Tuesday 7 June 2016

Lynne Shrum appreciated Dr Ron Virmani

Dear Dannye:

You reviewed my poetry book The Last Good Kiss  some years ago, and I appreciated that from you.  I am exploring gratitude at my ripe age, deep gratitude to people who have made a visceral difference in some profound aspects of my life.

One of these, Dr. Ron Virmani, who delivered my only child in 1990, is the subject of this letter. 

In 1988 (March 27) in Eskisehir, Turkey, where I was teaching English at the University there, I had a stillborn daughter, weighing 600 grams at the 21st week; thereafter, my husband and I vowed to have another child, even though I was 41 at this time.  We returned to the USA in June 1988.  Sure enough on February 14, 1990 I became pregnant for the 2nd time in my life.  While teaching English composition at CPCC and UNCC, I was insured through Kaiser Permanente who appointed Dr. Virmani, originally from New Delhi, a young Rutgers graduate, as my primary physician.

He insisted on having my Turkish medical records and regulated and closely monitored my high risk pregnancy.  Exam visits were bi-monthly instead of monthly.  He performed a surgical cerclage at the 18th week to stitch up the cervix, a preventative measure learned from my previous pregnancy history.  My son Dylan was born with no problems on November 8, 1990.  He weighed nine pounds. 

I attribute this success to Dr. Virmani’s meticulous planning and expertise regarding “older” mothers.My life would have been profoundly different had my child not come into the world.  The stillbirth planted the seed of desire, with the spiritual knowledge of motherhood and its great joys.  My sorrow was turned into a great elation and fulfillment of mothering.  I was immensely happy for those first years, and my exuberance and delight in mothering have never ceased.  My son Dylan is now twenty-four.

Dr. Ron Virmani’s unswerving patience, skill, knowledge and perseverance gave to me this unbelievable gift of a child to nurture for the rest of my life.  I can never thank him enough.

Through the years, we would run into Dr. Virmani at Freedom Park or the grocery store, and we have become friends.  I have been able to truly thank him and let him know the importance of his work.

In 1995, he lost his hospital privileges for reasons unknown to me.  He has been forced to fight for his rights to practice medicine in Charlotte.  I was unaware of his trouble until recently, but I know this man is a capable and excellent obstretics-gynecologic physician.  I hope his rights and privileges will soon be restored.

He has been marginalized in recent years and has performed abortions.  Many anti-abortion political fanatics have made his life miserable for years.  Yet he has persevered.  I will always support him and his right to practice medicine.

Lynne Shrum

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