Mama La Vida Lanka: Doctors La Vida Lanka

Knowing that hubby and I were ready to add a new dimension to our lives, the first order of the day was to search for an Ob-Gyne.  I had a wonderful OB in Manila so I had high standards for finding one. I set out in my fact-finding mission the best way I know how: Ask.  In November I asked my Sinhala Class friend of referrals but her doctor was an elderly gentleman, and in the Philippines we are used to having a woman for our OB.  So ok fine… next I asked a general practitioner.  During the same time I had an ear infection and after getting checked-up on that I just asked him.  The poor guy must have thought I was crazy as he asked me why.  Or maybe he prescribed something bad for expectant mothers.  Oh well, anyway he referred one of the top ranking Doctors and Professors in the country.  He was also the OB of my officemate – she was ok with it.  Not really liking or disliking but another good friend from the office had an unfortunate experience with him.  It wasn’t like he was a bad doctor or anything but after that incident, she went out to search for another OB that suited her.  So she also referred me to another top ranking Doctor and Professor, Dr. Harsha Seneviratne, chair of the Vindana Reproductive Health Center. 

Photo courtesy of doctorcrab.blogspot.com

So I decided to pay doctor a visit last March.  The first thing that “shocked” me was the place was apparently a fertility center.  So the intern was asking me how long have I been trying and actually found it strange that I wasn’t trying that long yet I came knocking on their doors.  Doctor of course understood why I was there, I had a check with him and he gave me some tips as well as a prescription for Folate Tablets even when you’re still trying to conceive (TTC).  Second shocker was that I had such a pleasant experience with the fellow.  He is a grandfatherly man and I felt like I could work with him.  Apparently being with a male OB wasn’t all that bad. 

However another friend from work recommended her cousin’s OB.  A woman.  During the same time that I took a schedule with Dr. Harsha, I also took a schedule with Dr. Nalini Prasad.  But apparently she has quite a waiting list and I was locked in for April 23.  More than a month of waiting.  I said, ok fine let’s just go and see.  You see, aside from her being a her, the hospital where she channels* (and I would assume deliver) is just a 5 minute drive from our place.  So in all practicality, it was the best deal for us.    

Now looking back, there was some sense of order in all that frenzied search.  One, I think the “vibes” of the fertility center (and the magical hands of Dr. Harsha) rubbed off on me and gave me some fertility magic.  Second, who would have thought that a month from the time I would see Dr. Nalini, I would actually go there for my 1^st pre-natal visit?  The world works in mysterious ways.  And it has a funny way of leading you to your OB Gynecologist!  Now let’s see how it leads me to our baby’s pedia…

*Channel is a term they use here for holding a clinic.  And did you know that both doctors operate in a centralized environment?  Shared secretaries and cashiers?  Quite different from how it is back home. 

Doctor Contacts

Manila OB-Gyne

Dr. Ado Morales

St. Luke’s, QC

(632) 7230101, 7230301 (trunkline)

Colombo General Practitioner

Dr. Shabir Akbarally

Alshifa Medical Center

14 Sakvithi Lane

Thimbirigasyaya

(011) 2585424

Lanka OB-Gyne

Dr. Harsha Seneviratne

Vindana Reproductive Health Center

9 Barnes Place, Colombo 7

(011) 2682102, 2689685, 2671079

Lanka OB-Gyne

Dr. Nalini Prasad

Lanka Hospitals

578 Elvitigala Mawatha

Narahenpita, Colombo 5

(011) 5431131


Note: After 6 months and a dose of creative inspiration, I've changed the series title from Mommy Diaries to Mama La Vida Lanka :-)