I had worked with Dr. Anthony Capobiano for over 25 years and stayed socially in touch till his passing away January 21, 2017. His eldest son asked If I would give a talk at a reception lunch. I felt privileged at the request and discussed with Raj about my speech. I was a little apprehensive regarding speaking to an audience of over 150 people, not my usual doctors, nurses and hospital staff, but businesspeople, community leaders, Mass Maritime Academy Leaders and of course some familiar faces.

I agreed to give a talk in their honor.

My talk:

David, Jack, Paul, Jamie, and your wonderful families, I am honored today to speak about your Dad Toni, and your Mom Eileen very dear people in my memories for ever.

My Introduction to those who don’t me. I am Sadhna Bhatia, Retired Anesthesiologist, I had the privilege to work with Dr Capobianco 1973 -1998 till his retirement.

I can write a book on our journey together but today only a few memorable moments. I joined LMH in Feb 1973 after leaving Brigham and Women Hospital.

My welcome was warm by Dr Mario Ablondi the chief of Anesthesia and the nurses in the OR.

Meeting Dr Capobianco also known as the Godfather and Dr Johnston the roaring tiger always loud was a bilateral culture shock. For them and for me.

A Few years back at lunch Toni going down memory lane reminisced. Sadhna when I saw you first time I was scrubbing at the sink, and I asked Dr. Ablondi who is that girl? of course in the 70s only 20% females were in Medical schools but that was no excuse.

The 2 of them thought I was an Alien from a lonely planet. Incomprehensible for their imagination that I was going to be a part of their team anesthetizing their patients for many years to come.

At the start our everyday journey together was not smooth. After being on the Harvard Faculty, I now had to build my profile at the bottom of the ladder. Many everyday benign happenings, arguments and discussions regarding patient care were the norm. Toni’s theory was doing things only one way. Toni’s way.

I soon realized that in these surroundings for a woman to be their equal was a challenge. Especially as I had 2 F’s before my name Foreigner and a Female. There were no other full time Female doctors on the entire staff.

I soon realized I could not afford to make any mistakes and was navigating my path carefully walking on thin ice in unchartered territory. Slowly as time went by we made steady progress They were learning and I was learning.

I bit my lip and started addressing Dr Capobianco to Tony after he mentioned to me that only 2 people in this world addressed him as Anthony, his mother and me. They made fun of my accent and more for a good laugh.

Dr Johnston’s permanent mantra was Those woman Drs with a few strong adjectives before, By now though I was not a part of the Boys room I had graduated from Dr J’s school woman Doctors. My Degree or diploma was you are different This was my promotion and complement. Frequently his comments on those woman Drs and my reminder I was a woman Dr .His answer was you are different.

One day they were determined to not attend a lecture by a woman doctor, I persuaded them to go, and they were very complimentary of the speaker with full praise. They were changing and i was changing together learning from each other, They voted me to serve on the Hospital Executive Committee and Chairperson of my Dept 1980-1995 till the merger of LMH and FU.

In 1996 David’s wife Kim was scheduled for A Cesarian Section. I was asked to administer Anesthesia. Dr Gordon the Obstetrician was from FU never met him before Same as Toni’s personality. Meeting Kim and David for the 1st time I was mentally prepared ,ready to start at 7.30 sharp next I learn David will be in the room and that Toni will be assisting. OMG, I was electrocuted for a few secs. My adrenaline reached its peak, regaining my composure I proceeded.

Thank God all went well with 3 men and a baby healthy Brady was born. All is well that ends well. We had established a long term relationship of respect and warmth for each other giving Medical care to our families. In two words, Eileen was a LIVING ANGEL. 

Tony offered to accompany me to India to give medical care to My Dad. This was very touching leaving permanent memories.

2 months before he passed away, he was talking to me on the phone and expressing his comfort level of sharing his thoughts with me.

He was a great friend, an excellent Doctor, and a mentor. He was a one-man mega institution, Repeating from my dad’s eulogy.

Thanks Toni and Eileen for sharing the amazing journey together of our time capsule, Celebrating and sharing happy times together and supporting during sad happenings.

Thank You all

Received a lot of appreciation from the Audience, and the family.

I received an email from Paul: April 23, 2021

Hi Sadhna,

I have been out of touch with you for far too long. I would like to rectify that soon.

I’m reaching out because I just received my copy of your book, and I practically opened it up by chance on the page about Dad. Your words about what it was like for a woman to work with him mean the world to me. I know it is an honest portrayal of him at work because I knew him so well outside of his work.

I want to share with you that just an hour before receiving your book this morning, I was talking with a therapist about how Dad never recognized the value of women in his life and that this had a profound effect on me as I never saw eye to eye with Dad, most certainly not around women’s rights and the roles of women in society. Hearing someone else’s perspective on the subject I had just been reflecting on was quite moving.

So thank you, Sadhna, for your honesty and perseverance to win The Godfather over. You inspire me.

Would love to see you once this pandemic is over.

~Paul