Prayers required for Nrsimha Kavaca Prabhu, ISKCON’s Deity Worship Minister, Global. He is currently in a hospital in London under observation with a large tumor.
From his Twitter account: As many of you may know, I’m in hospital in London under observation with a large tumor.
Krsna is so kind.
The greatest thing in life is the association and friendship of Vaisnavas.
Their love and care is carrying me through what could be a difficult time.
https://twitter.com/NKdasa/status/1152240973369499650
As many of you may know, I’m in hospital in London under observation with a large tumour.
Krsna is so kind.
The greatest thing in life is the association and friendship of Vaisnavas.
Their love and care is carrying me through what could be a difficult time.
— Nrsimha Kavaca dasa (@NKdasa) July 19, 2019
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Message from Nrsimha Kavaca dasa
Dear respected, beloved servants of Srila Prabhupada,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Over the past few days the information regarding my health situation has been changing and evolving. Now, by the mercy of Sri Sri Radha-Londonisvara, and the Vaisnavas, the situation with my health is becoming much clearer.
First a quick run down on what has happened to date.
At the beginning of this week I started to feel very dizzy, so much that I couldn’t do normal things, like cleaning my teeth.
Murli Manohara prabhu, the head pujari for Radha-Londonisvara insisted I get this looked into and immediately took me to the emergency ward of the UCL Hospital here in London.
While being assessed in the emergency room I passed out. Apparently, this was the result of a massive internal bleed from a tumour in my stomach which caused my blood pressure and haemoglobin level to drop dangerously low.
Immediately the doctors swung into action and took me into the emergency treatment rooms. After preliminary x-rays they did an endoscope (a camera inserted through the mouth) and discovered a large (4cm) tumour in my stomach which had ulcerated and bled profusely. With the endoscope they were able to stem the bleeding. This was later verified by a CT scan. The CT scan also showed that the tumour was localized.
That was Tuesday and Wednesday. Now for the last few days I have been in hospital under observation and stabilising. I had lost a lot of blood.
Yesterday and today the way forward has finally become clear due the intervention of Sundarananda prabhu, a top physician at one of the major hospitals in London.
Sundarananda prabhu was able to get in touch with the treating physicians at the UCL hospital, no mean feat when dealing with public health. Each day a different doctor was visiting me. Finally he found the initial consultant who had seen me and overseen the discovery of the tumour. He was holidaying in Greece.
This specialist informed Sundarananda prabhu about the gravity of the situation and the extent of the bleeding and strongly recommended that I not travel until the tumour was removed. This is very different from what I was hearing from his colleagues in the UCL hospital, who had recommended travelling after 7 days of observation.
Sundarananda prabhu also consulted with one of his colleagues in the hospital where he works, and expert in gastro-intestinal issues, who also conferred that considering the quantity of blood lost it would be too risky to travel. He explained that if the tumour were to bleed again while I was in transit, it would be catastrophic, i.e. zero chance of survival.
Therefore, it has been decided not to travel to Australia where the tumour could be removed under the public health system for free, but to instead have the operation done in London in a private hospital.
Now to today. Things are moving fast.
Sundarananda prabhu contacted me this afternoon after speaking with his colleague, a highly qualified keyhole surgeon. Monday I will be visiting the surgeon for a consultation and most likely on Tuesday, the tumour will be removed.
Now comes the sticky part. The operation is estimated to cost GBP 6-10,000.
Indradyumna Maharaja said he will put up a GoFundMe page on his FaceBook page to gather donations to pay for the operation. And Govinda Maharaja and Praghosa prabhu have also offered to assist and promote this as much as possible.
This has been an amazing time of reflection for me deepening my appreciation of the mercy of Krsna and the Vaisnavas. If this bleeding had happened 24 hours later I would have been on the first leg of a 21-hour flight to Australia. If Bhakti Maris had not paid for the taxi from the temple to the apartment, I would have likely passed out in a street somewhere in London, instead of the emergency room of the hospital. If my dear friend Murli Manohara prabhu had not taken the initiative of returning to the apartment where we stay and insisted on taking me to the hospital, he may have found me unconscious or dead on the apartment floor. Govinda Maharaja and Praghosa prabhu contacted Sundarananda prabhu and asked him to assist with finding out what is actually going on and guiding me through this maze. I am indebted to Sundarananda prabhu, (who doesn’t personally know me) without his efforts I would still be spinning around inside the machinery of the National Health Service in the UK none-the-wiser as to what happened and how to move forward.
Indradyumna Maharaja, my beloved spiritual master, has been a pillar of support and assurance for me. I am eternally grateful to him.
A significant person I cannot adequate express my appreciation for is my dear wife Asesa Sadhini dd. While I have been sitting here in London undergoing evaluation and treatment, she is 10,000 miles away in Australia. While she has dealt with this incredibly well and been a tremendous support to me, this has been an very stressful time for her. She deeply feels the need to be by my side for this, but is unable due to her own health limitations and the shortness of time.
This event has deepened my appreciation of the value of Vaisnava association and the care and compassion we need to extend to the conditioned souls. Sitting in a public ward and seeing first-hand the deep suffering of others is sobering.
Thank you one and all for your prayers, support, care and love. I owe you all a debt of gratitude.
Your servant,
Nrsimha Kavaca dasa