly packed my things. And then I turned around... guess who was inside my suitcase, as if to say, "Take me along toooo puleeeze!"

This is how we spent the 31st night, December 2013, together.

When I moved into the bigger bedroom of our 3BHK apartment because one of our flatmates had left, Saddam was excited about getting a bigger bed.

Every time I left my seat in front of my computer to get something, Saddam would immediately occupy my seat, lolz.

His favourite sleeping position.

Awwee. Love how he fits perfectly. Must be so cosy.

And here are some photos of Saddam with our other pets.

Gaddafi and him were like brothers.

Looking at some Bollywood celebs loitering around beneath our apartment. :D

Friday night movie time with the fam.

Pillow fight, lolz.

Cuties.

Saddam with our two new Persians, litters of Sumeet's cats.

He didn't mind them at all, the sweet angel that he was.

Saddam with some of my friends.

Little did Saddam know that the person he was playing tug with below would later become an MLA in Mizoram and probably the future CM? :)

And finally, some of my photos with Saddam.

A very comforting sleep indeed.

I used to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what Saddam was so interested in looking at outside our window.

I ended up sleeping like him too :P

Diwali was the most difficult time for us as Saddam was scared of the noises. And so I used to make him listen to soft music on headphones while hugging him tightly, until the rockets and crackers outside stopped.

And sometimes he would just stare at the ants crawling on the floor so I joined him too. It was exciting. :P

And so, these are the photos I managed to find.

I don't have his later photos because, as I mentioned, I relocated to Pune a few years later. I only saw Saddam again last year when I went to pay my respects at Siddharth's memorial service.

Siddharth and Shweta continued looking after Saddam after I left Mumbai, and he loved his farm visits, like this one time we spent the weekend at Almitra Villa. That farm visit was when Sid initially thought about purchasing his own farm and living there.

But age was catching up with Saddam—he was eventually half blind, his bones were giving way, and his body was slowly failing him from the inside, with the occasional seizures. It’s surreal to think that the same Saddam who ran around the house like a maniac back then, playing with mops and chewing on everything in sight, had grown old and fragile.

It truly puts life into perspective, witnessing an entire life come and go while I’ve been here, sharing my thoughts and stories on this blog. 

Flipping through some of my old posts stirs up a mix of emotions—nostalgia, laughter, and a bit of sadness. I can’t help but smile at memories like the time I accidentally ate Saddam's food and the way he glared at me the next day, as if he knew exactly what I'd done.

And with Sid leaving us last year (Fare thee well Siddharth Rao), there’s some comfort in knowing that Saddam won’t be alone on the other side. I like to think that Sid is waiting for him across the rainbow, ready to give him the warmest welcome with the tightest hug. The thought of them being reunited, two old friends meeting again, truly warms my heart and brings some comfort amidst the sadness.

So here is to Saddam. Cheers. It’s strange how a little bundle of fur can leave such a massive imprint on your heart. I’ll always be grateful for the joy he brought into our lives. 

Farewell, Saddam. You were more than just a pet—you were family. And even though Shweta's farmhouse may now feel a little emptier, I am sure your memory will always fill her with warmth. Love and hugs to dear Shwetz as well. Give our warmest regards to Sid. Good boy!

Chp 902. My LASIK Post-Op Journey

Of Dark Glasses, Eyedrops, and...Spreadsheets?

Welcome back! If you’ve been following along, you probably saw my previous post where I detailed my LASIK surgery adventure at Eye Care Hospital in Aizawl. If you haven’t, I hope you read that first.

Today, I’m diving into what happened after the surgery—the healing process, the little annoyances, and yes, my new hourly relationship with eyedrops.

Post-Op: The Reality Check

So, let me start by saying this—your eyesight doesn’t magically become 20/20 the moment you roll out of the operation room. 

Nah, it takes time to heal, so don’t freak out if you wake up the next day unable to read your WhatsApp messages or even tell who’s calling you from the blurry display on your phone. I legit thought my surgery failed the first time I opened my eyes the next morning. But hey, totally norms! Your cornea is healing, so no need to hit the panic button.

Now, for me, the changes weren’t exactly mind-blowing. Why? Well, in case you missed my epic memoir on wearing spectacles and contact lenses, I’ve been wearing contacts regularly for years, so I was already used to clear vision without glasses. 

It wasn’t like I was seeing the world through a whole new set of eyes—it was more like, “Oh cool, I don’t have to shove my lenses into my eyeballs anymore.”

The Dark Glasses: Enter Rockstar Mode

After LASIK, one of the must-follow rules is to wear dark glasses all the time. Yes, even indoors. And let me tell you, nothing screams "rockstar" like wearing shades while taking a dump. I’m not kidding. I felt like a mix between Stevie Wonder and Bono... but, you know, just in my bathroom.

I even caught myself once doing that classic Rajni Kant move while wearing them. :P

But hey, they’re important! The dark glasses help protect your healing eyes from any bright lights or sneaky finger pokes, so you get used to it pretty fast. Plus, it's a good way to admire all the pretty ladies passing by without any fear, especially if you're an introvert like me. :)

The Eyedrop Marathon: My New Life

Now let’s talk about the real star of this post-op experience—the eyedrops. And wow, were there a lot of them. I had an entire pharmacy in my pocket! Every hour, every two hours, every four hours—there’s always something to drop into your eyes. Here's the lowdown on my daily liquid diet:

• Moxifloxacin (once every hour): This is an antibiotic that helps prevent infections. It’s like the bodyguard of your eyes post-surgery, keeping all the bad guys out.
  
  
• Systane Ultra (once every hour): This is a lubricant eye drop to keep your eyes moist. It’s basically a mini spa treatment for your eyeballs.
  
  
• Fluorometholone (once every two hours): This is a steroid that reduces inflammation. Think of it as the bouncer kicking out any swelling that might show up uninvited.
  
  
• Carboxymethylcellulose (four times a day): Another lubricant to stop your eyes from drying out. Double spa treatment!
  
  
• Nepafenac (once a day): This one’s an anti-inflammatory drop. It’s a bit like popping an ibuprofen, but for your eyes.
  
  
• Retoplex Capsule (once a day): Not a drop, but a capsule that’s supposed to help speed up healing.

So yeah, keeping track of all these drops is like juggling a bunch of important life events every hour. You can’t miss one, or your eyes will be very unhappy!

Gamifying the Eyedrop Routine: Excel Sheets to the Rescue!

Now, as a gamer, I couldn’t help but gamify this whole process. 

Instead of randomly dropping things into my eyes while following the prescription and hoping for the best, I decided to spread out my drops on an Excel sheet to create the perfect schedule. 

I had everything organised—optimum gaps between each dose, all nicely planned out with some variety in between. Yes, I actually treated my eye care like a strategy game. 

Here’s a screenshot of the spreadsheet I made. 

I guess I even levelled up in eye care, lolz.

The App That Saved Me from Madness

Being the tech guy that I am, I thought, "Why not build a simple app to alert me when it’s time to take each drop?" I started planning it out, and then during my research, I stumbled upon this nifty app on Google Play called EyeDropAlarm by someone named Kayur Shah MD. And guess what? It did exactly what I needed.

Yeah, why build a new one when there's already a good one available for free?

In this app, you can easily enter the name of each eyedrop (it even has a list of popular ones already built-in), set the frequency based on my Excel schedule, and boom—a simple alarm system that reminds me when it’s time to drop each eyedrop. 

Here’s a screenshot of my schedule using the app. 

It’s like having a personal assistant for my eyes, and I really do recommend you install the app too once you undergo this surgery. Don't thank me, thank Dr. Kayur Shah MD.

Time Feels Slow... Until It Doesn’t

With all these alarms going off, let me tell you, time seemed to crawl at first. Every hour or half an hour, my phone would go ting, and I’d go, “Oh great, it’s eye drop o’clock again.” 

But then something weird happened—once I got back to work two weeks later, I found myself being more productive. These mini-alarms were like little reminders to take short breaks, stretch, or shift focus, so I wasn’t stuck in front of the screen for hours without moving. 

I found myself working on a project for 4 tings, playing a quick game of AoE IV for 3 tings, going for a short walk across my farm for 1 ting, having lunch while watching the latest LoTR:RoP episode for 2 tings, and then back to the next pitch proposal for 5 tings. Suddenly, my day had a structure, and I was getting more shit done.

The Bottom Line

LASIK recovery might sound like a hassle with all the drops and glasses, but trust me, it’s all worth it. The weirdest thing about the whole experience is realising how much you’ve relied on specs or contacts your whole life, and then one day... poof, you don’t need them anymore. It’s liberating!

The best part for me is waking up after a good night's sleep in the morning to a clear vision, something that my lenses could never offer.

So, that’s my post-op story. I hope it gives you some insights, and maybe even a little inspiration if you’re thinking about going under the laser yourself. I’ll keep you updated on how my vision continues to improve, but so far, I’m loving this new chapter in life—one without fogged-up glasses or poking myself in the eye with contacts.

Until next time, cheers, and happy eye drops!