Sunday, March 3, 2019

Chapter 54: Prostate Operation

Shri Balkrishna Das ji Maharaj (Shriji)

Shriji had slight fever on 5th May, 1984. Thinking it to be ordinary fever treatment was given but the fever was not cured. A new complaint of urinary obstruction developed. Dr.Kathil was called for and urine was drawn out through a catheter but as soon as the tube was taken out the same complaint crept up again.

It was unanimously decided that Shriji should be taken to Delhi. Kashiramji Saraf was extremely devoted to Shriji and used to live near Venu Vinod Kunj. His car was asked for. He had to go some hwere for important work but instantly agreed to give the car on hearing of Shriji's health. 

Shriji said all of a sudden that a car from Delhi would come on its own to the entrance of Venu Vinod Kunj.

Shri Ghanshyamji askedMaharajji! Neither has anyone been informed in Delhi nor does anyone have a programme to come here Where from will the car come?

  Look, a car will be there at the entrance by seven in the evening,” responded Shriji. 


Shri Vishnu Hari Dalmia

 And surprisingly whatever may have been the reason, Shri Dalmiaji's car came and stood at the entrance of Venu Vinod Kunj, sharp at seven o' clock. Everyone was astonished. It seemed that Shriji had known about the surgery which was to take place by his inner intuitive power.

Delhi

On 16th May, Shriji, Thakurji, Kusumji, Bhagwan Das and I started for Delhi at seven AM. We reached Lalji's place in East of Kailash at 9:30 in the morning. He used to stay on the second storey of a house. Due to excessive weakness Shriji was made to lie down on a bed placed in a room in the lower storey of Guptaji's house, who was the landlord.  Ghanshyamji immediately rang up Dalmia house and informed Lalitaji and Arunaji of Shriji's condition.

They said,You take Shriji and reach 'Jain Medical Centre' (South Extension), we are also coming.

This is exactly what was done.

 Glucose Drip

Dr.Jain began treating Shrji. Glucose was administered and injections were given. Quite a bit of improvement was visible in Shriji's condition by evening and the blocked urine also flowed out fully. Next day he was brought to Lalji's residence by the doctor's permission but the same ailment occurred again. Dr. Jain was phoned and Shriji was taken to the nursing home once more as per his instructions. The tube of the catheter was inserted and all types of urine and blood tests began. Shriji's kidney was examined by an ultra sound but they could not come to any conclusion. 

 Surgeon Mathews, a specialist on the prostate gland, was called for and both the doctors examined Shriji by an instrument for half an hour.  Consequently it was found that the prostrate had enlarged considerably and needed to be operated upon as soon as possible. Finally it was decided that 21st May would be the date of operation.

Preparations for the operation began from the morning itself. Shriji was in a happy mood but we people were standing sadly.


Seeing us dejected Shriji smiled and said,After anesthetising me, let them do anything. How does it affect me? I am least hesitant about going ahead with the surgery.

The operation was to be done at 7:30 in the morning. Thakurji, Kusumji, Manormaji. Albeli Sharanji, Shyam, Madhavi, Neena, Gopi, Lalji, Chopraji, Swami Shri Ramji and many other people were standing outside the room.

Made to lie on a stretcher Shriji was being taken and extreme gloominess had overcast our faces.

Shriji smiled and remarked,What is the need to worry? I will be back in a short while.

However, this was not enough to dispel our sadness.

Mala Jholi

Senior Dalmiyaji Shri Jaidayalji stood with a mala jholi (a small bead bag) in his hands near the head side of Shriji's bed in the operation theatre. He had close relations with Dr.Jain.

I will be standing near Shriji and watching the operation,” he had told the doctor.

Shri Lalji was watching through a glass pane of the outer window in the operation theatre. The operation went on for about two hours and senior Dalmiaji chanted the Name of God, making Shriji hear it by standing near the operation table. Later on Shriji was taken to the ward on a stretcher and made to lie down. Everyone was not allowed to enter the ward at the same time. So all of us changed places and stayed one at a time in the room.


Prostate Gland

Doctor Sahab put the prostate gland in a small metal bowl and showed it to us. It was as big as a small ball.

How much had it enlarged? I asked the doctor,

 Twenty times! he replied,

We were very astonished. Shriji had to undergo a lot of pain due to this condition. The surgery had been done very well.

Dr. Jain had said before the surgery that a lot of blood loss would be there in this surgery so blood would have to be transfused..

I am not going to take anyone's blood,” Shriji had been firm.

The doctor assured Shriji that he would obey his orders as far as possible but on need arising he would not be able to do so as blood has to be transfused in such an operation. Shriji kept mum and did not speak a word.

The doctor had sent for blood from the blood bank and kept it without telling anybody. We of Shriji's parikar wanted that instead of using blood from the blood bank the matching blood group of one of us should be used. Moreover, Lalji, Shri Usha Bhatnagarji's brother Shruti Mohan, Amichandji, Ramesh Kohli, Swami Ramji and all the other people were heartily willing to give blood. On request, Dr. Jain had tested everybody's blood group.


Blood Transfusion

It was a matter of great wonder that there was no requirement of blood transfusion during the operation. The doctors said that not much blood had flowed out as it generally does in such a case. Shriji had vowed that he would not get someone else's blood transfused in his body. How could anything possibly happen against his wish. Later, his haemoglobin count turned out to be 10 on being tested.


Lord Krishna Dwells in Every Fiber of Our Being

How could anyone else's blood be transfused into a person in whom Lord Krishna dwelt in every fiber of his being. Lord Krishna had guarded Shriji's resolution. Swami Shri Ramji was the first person to come to Vrindavan and gave information of the operation's success.

Shriji was extremely restless for a span of three days. When he was brought to the ward and made to lie down after the operation, tubes had been inserted and two small bags had been hung on his either side. That very day Shri Vishnu Hari Dalmia came to see Shriji. Seeing both the bags full of blood he got alarmed and coming out of the room, he began calling out for Jain Sahab,Doctor Doctor!

Jain Sahab came running.

Doctor! What is this happening? The bags are filling up with blood? In case you can't take care of Shri Maharjji's condition, call some other doctor from anywhere, at any cost. Shri Vishnu Hariji was apprehensive as he asked this question.

Don't get alarmed! Shriji's condition is under my control. There is no need to worry,Jain Sahab assured him with a smile.

Shriji would remain cheerful even when he was suffering so much. He would try to get up by himself as far as possible. Though one or two of us would always be there by his side.


Shriji Talked of Shri Radha-Krishna

Senior Dalmia Shri Jaidayalji, Shri Vishnu Hari Dalmiaji, Arunaji, Lalitaji, Induji etc., would come daily to see Shriji whereas he would talk about matters related to God while lying down. Generally some talk about the Divine would go on with Senior Dalmiaji every day.

You are particularly weak now and will get exhausted by talking,we would have to tell Shriji,

 Shriji would say,Okay! Okay!and be quiet for some moments but would start off again to please the visitor. We trembled on seeing his pain but he would remain cheerful even on undergoing such agony. A few days after the surgery Shri Vishnuji had gone abroad. Shriji was not used to passing stool while lying down so he remained constipated for three days due to which his discomfort increased. The doctor had asked him not to sit. Leaving Bhagwandas with Shriji, Ghanshyamji had gone for a short while to Lalji on the third day.

That is when Shriji told Bhagwandas,Well! Make me get down from the bed and sit, which may help in cleaning my bowels.

Even on Bhagwandas refusing to do so, Shriji got down from the bed and sat down.This helped him pass motion and clear his stomach but his inner sutures ripped open with a cracking sound. He felt somewhat relieved but soon after there was extreme discomfort in the operated portion of his body.

 Dr. Jain examined him and revealed,The stitches have burst and he needs to be operated upon again.

The doctor was very unhappy. Shriji was undergoing immense pain therefore arrangements were made to take him to the operation theatre .



Shri Ghanshyamji

Shri Ghanshyamji informed Dalmiaji of this state of affairs by phone.

 I will be coming in ten to fifteen minutes after pooja,”said Dalmiaji.

 Come as soon as possible and perform the pooja later on. , Ghanshyamji was adamant.

Dalmiaji agreed and came to the hospital at once. With the mala jholi  in his hand he stood near the operation table and kept chanting the Mahamantra on the  japa beads.


Shriji had to suffer great pain in this operation but his sobriety never gave way. A tragic event occurred during this time-span. Shri Puroshottamji Dhanuka was badly injured in a car accident and his wife passed away at the accident site. Dhanukaji was admitted to a Delhi hospital and regained consciousness after several days. He had implicit faith and reverence for Shriji. When Shriji got news of this accident in the nursing home he was very sad. He forgot about his own pain and sent Ghanshyamji instantly to see Dhanukaji.

Bestowing his blessings, Shriji sent word,Do not worry. You will be fine.

Though Shri Dhanukaji had regained consciousness he was suffering a lot due to constipation. The doctor's efforts did not bear any fruit.

When Shriji came to know of this state he told us ,Ask him what he used to eat in the morning.

It came to be known that he had the habit of taking chhena or curdled milk in the morning but doctors said that it was harmful to do so in this condition.


Chhena

Give him chhena,” said Shriji.

 Consequently his bowels cleared and gradually his ailing condition improved, and he recovered. Whenever Dhanukaji would come to Venu Vinod Kunj he would not refrain from acknowledging that Shriji had given him the gift of life on this pretext.

Truly, even on lying down in a nursing home in such painful agony there was so much of compassion in Shriji's heart. Not worrying a bit about his own condition and moved by his spirit of helping others in their plight, he freed Dhanukaji from this terrifying condition..

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