A Doctor Appointment

Ritcha Saxena is a Pathologist, doctor, with an MD in Pathology and advanced training in the field of Hematopathology. A hematopathologist is someone who studies diseases of the blood such as leukemias, lymphomas, and myelomas. Ritcha has worked in different institutions during the long span of her career. These include studying pathological specimens and using them to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with hematological diseases, and reviewing specialty consults, training medical students, and pathology residents.

Nowadays, she is more focused on the academic side of things as a professor.  Ritcha loves teaching and says “I have always striven to share my knowledge and enthuse others. In fact, I have been teaching for over 25 years, and the way my students can still rouse my curiosity and stimulate me is very rewarding for me. It is perhaps just one of the reasons why I feel just as passionate about my work as I did when I was a beginner. The success of my students is another incredible source of satisfaction to me.”

Ritcha, talk to me about what you are reading, writing, and why?

I am an ardent (closet) bibliophage. I love the smell of old books, so I collect them wherever I can lay my hands on them. In the age of e-books, it is quasi-mystical to me to hold in my hands one of those old musty-smelling paperbacks. I am into fiction as well as non-fiction. Currently, I am reading The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale, and I keep thinking to myself – why hadn’t I done this sooner!

My deep-rooted passion for poetry has been recently rekindled. I have been a poetry aficionado for a long time, but the grind of life had deprived me of the time I used to spend devouring poems. I love free verse, acrostic, and pastoral poetry. To that effect, I have begun composing some of my own lines – based on my life experiences, my fondness for nature, and my love of life. I am amazed by the unanticipated peace and contentedness it has brought me; when I had begun writing these verses, I had never assumed that they would bring about such profound reactions within me. It’s been shocking, but I am now thrilled to have taken this chance!

My academic side persuades me to indulge in medical journals and magazines every now and then. I love to keep up with the latest advances related to my specialty and even otherwise. I also write a few of my own every once in a while. My latest article talks about different strategies I use to teach digitally in a pandemic.

I love to celebrate diversity and embrace peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, and charity. Do we have anything in common?

Absolutely, we do. I believe that diversity is at the core of who we are. Being open-minded and fostering respect for each other is the only way we can get to know each other well. When we celebrate the diversity around us, it opens our eyes to the boundless beauty in everything around us. Instead of letting our differences separate us from each other, we can accept and honor them, and let them bring us together. And aren’t those other traits you mentioned necessary for that? Without kindness, compassion, gratitude, and charity, there can be no peace. In my opinion, when we are able to instill a love and understanding of diversity within ourselves, we automatically become peaceful as we show compassion and kindness to everyone around us.  All of these things contribute to a fulfilling and satisfying life. I strongly believe in imbibing these virtues in my life force and make sure not to let myself get bogged down by the negativity surrounding us.

I had a Kit Kat in grade 5 and fell in love with chocolate. I love chocolate with salt, chilies, and pepper. My favorite was chocolate soup in Mexico. Talk to me about your love for chocolates?

My love for chocolate is not as long-standing as yours. Of course, I enjoyed chocolates as a kid, but I think that love reached the point of addiction during med school when I started gorging on my favorite chocolates for hours while studying! At that time, I was all about caramel, almond, and raisin – infused chocolates. My taste has evolved since then though, and now I am desperately in love with all sorts of dark chocolates! My favorites happen to be Lindt Swiss Dark with Hazelnuts and Lindt Sea Salt Touch. I could eat them all day!

You are a fan of yoga. How are the food, mind, and body connected?

My body is a temple – I have always been a firm believer in that statement. Everything in life requires nourishment in order to grow and flourish. I am enthusiastic about symphonizing food, the body, and the mind with the help of different yoga exercises. Of course, we all know that the body and the brain are anatomically connected. It makes sense that what affects one would affect another and it is not possible to have a healthy body without a healthy mind and vice versa. However, it’s the way that our mindset, emotions, beliefs, and the general approach towards our life affects our bodily performance that I aim to address through yoga. Our minds and bodies are very sensitive to what we eat. It’s not only the physical well-being that is impacted by what we eat, but even the correlation between our emotions – happy, depressive, and anxious – and the foods we consume is widely established. The energy that our food provides, whether positive or negative, permeates every inch of our being and affects us correspondingly. From a bird’s eye view, we can see that it is possible to orchestrate our body in a way to have it function in the most optimal way. You can take care of your body by providing it with proper, balanced meals and your mind and wholesome wellbeing with the help of yoga. Without this interconnection, a risk of disharmony is ever-present. When addressed properly, self-care has the potential to heal almost all aspects of our lives. I am a foodie, and I admit to occasionally eating non-judiciously, whether it is over or under – eating, but at the end of the day, I know that I can depend on the power of yoga to keep me fit.

What is women empowerment and what do you want to see changed?

I believe that women empowerment is synonymous with freedom – the freedom to make choices independently and without fear of retaliation from society. Women empowerment is the ability to experience a journey through life equipped with the same opportunities as our counterparts. Women’s empowerment is the underlying foundation of a stronger society. When a woman is given the tools she needs to move forward towards success, she not only advances herself, but she also brings up the people around her. This is because women, by nature, are nurturers. If you support a woman, you support society. I would like to see more women recognizing their sense of self-worth and their power to make their own choices in life. It would also be good to see women in positions of power, supporting and encouraging other budding women in need of advice. If a woman can realize her power, she will be able to bring about a positive change in her life by seeking and utilizing opportunities to grow. We must educate and motivate women to take on more leadership positions and help them to identify their forte.

Talk to me about some of the topics we do not talk about in the Asian culture and is put under the carpet. Why is it that we should discuss these topics to move ahead?

Every misfortune in life stems from ignorance. Ignoring a problem only leads to the worsening of the situation. There are some topics in every culture that are swept under the carpet, including the Asian culture, with feminism being one of the most difficult topics for people to swallow. In traditionally patriarchal societies, many women in Asian culture are not allowed to seek out their own partner for marriage and are forced to agree to arranged marriages in their own caste/religion system. Many women are not allowed to work or seek higher education after marriage. Many women are not allowed to seek divorce if they are having domestic problems. Of course, I feel that certain progress is being made and it is good to see that awareness is gradually cropping up now. However, the continued ignorance of addressing these problems is still prevalent in some places, and it will lead to a future of more oppression for not only women but the people around them who are also affected by their inability to make decisions for themselves. In order to move ahead, we must not ignore situations that are deemed ‘taboo’ culturally. Raising awareness and creating healthy discussions on these topics is the first step towards moving ahead towards a healthier and stronger society.

Walk me through what you find attractive in a man, looks, charm, being sensitive, artist, writer, or someone who makes you laugh?

Attractive to me is someone who can make me laugh, as you mentioned. Life has so many twists and turns, but to be able to face it all with a smile is one of the biggest blessings. And having someone who can make that happen is even better. I believe that looks are temporary but inner beauty is something that stays forever. Someone who is supportive, empathetic, and attentive and has his own talents & hobbies that he can introduce me to and make me a part of – are other very attractive qualities. I am a simple woman and for me, simplicity is key. A nice laugh, a warm conversation, a beautiful walk on the beach during the sunset … these simple things are attractive to me.

Have you ever thought about your legacy and what do you want it to be?

Honestly, it is not something I have thought very deeply about. However, the broad picture that I have in mind describes my legacy as being of love, respect, and knowledge and wisdom that came from my life experiences. As a child, I was taught to always be kind and respect others. These qualities have been deep-rooted in me from the beginning, and I believe that I have managed to follow them completely. I decided to become a physician when I was in the third grade. Back then, I did not know what it took to become one, but I had seen an elderly couple suffering from a medical ailment, and I instantly wanted to erase their suffering. As I grew up, even though I realized that I could not end all suffering, I feel gratified to know that I have helped ease some, and that is very important to me. I would like to inspire people to help the underprivileged. I also hope that my poetry, which is my way of self-expression, become a part of my legacy.

Now that you have mentioned it, I am probably going to think further and overthink about my personal legacy, until I have got it right and satisfactory to myself.

My daughter is 16. Give her some advice on life, on men, on education, on career, and how to navigate life?

16 is a beautiful age. It is the time in our life where we are on the cusp of growing out of our childhood and experiencing life with a growing sense of maturity. My advice to her on life would be to make sure that first and foremost, she recognizes her goals in life. We all have a purpose in life and the sooner you identify it, the sooner you can start working towards it. Once you have decided what you want to do in life, I advise that you enjoy each moment. You and I will sadly never go back to being 16 again, but if we have enjoyed each moment from that age until now, we won’t feel the need to go back because we will have carried our moments and memories with us. My advice on men would be a little conservative in the sense that I would advise her to keep her eyes open, but not to make a decision to settle down until her education is complete. In the world we live in, a woman must be financially independent and self-reliant. As emotional beings, girls often get blinded by love early in life and it is important to tread the waters carefully and make decisions logically and not emotionally. Commitment to a man is a very important and meticulous decision and should be made with utmost care. I would tell her that navigating life is not that hard if you have a set of principles that you follow. You must always make decisions that are ethical and fair and you must never lose your smile. With these things in mind, life can be very beautiful.