Suffering and problems are very common to me. But this was one of my best experiences in my life. During the year 2000 I was not feeling well. I was having irregular heartbeats and when I had a check up, the doctor told me to go for surgery. I went to Bangalore with my mom and one of my uncles in February 2001.
I was admitted on 18th of February 2001 in Manipal Heart Foundation, Bangalore. The surgery date was fixed on 20th. This was my second heart surgery and was bit risky. There was one guy named Shyam Prasad from Bangalore admitted for some heart problem too in the same ward. He was a Christian too. We had a good time-sharing with each other our struggles and victories before my surgery. I was feeling bit bad as the final day for surgery approaching. But he was comforting and giving me assurance that nothing will happen.
The night before my surgery was very scary and dreadful, though there was a lean smile on my face. I prayed to God that night, “God let me find myself in sleep peacefully either in your arms, if I die during surgery or on my bed after a successful surgery by your amazing grace." Then I slept for few hours. At 4 am in the morning one nurse came, her name is Sarah, she woke me up and asked me to take bath with warm water and some antiseptic liquid in it. I slowly went to the bathroom and took bath as she advised me to do. After the bath I came to my bed and slept again. After sometime when I woke up I saw my mom and one of my uncles staring at me. My mom was looking dangerously pale. I gave her a smile and she smiled back, but both of us knew that we both are acting for each other. At 6 am Sarah came and said ‘it’s time to go now’. I my heartbeats were faster and stronger even I felt it in my ear. She took me towards the lift and there my mom and my uncle had to stop. Sarah took me in the lift alone and we reached the floor where my surgery supposed to take place.
It was 6:30 am I was on a stretcher and in a separate room with other patients waiting for something. I closed my eyes and I don’t know when I fell asleep. Then suddenly I felt my stretcher rolling. I got up and saw one other nurse pulling my stretcher towards a room. That room was scary. Finally I was taken to the Operation Theater, ‘the battlefield’. Then one technician came and put the machines above me. I was praying, as I was terribly scared. I saw the wall clock; it was 8:05 A.M. After that I didn’t know anything else. After sometime I got up and asked the nurse by my side frantically, “is my surgery over?" she said, “Yes". I checked my chest and it was covered with bandage. Whole of my body was aching and paining. Later I came to know that it was not after sometime, but after 6 hours. My surgery took 2 ½ hours. But there was a deep relief within myself. I thanked God. This was a tremendous experience, because during my first surgery I was so small to think and experience. Before this surgery Doctor Collin John (my surgeon) was worrying about my lungs. Because if it wouldn’t have worked properly I would have been in trouble during the surgery. But he thanked God seeing my lungs working nicely as soon as he tore my rib cage. After an hour my mom, few of my cousins and my uncle came to see me one by one. My mom was crying as she saw me in pain. Good that I was not married that time, or else how my wife would have felt that time I can’t imagine. After two days in ICU, I was taken to the same ward on the tenth floor of that hospital. Nurse Sarah greeted me and welcomed me back. My friend in that ward Shyam Prasad came and greeted me also. I stayed another 5 days in that ward.
I got discharged on 27th February 2001 from the hospital. But I made my home there in the ward, as we both Shyam and me walking around with nurses meeting all the patients, sometimes encouraging them, sometimes translating from their language to English for the nurses. We had some much fun. When I got discharged I asked my cousin to bring packets of Cadbury, at least 32 in number. There were 31 nurses in the tenth floor ward. I gave all of them one packet each. The head of the nurses, sister Patricia said, ‘why Chiradeep you spent so much’. My answer was ‘the service and care I received from you people is more expensive than what I spent for you, thanks a lot.’ I waved hand and came out of the hospital with my mom and cousin with a sense of victory given by God to me.
I will never forget these NINE days in the hospital. I literally enjoyed those NINE days. I thank God for it.
I was just saying that I don't like hospitals. I'm usually in a lot of pain when I'm in there. Or, I'm so doped up from pain meds that I can't stay awake.
Candles, I am glad you found good in your experience. So many just see the negative in a situation such as yours, but I hope you don't have to go through that again. Not many people would view that as a positive, but I can see you desire to thank God in all circumstances. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you for this article. I respect your faith in God, and the fact that you didnt blame God. Give yourself credit for the great courage you showed during the ordeal. You considered the feelings of others above your own. Well done.
Amen TC! All glory goes to God. I thank God today that my youngest son has survived heart surgery. Three of them before he was 18 months old. I don't think he really remembers, but he uses them as trophy scars today. Today he is 17!!!
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