The CareStack Journey

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

- Seneca

Before I start, this is not going to be motivational or inspirational to anyone. So if you are in some urgent work, please continue without wasting your time reading all along.

I'd like to use the first 2 letters for each one I'd be referring to.

I still remember the day I was interviewed. Ja, Ar and An. Keeping aside all the other questions that they asked me, there is this 1 question that's still there in my mind. "What are the factors that affects a traffic light signal?", was the question. I was clueless and didn't know what or how to answer it. I didn't know if they were expecting any specific answer. But somehow I got selected. I still remember 2 people from that day. Sw and Mi.

First day, I still remember our office space. The 6th floor space. Not the one we see now. It was the older version, with the Terrific Minds team sharing the space. I still remember the reception sofa. An must be the person to thank for that I guess.

I can't show who's sitting there besides me. But after all these years, that 6th floor looks so different right?

GMG 2016

Let me know if I'm not allowed to share such videos, but I find it so amazing, to watch them after all these years. Ad, Ar, Vi, An, Ad, Je, Ji and Jo, everyone so chill at work, was actually having fun at Fuze.

The days I used to walk home, to the Man Villa Mansion around 3-4 KMs because I didn't know there was a cut-road through the Puttukada to the bypass. And later I figured out there was this extra superb short-cut to my home-space, the mansion.

That, and everything else in Trivandrum reminds me of Au. You can't dream for a better man to be with you, especially when you're new to a place. Covering up everything, helping me out on anything and everything. I actually used to live on him. I still remember, the people who joined at around that time. If I start mentioning everyone, then this is gonna go a long way.

I guess I have to. Au, Mi, Sw, Mi and me joined that very same day. But the newbies list was longer. Ar, Pr, Re, Em, Su, Sa, De, An, Ha, Ak, Ni, Fi, Bu and De were some others. I had a secret crush on many of them, strongest being on Au, for sure.

Sr, Am and Ar were 3 other people who were seniors for me there. Sr had this thickest beard who I knew from that day is going to be an architect for sure some day. The other 2, later I got to know that they've just joined few months back only.

Later at a point Th came in. He was somehow friends with As. Wi was there. When I try to recollect all those memories, it is so much a different feeling that I can't explain it all in words.

Btw, Fuze was CareStack's name at that time. And later at some point, when we all started to hear that Fuze was gonna get renamed to CareStack, my first reaction was ew. Fuze was so cool, but CareStack? But see how, CareStack as a product turned out to be. Dream Journey for sure.

Going through the old photos and videos, oh I can't share this dance practice video for sure.

And around that time, we had taken the 10th floor and work was in-progress. The space looked something like this.

I still remember, the notes that I had made. Have pictures of it. Entity framework, MVC, Action filters and SQL server being some points I've noted down. REST, HTTP and SOAP. None made sense to me those days. Who knew, people were making careers out of those simple words.

Just imagine the thought process behind those minds. Ab, Va, Ar and Ja. I don't seriously know if they knew Fuze Care System would be today's CareStack.

Ah, we had this Care earlier too. Fuze Care System, CareStack, haa.

My space in the 10th floor was a perfect one. And I used to have this leg rest always in my space because I lean back too much while sitting at my space and working.

This looks perfect. I miss this spot today.

It used to be a little too cold for me coz of the AC vent blowing directly at me, but still I loved that spot.

Some other people that comes to my mind quickly, Aj, Ab, As, Ab etc. Ya, you know it, I'm not using names so that I don't want people to think I missed them.

Pr was my lead at that time I guess. I was working on Fuze Labs, a separate project if I remember it correctly.

This picture, this bike. Where it was taken and at what time. I guess the 1 person who was there with me, would exactly remember me capturing this moment.

The day, Vava Suresh had come in, that night, I still remember that day.

This is more of like a personal journal for me, so if it has been too boring, please stop, it's only gonna get more boring.

Gifts, I've never had someone give me gifts all my life.

That too started to happen.

Ah this picture also reminds me of that shirt of mine. I used to love it too much that people used to ask if I actually wash it or not.

I used to, or maybe I'll make sure I'll wash it in the weekends.

More people started to come into the team. Ar came in. Ro came in. During this time, I still was in the Fuze Labs project.

There were back to back celebrations happening. Onam, Christmas etc. something or the other was an occasion for us to celebrate at work.

Running through all those memories, I realize how much I love pizzas and brownies.

Re, De and An were some people that joined new. Sh was another person, who used to secretly share us the WiFi password.

Me and An started our journey on Fuze Labs from then. He was a very fun person to work with. I guess, he was the one who taught me what Extension Methods were. I have no idea why I remember it so clearly till date.

Sh, Vy and An were again 2 new people into the team. Na joined the team around that time itself, being the main architect of the whole gang.

That was the time when I was moved from Fuze Labs into Patient services. An was my lead during that period. A terror-coding man with sharpest C# skills I've ever seen.

And not very far from that change, I was into the BI team. Sr was leading the team. Around that time is when I actually got to know that all heavily bearded people were not so cruel but intelligent people with high IQ I'd say. That's the time when I met Ad, St, Sh, Ji and Sa.

Va used to address the team. I remember days when I had goosebumps listening to the CareStack dream we had at that time. At times, I used to be called in and Va used to make sure that I'm comfortable at work.

If you can keep everyone's morale at CareStack, the way you kept mine, I guess it changes everything.

CareHack event happened at CareStack during that time. Yeah, I guess by that time, we've changed the Fuze Care System to CareStack, and we wanted to put it out that we are CareStack. Unlimited food and TT and you get a chance to solve some real-time market problems. And a hefty prize money too. What else do fresh aspirants need?

We played a TT tournament inside the 10th floor space. That was a memorable event. The only problem being, sometimes there would be a critical P0/P1 priority issue fix going on in one side of the space, but the TT tourney still would be going on in the other end.

That was a time when food, movies and work was the only thing that was happening in life. In between, there were office parties, cricket tournaments and other fun at CareStack stuffs going on.

Around that time is when the new 6th floor was inaugurated. Again the team was planning to get back to 6th floor. Also the design looked exciting. And the carpet floors, we all were missing those carpet floors that were not there in the 10th floor.

Endless nights spent at office. Countless brunches and dinners with everyone at CareStack. All memories seems to be the best that I've had in my life.

I can't recollect the number of releases we have made during those times. There were issues, in the product, UI, architecture or quality of code, whatever it was, it was taken care of and pushed to PROD.

The same release floor where we used to have demos where used to watch football matches at night. Movies used to be played at night at times for those who're too bored at work.

That's when the football phase at CareStack started, we started to build a football team and slowly turf matches started. Ad and Sh was my main football partners.

And then At came into our team. Ma also came in. It was the second phase of the BI team. And the move to the second phase was not a smooth one. There were a lot of hiccups.

I remember days when Ab would put the team in red zone and try to push our limits. The very next day, Va would come in and try to motivate us in a totally different way. I know it had hurt many people, maybe including me at times, but it was all fun. It is all happiness when thinking about all those days.

One day, I was at my desk. It was 12-1 AM and mostly everyone was out of office. I don't exactly remember what I was working on, but was onto something. Suddenly I hear a voice saying, "Take it, and eat it", and a burger was placed on my desk. Even though I was a little hungry, out of reflex I said, "No thanks, I had dinner". The next reply that came in was, "Then throw it away" and he walked away. That is Ab for you. A crazy person with remarkable dedication.

Time was well spent those days in the 6th floor.

Slowly the team was starting to sync up. In between that, I remember fracturing Ad's left hand if I remember correctly. Ad mann, I never intended to push you. Never ever ever.

That was a short period where I was loaned to the Appointments squad. It was an already set squad where I guess my presence had only worsened things there. De was leading there. St and Su was there for the main support. I guess I slowed down your velocity of work there. Couldn't openly say it then, now I'm saying it.

When I only talk about the good things and happy memories, there are people leaving CareStack too all along the way. For a wide variety of reasons. I've learnt that it is all part of the game. Also CareStack has done mistakes, obviously, but now is the time for the sweet memories.

Around that time was when Ma had joined the team and At had bought his bike.

While all of this was happening, BI solution was reaching a certain point of maturity.

Numerous dashboards were up and running in PROD and Analytics was going to be the next big thing.

The steering wheel of CareStack!

Btw, who is that standing besides those Power BI dashboard? This photo is so ironical, he used to stand besides me whenever I actually needed a support. Mann, we needed that "One Last Ride" but Corona, ufff.

During those days, at CareStack, it was more of like going to a place you love the most and spending time there while at the same time getting things done. Releases were getting smoother for the BI team.

Haha, the sleeping box. That bed.

Simply can't count the days I've spent there.

I'd say, never, or maybe most of the time, at CareStack the work is not hectic. It is more of like spending time at a wonderful workplace and working. Life was so beautiful back then.

This was the time when Un too had joined the team.

This view has been one of the iconic views at CareStack.

For the people who've experienced it, they'd know when and where this view is.

I guess this is the time when there was a slow transition for the BI team as such.

Also we were slowly starting to move back to the 10th floor space. At first the deployment team, today known as TOPS or NOC moved upstairs.

Then slowly the development team followed after the BA team people had moved.

Have I used this Tv more for checking on the database utilization alerts, or watching YouTube? It's hard to answer.

By this same time, was our transition to laptops from desktops. I don't know what triggered it, but that decision is what helped us mainly during the Covid period the most.

At the accounts team, it's always been Na who'd helped me out on anything and everything. I remember him teaching me to taxes for the N number of times and again I'd go to him the next time. I guess, Na, from now on I'll have to do taxes on my own.

In between all this, there are innumerous food-hunt going on with Ad.

That was again when the transition was getting stronger. Sa came in to lead the BI team and a new phase was starting again. The problem with a team getting transformed is the velocity and momentum with which the existing team was running will be thrashed and killed.

Similar is the case when the Product Owner of a team is getting changed. The vision and dream of the PO would the primary road-map for the module. Especially for BI, it was very important that we needed to keep the team intact.

But most of the time, shuffling and transition phase happens and the team's velocity gets killed.

Sa came in and brought back the vibe in the team. The energy was back and the team was getting back into its tracks.

That's again when after a long time Au came back to the team. I guess after around 3 years. Team was getting a very strong base.

Also our lead Sa was having too many fans around that, people around aiming high started to look up to him as a role model.

That is I guess when the dark dense clouds started to hover above me.

Can 2 people alone eat this? Yes, right Sh? Those meat over-loads! Crazy times.

I've learnt many, no, everything from being at CareStack, but one of the important lessons that I learnt is how to solve larger than hands problems.

If we have a pretty big problem in hand, and have no clue on how to solve it, write down just the steps as comments first. Then change each of the comments into methods. Then slowly change each methods 1 by 1 into the solution. It'll surprise you how it all will end.

I don't know how I'll pay them back, both Sh and Sa during that period.

They somehow pushed those clouds away from me. That's when Ji, Pr, Sa, Ay and Ad had joined the team. Even Un was there in the team I guess. Even Ma came into the team not very late.

Then it was the Covid period where most of the work was WFH, in fact all work. That's the period when Sa was the one with whom most of my discussions would be.

I'll never forget how the current data-warehouse had grown up. It was all Sa's vision and I wanted to learn it all so I just tagged along to learn things. The way discussions turned into solutions, ideas turned into frameworks and thoughts turned into all night long conversations was super-fun.

Also that is when the last phase of the BI team, as far as I know it started. This was again a golden phase where the base was being strong. The team was strong. It was a deadly combo of people with varied skills.

Unbelievable team players and the team was floating high with back to back fantastic releases. But that is when the dark gloomy clouds again started hovering above me. Also I started to realize that there was something missing for me at CareStack.

I have to say that Sa had personally made me jealous of the dedication with which the work was being handled. Above everything else, the dedication was the key.

The reasons being many. For me, I had to experiment something else, so that I could make sure I'm following my instincts, something was missing for me. Thus with all the good memories, the experimental journey is going to start, a new beginning. Some more memories at CareStack is in this album.

More Photos

The only question that was left out was, this player. He should've moved further forward right? He should've. But have he? If not, isn't there something that's not right?