Rama did not immediatelyinspire confidence in her patient. Any fool could see, she explained in matter-of-fact tones, that it would be a mistake to proceed with medical treatment if the stars in heaven were aligned against me.įor all her majestic self-assurance, Mrs.

Her medical role was to ascertain my place in thecosmos in that way, she could determine whether the timing was propitiousfor me to be healed. Rama told me that she was connected to the clinic'sDepartment of Yajnopathy, an ancient Indian specialty that roughlyequates to astrology. As she set up her equipment-on a painted wooden board,she carefully arranged a collection of shells, rocks, and statuettes ofHindu gods-Mrs. Rama's diagnostic work is covered by Indian medicalinsurance. Still, her professional services wereconsidered an essential element of the medical regimen at India's famousArya Vaidya Chikitsalayam, the Mayo Clinic of traditional Indian medicine. It wasn't exactly medical equipment they were carrying, becauseMrs.

Rama came sweeping into my hospital roomwith the haughty grandeur of a Brahmin empress, wearing a salmonpink sari and leading a retinue of assistants, interpreters, and equipmentbearers. Read an excerpt of 'The Healing of America' below, and head to the 'GMA' Library for more good reads. could learn from their shortcomings and successes.īy talking to experts, from government officials to doctors, Reid discovered inspiration in the ways some countries can give their people quality health care at an affordable cost. Reid took a tour of other countries to explore their answers to the health care conundrum and find out how the U.S. While the president's plan has recently come under fire from Republicans and voters alike, author T.R. 24, 2009— - It's a topic that has dominated the headlines and President Obama's time for months now: health care in America.

The Healing of America by T.R. Reid