THEME OF THE
MONTH
Interview
Of Shri Virendra Tanwar : Suffering Has Some Meaning
Mr. Virender Tanwar was 40 when he
found himself in the grip of dreadful CRF or Chronic Renal Failure in 2000.
Previously he worked for Indian Air Force and after early retirement, he
secured the post of the clerical staff in Indian Bank at New Delhi.
After three years with CRF he
underwent Renal Transplant. Afterwards it is now about three years
post-transplant.
HH: How did
you reacted the news of CRF at first? How long did it come out of the state
of acute shock like condition?
Mr. Tanwar: Well, I was a hypertensive for
several years. The doctor at Army hospital asked me to get admitted
immediately to a hospital with Nephrology department.
My immediate question was, "what would
happen if I don't get admitted?" The doctor replied that you would faint and
die afterward.
Mr Tanwar went
directly to Hospital and got admitted.
He was put on dialysis after the shunt
and fistula were made by a short surgical procedure.
There was definite fear and
apprehension, especially about the surgical procedure. There was some
assurance that the proper diagnosis had been arrived at and the proper
medical treatment had started.
And the outcome now depends upon the
medical processes he was experiencing at that time.
This phase of acute shock gradually
disappeared in the acceptance of the disease and the procedures that had
been a part of life or rather 'the life'.
HH: How did you relate your feelings with
God or The Spiritual Being? Were you at cross with God - blaming and
confused or Were you felt being supported or a mix of the two?
Mr. Tanwar: In the end of the interview session, Mr
Tanwar told me about a dream prior to the disease. It foretold him about the
illness and about his outcome.
In his dream he experienced like being
through some high tension electrical wires for a long time. The immediate
thought blazed in his mind, " Oh God! Will you take my life" and the answer
came , "No! you will be saved."
The reply 'No! you will be saved' was
the toughest challenge to believe in during the suffering phase when there
had been many complications of the disease like pleural effusion, Hepatitis
C, Hepatitis B, frank blood in vomiting and many others. The life seemed to
be merely a darkness with nothing known about the life and about the next
thing.
Now after about six
years of living with CRF and three years post-renal-transplant this sentence
echoed the same voice again and again.
This spiritual faith and the proper
medical care helped Mr Tanwar come out or better to say to successfully live
with CRF.
HH: What is the financial
considerations of CRF on a middle class family? How did you manage the
funds? Would you like to comment about the medical or health insurances that
are common in developed countries like US and a new and less popular
form of insurance in developing countries like India?
Mr. Tanwar: Naturally the diseases like CRF can
disturb the entire financial framework of a middle class family. I was not
well ensured well for the diseases as these plans had been new and they were
not popular then.
Still, saving money for the future is a great
advice for me. God helped me by opening many resources in the form of
availability of funds and support of family, friends and colleagues.
Tanwar mentioned that two of his Bank managers helped him by picking him up
in his car in the morning and dropping in the evening for more than four
years as their route was same as that of mine. Yes, great example of support
from colleagues. Big hands for the managers!
One of his younger brother
was given the night shift for more than three years and he took care of his
transportation to the doctors and hospital. Indeed a great service to a
brother.
Mr. Tanwar now sees all these timely help as coming from
inspiration of God. He fees more than thankful for all the so called little
miracles.
Now he felt that it would be definitely better to become insured
against medical conditions. It can at the worst drain some of your hard
earned money and at the best it can provide the timely help during untimely
medical emergencies and illnesses.
HH: How did this still ongoing
episode of illness affected your mind, sensibilities and emotions? How did
you find yourself relating or reacting with others?
Mr. Tanwar:
It is well known medical fact that with high levels of blood urea and
creatinine, there is danger of psychosis and definitely there is mood
shifts, depression and anxiety.
Tanwar affirmed these findings by adding
that the period was characterized by strong apathy. There was lack of being
related to even the family members.
He got very good support from the
family like massaging his feet late night by his wife and son. Still there
was lack of feeling. Now he jokingly retorted to that state of mind as a
mischief of Angels as they had been jealous of such a nice seviceful
attitude received by a man on earth! Good sense of humor.
The body felt as
if all the energy had been sucked. There was a sense of dooming darkness in
regards to the outcome of disease esp. when side effects of the treatment
and complications of CRF were prevalent.
What is the message that you want
to give to persons who are leading healthy life and to those persons who are
struggling with Chronic Renal Failure?
With some grace and smile on his
face, his reply is, "The key is to become cheerful and leading a balanced
life - by physical exercise esp. for persons with sedentary lifestyle;
taking caution in diet like low fat, fruits; a happy, spiritual balance
life; getting regular medical check ups after 40 years of age. These are
sufficient for most persons."
We thanked him and his family for his time
and support extended to Holistic Herbalist and definitely for a good dinner.
We are requesting him to support other persons from the world over by giving
support over telephone to Chronic Renal Failure on Tuesday which is his
weekly off day for a previously fix time of one to three hours. His
telephone number will be added as soon as it would be consented.
Any other
visitors of holistic herbalist can ask us for including their interview in
our free monthly newsletter. The interview can be through email the world
over or through telephone in India.
If someone is coming forward to give
his telephone number or email for supporting other persons who are also
suffering with the same illness, it would be greatly obliged. These support
services will be the purely services and not the medical opinions or expert
advice. They are the helping mind and sharing heart.
Dr Vikrama
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