HH Jayapataka Maharaj’s status report by Dr Madhavananda das, Director of
Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mumbai
Today Maharaj was able to take a few steps with lesser support than
yesterday. He keeps a daily count of the number of steps he takes, noting
his progress. Doctors expect to shift him out to the ward in a few days.
Please continue praying for his speedy recovery.
9th December 2008 Afternoon shift 12noon – 6pm
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When I went inside the ICU, Guru Maharaja said, “I walked 8 steps today.” I
replied, “Wow!! That’s a very good start. Today is Ekadasi and also Gita
Jayanthi. Very auspicious beginning.” Guru Maharaja continued, “It was
exhausting. I am hungry now.” I quickly arranged for him to have his lunch.
When Guru Maharaja was about to finish his lunch he said, “You filled me
up.” I told him, “You need to eat well so you get more strength to walk 16
steps.”
At 4.10pm Guru Maharaja was taken to the physiotherapy department again for
the second session of walking exercise. When we were about to leave the ICU
ward, Guru Maharaja asked, “Where is my mask?” Neither myself nor the nurse
gave him the face mask. The nurse quickly brought a new face mask for Guru
Maharaja. I felt bad about it and quickly wrote it down in my small pocket
book so that I will not repeat the same mistake.
He walked 8 steps in the morning, now they made him to walk 15 steps in
three different sessions. After the physiotherapy, Guru Maharaja was taken
to opthamalogist for his eye check up followed by audiology. Since morning
Guru Maharaja was fully occupied with physiotherapy sessions and he was seen
very tired. At around 5.30pm he was brought back to the ICU and made to take
rest.
HH Jayapataka Maharaj’s status report by Dr Madhavananda das, Director of
Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mumbai
Today the physiotherapists made Maharaj use a walker with alot of support.
Maharaj’s back muscles are still weak and he finds it difficult to support
himself up while being made to walk. He’s slowly getting the coordination
back. After walking a few steps he was exhausted. The next session will be
tomorrow.
His standing up has been improving.
The right hand (the weaker one) is becoming stronger.
Please continue praying for him.
8th Dec 2008 Morning Shift 6am – 12noon
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At 6.30am when I went into the ICU, Bhadra balaram Prabhu was arranging all
the deities pictures behind Guru Maharaja’s bed. Then he told me to hold the
Their Lordships Sri Radha Madhava picture infront of Guru Maharaja. Guru
Maharaja told us to start the mangala arati prayers. We did Guru Maharaja
full mangala arati program together.
Soon after the morning program he had his fruit. Then he told me he wanted
to take rest till 9.30am, have his breakfast and go for physiotherapy. Today
at 10.30am Guru Maharaja had an appointment to go to physiotherapy
department. All this while the therapy was done in the ICU but today is the
first day Guru Maharaja will be taken to the physiotherapy department. The
therapist suppose to make him to stand. So Guru Maharaja was eager to be
there on time.
When I went in again into the ICU at 9.30am Guru Maharaja was still sleeping
soundly. I tried many times to wake him up but I failed. I thought to let
him sleep but at the same time I did not want him to be late for the
physiotherapy department. As we know he is very eager to go there and try to
stand so I woke him up anyway. While having breakfast Guru Maharaja told
Dr.Shiromani to check whether the appointment to go to physiotherapy
department is still as per schedule. Unfortunately due to some unexpected
events the appointment was delayed to 2pm.
Meanwhile we did facial therapy, speech therapy and physiotherapy for Guru
Maharaja inside the ICU itself. After we finished doing all these therapies,
we made him to sit on the edge of his bed with his legs dangling down and
with both of his hands he was holding the table in front of him. This
exercise is done mainly to help strengthen Guru Maharaja’s back. With so
much effort Guru Maharaja managed to sit and hold the table without any
support for 15 minutes.
At 1.15pm we fed lunch to Guru Maharaja. At 2.15pm we took Guru Maharaja to
the physiotheraphy department by wheelchair. This physiotherapy department
is located in another building across the road which is connected with a
bridge. Since Guru Maharaja’s immune system is down and we have to take Guru
Maharaja out of the ICU area we put a face mask for Guru Maharaja.
On this first day session of physiotherapy Guru Maharaja was made to stand,
holding on to a set of parallel bars on either side of him. He stood for
about 20 minutes in two sessions with the support of four therapists. At one
point Guru Maharaja asked Mr.Nirmal Narayan (one of the therapist),”I want
to walk, baby step!” Mr.Nirmal Narayan said,”Step by step swamiji. First you
have to stand steady. Then we go for baby step.” This scene appeared to be
like how a mother teaches her baby to walk. Then Guru Maharaja was taken to
another corner and was given a ball to him to pass from one hand to another
hand followed by picking up and dropping small metal bars.
At 4pm Guru Maharaja was brought back to the ICU. One of the therapist
followed us to the ICU and continued to give few other exercises for Guru
Maharaja. Guru Maharaja was seen very exhausted and we made him to take
rest. After having some buttermilk as a refreshment he took one and half
hour rest.
JPS Servants
HH Jayapataka Maharaj’s status report by Dr Madhavananda das, Director of
Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mumbai
Today the physiotherapists made Maharaj take a few steps with alot of
support and effort. He uses parallel bars and 4 people support him while he
tries to take some steps.
Maharaj is still unable to sit on his own without support, but is getting
more strength in his back daily.
He is gradually being encouraged to become independent in his eating by
using the stronger hand, the left hand for eating.
Please continue to pray.
HH Jayapataka Maharaj’s status report by Dr Madhavananda das, Director of
Bhaktivedanta Hospital, Mumbai
Today Maharaj was taken to the physiotherapy department where he was made
to stand with support for about 20 minutes in two sessions. He was holding
on to a set of parallel bars on either side of him, with about 4
physiotherapists helping him to stand straight. Maharaj put in alot of
effort to stand up and is looking forward to his next session tomorrow. He
even asked the physiotherapist about when he would be taking baby steps.
The physiotherapist told him to first start standing on his own and then
they would proceed to baby steps.
He was also made to do different exercises to strenghten his right arm
which is weak.
Maharaj is stable otherwise.
Reporte del estado de SS Jayapataka Maharaja por el Dr. Madhavananada das,
Director del Hospital Bhaktivedanta, Mumbai
Maharaja se está recuperando constantemente. Sus pulmones están mucho mejor
ahora. Ya puede toser la flema fuera de su boca por sí mismo; lo cual es un
paso adelante hacia la remoción del tubo de traqueostomía, en pocos días.
La fisioterapia sigue en curso intensamente, y a veces es agotadora para
Maharaja. Sin embargo, él descansa por un corto lapso de tiempo, y continúa.
Tiene que practicar el sentarse en la cama por sí mismo, con el mínimo apoyo
de sus manos. Maharaja está muy pendiente de hacer estos ejercicios
diariamente, y más de una vez al día.
El apetito de Maharaja está mejorando.
(Traducido por: Madhuri Yamuna dd, Mayapur)
4 de Diciembre del 2008. Turno de la mañana, 6am – 12 del medio día
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Llegamos al hospital a las 6.30am. Guru Maharaja estaba descansando cuando
entré al ICCU. Cuando despertó, alrededor de las 8am, dijo que tenía hambre
y quería tomar su desayuno. A las 8.30am, le dimos de desayunar. Para cuando
terminamos, ya eran casi las 10am. Dar de comer a Guru Maharaja lleva mucho
tiempo, pues los músculos que le ayudan a tragar el alimento están bastante
débiles. El darle de comer debe realizarse muy cuidadosamente, con completa
concentración y la cantidad precisa de alimento. Día a día sus músculos
están ganando fuerza, y su ingesta de comida está aumentando gradualmente.
Cuando Guru Maharaja estaba por terminar su desayuno, la fisioterapeuta
llegó para enseñarle a Guru Maharaja más ejercicios. A pesar de que Guru
Maharaja tenía una leve fiebre esta mañana, su fiebre disminuyó después del
ejercicio. Él sudó mucho durante la terapia. Desde la mañana, estuvo
preguntando cuando sería trasladado del ICCU (Sala de terapia crítica
intensiva) al ICU (Sala de terapia intensiva). Nuestros doctores del
Bhaktivedanta estuvieron trabajando en eso, pero no obtuvimos ninguna
confirmación acerca de esto. Incluso, Guru Maharaja le pidió a la Dra.
Shiromani que fuera a revisar la condición de la sala de ICU. Después de un
rato, ella vino y le reportó a Guru Maharaja que el ICU es mejor y más
tranquilo que el ICCU. Le dimos el almuerzo a las 2pm y luego del almuerzo,
la fisioterapeuta vino de nuevo a las 3.30pm para darle más ejercicios.
Después de la fisioterapia, Guru Maharaja descansó por 30 minutos; y a las
5pm, fue hecho sentar en el sofá. Mientras que Guru Maharaja estaba sentado
en el sofá, le peiné su sikha y le hice una trenza, a lo que Prabhu Dharesh
suministraba un poco de aceite para la sikha. Entretanto, Prabhu Vidvan
Gauranga le leía cartas a Guru Maharaja.
A las 6pm, le dimos fruta a Guru Maharaja. Después de la fruta, nos dieron
la buena noticia, Guru Maharaja iba a ser trasladado al ICU, segundo piso,
ala oeste, No.51. Le informamos a Guru Maharaja la buena noticia, y él se
puso muy contento al escucharla. Tomamos todas nuestras pertenencias, y
partimos al segundo piso. En el camino, después de que salimos del ascensor
en el segundo piso, Guru Maharaja le dijo a Dharesh, “Te ves feliz.” Dharesh
dijo, “Todos estamos felices de ver que usted es transferido a un lugar
mejor”.
Instalamos un pequeño altar, y pusimos en orden las cosas de Guru Maharaja
en el ICU. Definitivamente, este ICU es un lugar mejor, más amplio y
tranquilo.
Los sirvientes de JPS
(Traducido por: Madhuri Yamuna dd, Mayapur)
6th and 7th Dec 2008 Night shift 6pm – 6am
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This evening we reached the hospital at 8pm. It took exactly two hours to
reach the hospital. There was a big gathering of people close to the area
where the hospital is located. Roads leading to Hinduja Hospital were
closed. Roads, streets, buses and trucks were filled up with people. Today
people were celebrating the death anniversary of B.R.Ambedkar, who is also
known as “Father of Indian Constitution”
When I went inside the ICU Bhadra Balaram Prabhu was doing physiotheraphy
for Guru Maharaja. I noticed the nasogastric feeding tube was removed from
Guru Maharaja’s nose. The clarity of his speech has improved further. We
started feeding the dinner at 8.35pm. While we were feeding dinner Guru
Maharaja was squeezing his fingers of his right hand. Then he said, “My
right hand is weak….” I explained, “Guru Maharaja, in the beginning there
was not a slight movement on your right hand but now you are able to lift
the hand upto your chest! You are progressing nicely. After few more days of
exercise you will be able to lift high enough to call out Gaurangaaaaa!!!”
As soon as I said this, Guru Maharaja tried his best lifting his right hand
while calling out “Gauranga!!!” He managed to lift it upto his ear then
dropped it immediately.
Guru Maharaja is very alert about his surroundings too. Whenever the
machines at the side of his bed beeps he would immediately ask us to check
on them. Each time when the hospital staff or doctors walk into his room he
will ask them questions of what they are doing and what are they talking.
His memory is still very sharp. He remembers all the doctors names who is
attending him.
At 10.15pm we did the face and speech theraphy for Guru Maharaja. Before
Guru Maharaja went to sleep Madhavakanta Prabhu brought in the pictures of
Their Lordships Sri Radha Rasabihari and Hanuman Ji. Guru Maharaja told him
to touch the pictures on his forehead and requested him to put Hanuman
picture within his sight.
Next day morning at 6am after applying tilaka on his forehead we started the
morning program with mangala arati song. Guru Maharaja was trying to sing
along with us until we finished the whole program. We noticed he was moving
his lips accordingly from the beginning to the end of all songs.
Though this report appears to be very positive, please remember that Guru
Maharaja’s bodily immune system is very low and chances for infections are
high. Therefore we have to keep praying intensely until Guru Maharaja
recovers completely.
5th December 2008 Afternoon shift 12noon till 6pm
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At the end of the session, the therapist told us that tommorow they may take
Guru Maharaja to the physiotheraphy department by wheelchair to try to make
Guru Maharaja stand with the help of some instruments. So today around
4.30pm he was made to sit on a wheelchair and we took him around the ICU
ward. In the beginning Guru Maharaja was not able to balance himself up
while being on the sitting position. He kept falling towards sideways.
Gradually, after we kept reminding him couple of times to keep his back
straight up he did quite well. While touring around the ward we introduced
the staffs, we also showed him his altar at the back of his bed and we told
him his bed number too. He was looking around by turning his head from one
side to another side very slowly. Then we took him close to a window and
showed him the Arabian Sea. He was looking at it for a while. After about
ten rounds inside the ICU ward he became quite tired. We made him to take
rest on his bed.
Guru Maharaja rested for 45 minutes. Then we heard an announcement,’Bed
no.51.’ I rushed inside the ICU. Guru Maharaja was awake and he asked for
his evening fruit. We also had HG Braj Hari Prabhu who came to checkout the
ICU. He was with Guru Maharaja for about 15 minutes. While Guru Maharaja was
having his fruit he told Braj Hari Prabhu, “I didnt see Radha Rasa Bihari
picture here. Please bring them and also Hanuman.” I think he noticed it
when we he was on the wheelchair tour.
At 7.45pm after doing the face theraphy for Guru Maharaja we handedover our
duty and left the hospital.