B.RAMAN
I completed my quarterly anti-cancer evaluation on May 18,2011, after undergoing a series of lab tests ---blood, urine, ultrasound of the entire abdomen, chest X-ray etc--- since May12. At the end of them all, I had my seventh quarterly shot.
2. The progress is encouraging. My body has been responding well to the therapy and tolerating it without any major side effects. Twenty months after the cancer was detected, it has remained confined to the urinary tract and is showing no tendency to spread outside. Even in the urinary tract, it is showing signs of shrinking. My prostate, where the roots initially appeared, is free of them now. My doc told me today that the big-size, high-grade cancer in my prostate has miraculously disappeared.The lab had mentioned in the report that there is a lesion in my bladder, which needed investigation. The doc feels that it could be the scar left by the diagnostic procedure which he had done in October 2009. He would wait for a few months more before coming to any conclusion. My next hospital visit will be on August 18. I have been advised to continue with the hormonal therapy as before.
3. I feel happy. I feel good. But I am avoiding any feelings of exaltation. As one reaches the age of 75, the health gets into a zig-zag mode, whatever be the illness. One can never say when a zig can turn into a zag and vice versa.
4. Keep going so long as the going is good. I have been leading a normal life from the day the cancer was detected 20 months ago. The only two changes I have made are to drastically cut down my drinking ---only on social occasions now --- and to avoid foreign travels. The doc has been encouraging me for over a year now to resume my foreign travels. He has repeated the recommendation. Will decide in July.
5. Let me thank all of you in the real world of flesh and blood as well as in the world of tweets who have held my hand in these months. God bless all of you. (18-5-11)
34 comments:
Delighted to read your post.
Since I don't have any drinking restrictions, so far, I will drink to it tonight!
Keep up the good work!
Raman,
It is wonderful to read your report on your current condition. Whether you felt exalted or not, I did. All that I can say is "Keep it up." Hindu carried this morning a report on Stephen Hawking. I felt inwardly that you have the same spirit of living and deriving value from life.
K.S.
Indomitable spirit. may it remain so.
T.P.Sreenivasan
What a wonderful way to wake up to the news this morning! Absolutely thrilled!
May you continue to have good health and cheer. You have - "miles to go before I sleep" :)
Three cheers,
Great news! I am sure it is your strong will power that is contributing to the treatment's success.
I am waiting for the good news of your complete recovery. You have lot more to contribute. Keep it up!
Great News. Nice to hear this just sort while after came to home.
A very heartening news sir. India has a dearth of talents like you. Wish to read many many more posts from you.
Keep up the good work and please accept my heartfelt wishes.
Very nice to hear about your recovery and the absence of metastatic cancer in your body. Wish for your further recovery and good health, for the benfit of the nation and its netizens (who read your daily blogs as a newspaper, includes me as well)
A legion of admirers and disciples, from near and far, hope and pray that you will go on and on...
I guess it is as good a moment as any to paraphrase what Jacques Monod once wrote about Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of the double-helix structure of the DNA molecule: "No one man created the discipline of Intelligence. But one man dominates intellectually the whole field because he knows and understands the most: B. Raman."
Am quite sure that many members of the author's former profession would agree whole-heartedly with the sentiment.
Raman Sir,
You fought cancer and conquered it by an indomitable spirit. Heartiest congrats. May you a score a century after having dismissed the cancer ball out of sight!
My thanks to the almighty for giving you an extended most deserving lease of life.
Warm regards and pranams,
Vasan
Hope and pray for a miraculos healing and complete recovery soon.
As a cancer survivor myself, I am delighted to hear the news of your positive progress. In 2000 I was given a 50% chance of living for 5 years, and it looks like I have dodged the bullet, thanks to modern medicine. I consoled myself by telling myself that I should celebrate the life I had had because we are all going to die sooner or later. I also tried to use my experience to show my young adult children by personal example how to face a life-threatening event with grace and dignity. Not everyone gets an opportunity to teach this lesson by personal example.
Dear Mr Raman,
I wish you all the very best for continued progress. Every day you write is an extraordinary contribution to the nation. The insights and learnings, and the sheer optimism that one can gather from your writing is invaluable.
Best wishes
Ramanujam
Extremely glad to hear that, Sir! Good luck ahead :)
So very happy about your good news. My prayers for your long life and good health continue.
All the best,
Pundita
good to read you are recovering sir, we need people like you given the state of affairs in this country.
Am sure you will beat this bloody cancer.
Very happy to hear the good news Ramanji. 3 cheers to your long life and good health.
Happy to know you are recovering well sir. God bless you and grace you with a healthy future.
cheers
ra
Sir,
I am so glad to hear about your good health.
Keep it up!!!
Regards
Sanjay
great news....!!!
Good job! Keep it up
Only if we could fight terror as well as you are fighting cancer..we would be terrir free!
Im sure you wll win this battle...
Great news, Sir. Wish you all the best in your fight against cancer. You sure are a strong person. Much respect. :)
Hope and pray you recover completely and live a long life.
mohan malik
Wish you speedy recovery and hopefully you are fine to see india 2020. :)
Wish you the best. "Talk, talk, hit hit". :)
I am really extremely glad to know that your body is winning a war with another terrorist - cancer. I pray that you recover completely from this dreaded ailment.
I ve criticised u many times; n ll continue to do so in future (whenever u ll start praising cons n its Xinhua company ;-) n sometimes used bad words also in the heat of the moment.
Right now i just wish to say what Arjuna said to lord Krishna after Vishwa roop darshan. “Oh my Lord! Till now i didn’t knew who exactly you are. N I treated u just as a friend. But now that i know who actually u are, kindly forgive me, if i ve misbehaved with u knowingly or unknowingly, or shown arrogance to u.”
Regards mr raman.
Dear Sir, I am very happy to learn of the success you are having in the treatment against cancer. I hope and pray that you will be fully recovered and continue to live a healthy and active life for many many more years to come.
Best regards!
May God bless you with good health.
Prakash Singh
Respected Shri Raman Sir,
Happy to read the positive developments.
Of course, it is encouraging.
Warm Regards
Dear Sir,
I have been reading ur blog for sometime now.
Nice to read that you are recovering well. Wising you a complete recovery.
Cheers,
K Ramkumar
9840490021
I am glad to know about your progress in health. May you have a wonderful years ahead with speedy recovery.
My best wishes and regards,
Tenzin Lekshay
THough its the second time going thru this post, I only get reassured that you are taking it head on! I wish and Pray on behalf of my frinds and family you get more strength to fight it out!
Post a Comment