Bravo, Brave Brahmacharini!
Krishnarupa devi dasi (ACBSP): Resident brahmacharini Jyestha dasi has been recovering from serious brain surgery and is now back in the ashrama. Her brain had been growing too large for her skull, forcing itself down outside the skull cavity and into her spinal cord. The subsequent pressure on her spinal cord caused a massive cyst-like lump called a ‘syrinx’. Operating on the syrinx itself was extremely dangerous, and, as Jyestha describes, “In itself it was a secondary problem”.
Surgeons at the Gold Coast University Hospital removed part of her skull in a procedure called ‘decompression surgery for Budd Chiari malformation’ and filed the thickness right back to make more room for her brain and to lift it off her spinal cord and back into her skull. With her usual humour, she told me, “That hurt. A lot!”
The 10 days post-surgery were extremely painful for her, and the doctors were concerned about the degree of pain and dizziness. However, two kind devotees Radha and Lochanananda visited the hospital to share Damodarastakam prayers with her. The next morning, Jyestha says she woke up “feeling 90 per cent better and could walk without too much pain”.
Let’s all offer prayers in thanks to Radha Govardhanadhari for Jyestha’s safe return to the community. Welcome back, Jyestha!
Sri Krishna bless this courageous devotee. There is certainly a time to take full advantage of sophisticated medical and surgical help. May her aspirations to love Krishna and serve and associate with devotees bear the full fruit of love of God. Pusta Krishna das