Dear Devotees and Friends,
please accept our humble dandavats pranams. All glories to Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga and all glories to Sri Sri Radha Vinode Bihariji.
The news of Srila Gurudeva’s health has made the last ten days a very challenging period for all of us. We appreciate that this is especially hard for all of you who are far away in physical distance from Srila Gurudeva. Nevertheless your response and support has been overwhelming. So much concern, love, care and affection has been expressed for Srila Gurudeva — your letters, health recommendations and willingness to help is staggering. We are sorry if we have not conveyed this to you earlier. Our primary concern has been to address the problem by ensuring that Srila Gurudeva has the best medical care available. We would like to take a moment to give you a better idea of what is going on, and to correct any misunderstandings that have arisen from our previous reports.
Firstly, it is important to emphasise that we are dealing with a dynamic situation — one that requires care, a cool head and the best medical advice. As you can imagine, a diagnosis is not always black and white and it takes time, reflection and second opinions to get a clear picture. Only then, under the guidance of experienced doctors can a healing strategy be decided.
As mentioned, many of you have stepped forward with cures, healers, doctors and a host of alternative therapies. We thank you for this and we are open to good ideas. At the same time it is important to emphasise that any remedy has to work as part of a holistic plan of systematic treatment that is overseen and coordinated by Srila Gurudeva’s physicians.
Dr Raju is Srila Gurudeva’s leading physician. He has the responsibility of working with other specialists to coordinate a systematic treatment. Dr Raju is a highly experienced MD and Ayurvedic physician in charge of the Maharishi Ayurvedic Hospital in Delhi. He visits and examines Srila Gurudeva every day and he oversees all the treatment and medicines given to Srila Gurudeva to ensure that they work in compliment and do not conflict.
Without going into too much detail, we can tell you that Dr Raju is overseeing treatments that include: Ayurveda (including Pancha-Gamya and Tulasi Patra), Homeopathy, Naturapathy and other specialised remedies such as probiotics.
Diet plays a crucial role in Srila Gurudeva’s recovery. He has approved a strict healthy diet that Srila Gurudeva’s cooks follow. Currently this diet is a balanced and nutritious liquid diet.
Under the direction of Dr Ray and in coordination with Dr Raju, Dr Tamopaha Prabhu from the Philippines, is administering a vitamin intravenous remedy to restore some of Gurudeva's vitality as well as special dietary super-food and protein supplements. Some of you may know that both Dr Ray and Tonopah Prabhu have been faithful disciples and physicians to Srila Gurudeva for many years.
Regarding the ONKO-SURE-DR-70 blood test previously mentioned in our last report, we have more information we want to share with you. We spoke with one of the executives of the company in the USA that manufactures the test who clarified the purpose and scope of the test. He explained that the test is a “marker test” and is a useful measure of how well a treatment is working. This means that the first test that we reported on will serve as a reference for future tests that we take (every two or three weeks). This will give us a way of knowing how well the various therapies are working. We will keep you informed of the next test results.
After Srila Gurudeva’s doctors consulted each other, they concluded to the best of their knowledge (based on the hospital reports including the biopsy, catscan and various other tests) that Srila Gurudeva does have cancer. While it is difficult to ascertain the actual severity without invasive surgery, the number of lesions shown in the CT scan suggest stage four. Stage four means that there are lesions in more than one place in the body. Having said that, Srila Gurudeva’s physicians are hopeful of a cure and are working together as well as consulting oncologists (cancer specialists) in Delhi and New York who are providing second opinions and ongoing advice.
You will be glad to know that Dr Raju has appointed an associate of his, one Dr Panka, to take up residence at the Math so that Srila Gurudeva has a doctor on site twenty four hours a day. Further, to ensure best medical practice, three log books have been set up: one for medicine; one for diet; and one for taking Gurudeva's pulse (an important diagnostic method in Ayurvedic medicine).
In summary, Dr Raju is the lead doctor who coordinates all of Srila Gurudeva’s care. All of you have done a huge service in provding medicines, organic produce, pure water, and a wide assortment of needs as they arise. We can not do this without you. Without your prayers, support, patience, and understanding. This is all very new to us and we have done our best to work hard at responding quickly and carefully to the situation. We hope you will forgive any shortcomings on our part, especially in responding to your concerns. Our principle focus has been on getting Srila Gurudeva’s treatment right. We assure you that we are doing everything possible to administer a successful cure to your Srila Gurudeva. The medical team is top-notch. The alternative remedies are very promising. And of course, Srila Gurudeva is not an ordinary soul. He is Sad-Guru. It’s up to us to inspire him to stay with us, to help us by letting us serve him for many more years to come
Rest assured — we will keep you informed of Srila Gurudeva’s progress. Your prayers, chanting and expressions of love and devotion are a most powerful cure. To this Srila Gurudeva is responding very well.
In humility and dependence on your blessings, we remain your humble servants,
Vaisnavadasanudasa,
Swami B.V. Madhava and Sriman Yasodananda das
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