Serious medical condition

[meeno8]

First I apologize for this post, which is not really of the nature of rasika bhakti per se.  I have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and will be started on chemotherapy soon, once all the tests are completed.  I have a PET scan this afternoon, and had a biopsy on Monday this week.  All family and friends (the Christians) are praying on my behalf.  I've only notified Nityananda Das and my guru-bhai Jagadish Das by email.  I won't go into the details of symptoms of intense pain, which require a prescription opioid to manage.  

When I was feeling quite ill with stomach issues in Vrindavan in 1980, I went to visit the late Mani Babu (Sri Manindranath Guha).  I sat in his living room doing my japa on my mala as he did the puja for his thakurs he inherited which are something like 3 centuries old by their provenance.  All of a sudden my stomach was fine.

I will keep everyone posted on this thread as treatment progresses.  There is an adjunct to the chemo, which has been 'miraculous' in shrinking the cancer to undetectable levels in some studies over the past 17 years.  It involves the use of alpha lipoic acid and low dose naltrexone.  And there is the cutting edge of robotic surgery, if Medicare will cover the high cost of that.  

Jai Sri Radhe, Jai Sri Govinda, Jai Nityananda, Jai Gaur 

iti,  mrd

[Nityānanda dāsa]

Dec 7, 2023 8:21:44 GMT -6 meeno8 said:

First I apologize for this post, which is not really of the nature of rasika bhakti per se.  I have been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and will be started on chemotherapy soon, once all the tests are completed.  I have a PET scan this afternoon, and had a biopsy on Monday this week.  All family and friends (the Christians) are praying on my behalf.  I've only notified Nityananda Das and my guru-bhai Jagadish Das by email.  I won't go into the details of symptoms of intense pain, which require a prescription opioid to manage.  

When I was feeling quite ill with stomach issues in Vrindavan in 1980, I went to visit the late Mani Babu (Sri Manindranath Guha).  I sat in his living room doing my japa on my mala as he did the puja for his thakurs he inherited which are something like 3 centuries old by their provenance.  All of a sudden my stomach was fine.

I will keep everyone posted on this thread as treatment progresses.  There is an adjunct to the chemo, which has been 'miraculous' in shrinking the cancer to undetectable levels in some studies over the past 17 years.  It involves the use of alpha lipoic acid and low dose naltrexone.  And there is the cutting edge of robotic surgery, if Medicare will cover the high cost of that.  

Jai Sri Radhe, Jai Sri Govinda, Jai Nityananda, Jai Gaur 

iti,  mrd

Radhe Radhe! Dandavat pranam!

No need to apologize Dada, disease is the nature of this world as you know. I'm sorry (again) to hear about your ill health. While I doubt that Radha Govinda are concerned with anything I ask of them, I do pray to them to cure your health, and allow for you to do more bhajan seva with us. 

These days the symposium seems like a ghost town, myself being one of the ghosts who pops in here and there to see if anything's been happening. Nor have I contributed anything in quite a long time. While I'm semi-interested in providing an update myself, I also don't know what the use of it would be. The people I want to know know. Or certainly the close people to me can reach out if they want. 

Chemo doesn't sound fun. I was supposed to do (interferon) chemo for my stage three melanoma back around 2002. I didn't do it due to some logistical issues and lack of follow up. I was doing some 'natural' stuff, which seems to have worked as here I am alive and kicking with no melanoma. Granted they did do a few surgeries to remove it as well, so I can't chalk it all up to 'natural stuff'. Nor am I in any way suggesting you go the 'natural' route. 

I feel I may have opened a can of worms by bringing that up. But the ghost worms/trolls aren't very active here these days, so I'm hoping there won't be an armchair/computer jockeying of internet nonsense debate about that. 

But again, I hope you are and can be as well as you can. Cancer is no joke. I hope you can find some relief, solace, and shelter in Bhakti. Please feel free to reach out to me directly. 

Iti sevak,
Nityananda das

[meeno8]

Thanks Nityananda das ji. This type of aggressive cancer is not like melanomas. It is considered to be extremely difficult to treat. There is no 'natural' route to even consider. Just the standard treatments that are available.

[malati]

Minakaten dasji

I'm very sad to hear of your medical condition. I don't know what to say but just to say that I will be praying to Radha Krishna that they'll give you the best outcome for your condition.

There are medical evidence that ketogenic diet is beneficial for cancer patients.

Today, I was being philosophical; talking about the temporariness of life on this planet, soul's journey to take on another body, that separation causes suffering because of attachment, etc. (I hope these don't sound morbid to you, Meenadasji) Why? Because our 13 & 1/2 year old Border Collie passed away this morning of brain cancer. It was very aggressive; no symptoms at all, except her very first seizure that was just 19 days ago, when she was diagnosed, then, she's taking medication and today she passed. Before and after she passed I chanted on her ear the mahamantra, hoping that her atma's journey will lead her to a higher type of body that will get her to the path of bhakti.

A relative has prostrate cancer though this kind is very slow progressing.

Whatever you want to share with us, I'm very interested to know. I'll keep you in my prayers

Jai Sri Radhe

[malati]

When I say ketogenic, I mean a plant based diet that is low in carbohydrates and more of protein and fat.

All nuts have high fat and protein. I eat walnut from the pack for breakfast and for snacks practically everyday. Avocado, tahini (good to use in pasta), cheese, plant oils (especially olive), butter, margarine (with stearol, naturally occurring in plants is also good for heart health), are good sources of fats. Incorporate them more in your cooking.

Try to eat more Asian greens and green salad and use olive oil as dressing. Use coconut cream in curries and other recipes. Try to be more ingenious. I am for convenience. Carrot cake mix from supermarket for example, which you only need to add carrot and egg ( which I replace with No Egg egg replacer), I add almond meal to enrich with fat and protein.

[meeno8]

My deepest sympathies on the loss of your canine companion. Thanks for the advice. I've been on a keto regimen for several years, which helps greatly with my type 2 diabetes. My doctor told me that it does not work for everyone.

[malati]

Meenakatendasji

I would suppose Nitai das has communicated with you privately. However I would like to know why Nitaidas is not actively making himself known to be still visiting his forum? Is he abandoning it?

It's one thing for a member like me, to not visit this site for 2 years but it's a completely different kind of thing for a site owner to let this site just float on in cyberspace.

Many devotees here researched verses, spending an hour for example , before writing a 10 minutes posts here. I don't want those to disappear forever if no one can be bothered anymore with this site. Madanmohandas spent long hours just to be able to post something.

Nitaidasji, if you're not interested to look after this site, I'll be happy to pay for the expenses to keep this site online. Please message me on here.

Or maybe someone can please point my post out to Nitaidas. Thanks

[meeno8]

I lost my balance and fell on the hard marble kitchen floor. I then had to be rushed to the hospital by the village fire dept. ambulance. Luckily nothing was broken at least.

[Nityānanda dāsa]

Dec 22, 2023 18:19:45 GMT -6 malati said:

Meenakatendasji

I would suppose Nitai das has communicated with you privately. However I would like to know why Nitaidas is not actively making himself known to be still visiting his forum? Is he abandoning it?

It's one thing for a member like me, to not visit this site for 2 years but it's a completely different kind of thing for a site owner to let this site just float on in cyberspace.

Many devotees here researched verses, spending an hour for example , before writing a 10 minutes posts here. I don't want those to disappear forever if no one can be bothered anymore with this site. Madanmohandas spent long hours just to be able to post something.

Nitaidasji, if you're not interested to look after this site, I'll be happy to pay for the expenses to keep this site online. Please message me on here.

Or maybe someone can please point my post out to Nitaidas. Thanks

Radhe Radhe Didi-ji.

We probably should move this turn of conversation to its own thread. I'm sure Nitai-da has a look here and there. This forum isn't going anywhere. There are other moderators in addition to Nitai, so all is well. Post away. 

Iti sevak,

Nityananda das

[Nityānanda dāsa]

PS - I let Nitai-da know that you're missing his presence here, Malati Didi.

Maybe we can stoke the fire of the Chaitanya Symposium to get 2024 started!!! I'm all for it!

Jai Sri Radhe!

[malati]

Meenakaten dasji

Hopefully you have relatives nearby to help look after you. And I do pray for you.


Nityananda dasji

Great! I know you might be participating in a more limited kind of sanga on other medium but with this forum its not just about us benefiting, it also about other people who might benefit.

Besides, on this forum are history of devotees' thinking and a little slice of devotees' lives.

Jai Jai Sri Radhe Jai Sri Krishna