Saturday, July 31, 2010
Vintage Keith Green
July 28th marked 28 years since Keith Green, one of my heroes, died in a plane crash at the age of 28yrs. Here are some videos I watched today on YouTube.....I was surprised that there were videos around which had been taken in the early 80s. "Make my Life a Prayer to You", especially, gave me goose pimples.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Another unexpected....the missing cyst
Thank you all for your prayers and wishes over the past week. I guess most of you have already heard what happened at my surgery on Tuesday, but let me write about it anyway, so that you hear about it from the horse's mouth, so as to speak!
The surgeons decided to start with a shoulder arthroscopy, because often spino-glenoid cysts are associated with rotator cuff injuries within the shoulder joint. At scopy (they look into the joint space by inserting a small telescope through a tiny incision), they found only a fraying of some of the muscles, which they tidied up a little. They then removed the scope, and proceeded to do an open operation to look for the cyst.
Put bluntly, after hunting around for a fairly long time, they could not find the cyst, and had to abandon the procedure. They think the cyst perhaps was decompressed while doing the arthroscopy.
I was in the ward till last evening, when I was discharged. The plan is to continue physiotherapy (because my shoulder is now quite stiff after surgery), and gradually recover as much function as possible. After about 2 weeks, we will be repeating the MRI to see what has happened to the missing cyst. And then we will take things on from there.
I was rather hoping I would be able to write a different post after surgery. It would have been nice to write about how the entire cyst was removed successfully, and how my pain improved dramatically. I do not think my operation could have been done by a better surgeon. My doctor is one of India's leading shoulder specialists, and a very experienced man.
Once before, I wrote about 3 truths that change your life, namely:
1. God is Sovereign.
2. God is Wise and
3. God is Good.
It's easy to write and say such things when things are going on relatively well, with no unexpected glitches or happenings. However, it is at times like this that we really need to remember that He does really work ALL things, (with NO exceptions) out for my very best. That is what Rom 8:28 says, and now is the time to walk by faith, and KNOW beyond doubt, that this, too, is working out, in wonderful ways, for my very best.
So, rejoice with me, and celebrate with me God's sovereign wisdom and perfect love and faithfulness that has been the same yesterday, today and forever!
It has been a good experience for me to be a patient, and experience life on the other side of the bed. I have learnt a lot, and am sure it will result in immediate changes in the way I practise surgery.
Thanks again for all your care and concern. Do continue to uphold us in prayer.
The surgeons decided to start with a shoulder arthroscopy, because often spino-glenoid cysts are associated with rotator cuff injuries within the shoulder joint. At scopy (they look into the joint space by inserting a small telescope through a tiny incision), they found only a fraying of some of the muscles, which they tidied up a little. They then removed the scope, and proceeded to do an open operation to look for the cyst.
Put bluntly, after hunting around for a fairly long time, they could not find the cyst, and had to abandon the procedure. They think the cyst perhaps was decompressed while doing the arthroscopy.
I was in the ward till last evening, when I was discharged. The plan is to continue physiotherapy (because my shoulder is now quite stiff after surgery), and gradually recover as much function as possible. After about 2 weeks, we will be repeating the MRI to see what has happened to the missing cyst. And then we will take things on from there.
I was rather hoping I would be able to write a different post after surgery. It would have been nice to write about how the entire cyst was removed successfully, and how my pain improved dramatically. I do not think my operation could have been done by a better surgeon. My doctor is one of India's leading shoulder specialists, and a very experienced man.
Once before, I wrote about 3 truths that change your life, namely:
1. God is Sovereign.
2. God is Wise and
3. God is Good.
It's easy to write and say such things when things are going on relatively well, with no unexpected glitches or happenings. However, it is at times like this that we really need to remember that He does really work ALL things, (with NO exceptions) out for my very best. That is what Rom 8:28 says, and now is the time to walk by faith, and KNOW beyond doubt, that this, too, is working out, in wonderful ways, for my very best.
So, rejoice with me, and celebrate with me God's sovereign wisdom and perfect love and faithfulness that has been the same yesterday, today and forever!
It has been a good experience for me to be a patient, and experience life on the other side of the bed. I have learnt a lot, and am sure it will result in immediate changes in the way I practise surgery.
Thanks again for all your care and concern. Do continue to uphold us in prayer.
Monday, July 26, 2010
An unexpected cyst
There's a great proverb which says, "A physician who treats himself has a fool for a patient."
Here's why that is so true....
About a month ago, I began to develop severe pain in my left shoulder. There was some restriction of movements, and I found one area over my upper back which was excruciatingly tender. This one spot hurt so badly that if I accidentally knocked it against the pillow while sleeping, I would often wake up in the middle of the night with pain.
I was so busy at work, that I just could not find the time to visit the doctor. Most mornings, I was either in the operation theatre, or on duty. I began to recommend to Arpita that she give me an injection into this tender spot to decrease the pain. Its a good thing she kept refusing!
Finally our car broke down twice while going and returning from Bangalore (that's a story for another blog post), and when we reached Vellore I told my department I needed a day's leave to get the car repaired. One of the other things I did on my free day, was go to see an Orthopaedician.
It says a lot about the situation here...that I found it easier to ask for (and take) leave to get my car repaired, than to get my shoulder checked on. (That discussion, again, is stuff for a future blog post!)
An MRI scan later, I find I have something called a spinoglenoid cyst in my left shoulder, and tomorrow am headed for surgery to remove it.
Surgery is scheduled for 10am tomorrow morning. My dad is already here, and my mom will be arriving early morning. Please pray for all of us, especially Arpita, who is now finding even more on her already over-filled plate
Here's why that is so true....
About a month ago, I began to develop severe pain in my left shoulder. There was some restriction of movements, and I found one area over my upper back which was excruciatingly tender. This one spot hurt so badly that if I accidentally knocked it against the pillow while sleeping, I would often wake up in the middle of the night with pain.
I was so busy at work, that I just could not find the time to visit the doctor. Most mornings, I was either in the operation theatre, or on duty. I began to recommend to Arpita that she give me an injection into this tender spot to decrease the pain. Its a good thing she kept refusing!
Finally our car broke down twice while going and returning from Bangalore (that's a story for another blog post), and when we reached Vellore I told my department I needed a day's leave to get the car repaired. One of the other things I did on my free day, was go to see an Orthopaedician.
It says a lot about the situation here...that I found it easier to ask for (and take) leave to get my car repaired, than to get my shoulder checked on. (That discussion, again, is stuff for a future blog post!)
An MRI scan later, I find I have something called a spinoglenoid cyst in my left shoulder, and tomorrow am headed for surgery to remove it.
Surgery is scheduled for 10am tomorrow morning. My dad is already here, and my mom will be arriving early morning. Please pray for all of us, especially Arpita, who is now finding even more on her already over-filled plate
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Today's Links 21/7/2010
1. 'Something Better Than Revival'. Buenos Aires pastors believe their city of 13 million should have only one church.
2. "..when we want to serve like Jesus did, it is not enough to ask, "What would Jesus do?" but also "How would Jesus do?" Being like Jesus has to come before doing like Jesus."
"Serving is the lifestyle in Jesus' kingdom. The more we learn it the more we make ourselves comfortable in the kingdom."
From Dad's Pointers along the Way #303
3. “You don’t realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”
- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods (New York, NY: Dutton, 2009), 19.
(HT: Of First Importance)
4. “… the secret of the gospel is that we actually do more when we hear less about all we need to do for God and hear more about all that God has already done for us.”
- Kevin DeYoung, DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed
(HT: Of First Importance)
5.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1
Now. Not five years from now when you are a better Christian. Right now. At this instant.
No. None at all. Not even a little. Zero. Gone. Poof.
For those in Christ Jesus. And only because we are in him. We provide everything that deserves condemnation. He provides everything that deserves acceptance.
This is the plain message of the Bible, because God not only does not condemn us, he also doesn’t want us feeling condemned. He wants us feeling freed. Nothing like no-condemnation to get us riled up for his glory!”
(HT: Ray Ortlund, “Freed”
6. Newsweek says Simon Cowell, by 'managing to intellectualize bullying' is responsible for transforming us into a 'culture that thrives on meanness.'
7. Kids Say The Darndest Things: A Tribute to Art Linkletter
(HT: CT)
8. Just for fun, I got one of my articles analysed here
This is what I found
Not bad, eh!
2. "..when we want to serve like Jesus did, it is not enough to ask, "What would Jesus do?" but also "How would Jesus do?" Being like Jesus has to come before doing like Jesus."
"Serving is the lifestyle in Jesus' kingdom. The more we learn it the more we make ourselves comfortable in the kingdom."
From Dad's Pointers along the Way #303
3. “You don’t realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”
- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods (New York, NY: Dutton, 2009), 19.
(HT: Of First Importance)
4. “… the secret of the gospel is that we actually do more when we hear less about all we need to do for God and hear more about all that God has already done for us.”
- Kevin DeYoung, DeYoung, Restless, and Reformed
(HT: Of First Importance)
5.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1Now. Not five years from now when you are a better Christian. Right now. At this instant.
No. None at all. Not even a little. Zero. Gone. Poof.
For those in Christ Jesus. And only because we are in him. We provide everything that deserves condemnation. He provides everything that deserves acceptance.
This is the plain message of the Bible, because God not only does not condemn us, he also doesn’t want us feeling condemned. He wants us feeling freed. Nothing like no-condemnation to get us riled up for his glory!”
(HT: Ray Ortlund, “Freed”
6. Newsweek says Simon Cowell, by 'managing to intellectualize bullying' is responsible for transforming us into a 'culture that thrives on meanness.'
7. Kids Say The Darndest Things: A Tribute to Art Linkletter
(HT: CT)
8. Just for fun, I got one of my articles analysed here
This is what I found
Not bad, eh!
We're back!
It's been a long time since my last post...more than a month, in fact!
It has been an event-filled month. Unlike when we adopted Anand, and stayed in Bangalore for more than two months while the process of adoption got underway, this time I have not been able to get away from work for such a long time.
And so, Arpita and the kids had to stay in Bangalore, while I returned to Vellore. That was a difficult period of time for all of us. Finally on the 30th, they were all able to come to Vellore.
Let me also quickly say a big Thank You to all at 69, Hutchins Road, who have done so much, and put up with so much, and rearranged their own lives around ours, so that this time could be more pleasant and easy for us.
Namrata is growing well and it is such a joy to watch her. She is one of the most cheerful kids I have ever met, and has the cutest smile. She is now beginning to sit up, and pivot around to reach out for objects. She makes loud conversation, and laughs out aloud when amused. She does not require much entertainment, and can keep herself occupied, even just by staring at her toes! She has got over her initial respiratory infection, and is now eating well and putting on some weight.
Anand has taken the changes very well. He had been praying for many months that God would give him a 'smiling sister' and is relieved that God answered his prayers! He tells us often how much he loves his sister, and is very sure that she loves him too. There have hardly been any of the 'elder-sibling' problems we had heard so much about.
He also seems to have grown up an awful lot over the past one month. He has now entered the "Why?' phase, and we are often scrambling to answer his 'whys'. While reading a book to him, he now stops us if he does not understand something, and makes us explain what we just read, and the meaning of difficult words. When he has been satisfactorily answered, we are told, "Okay, read!", and meekly continue reading to him.
We have uploaded more photos at Flickr.
Arpita is now recovering from a bad viral infection that left her quite drained. Since I am so busy at work, she has been managing the children and the house all by herself, and always amazes me at how she manages to find the resources to keep things going so smoothly. Both of us are struggling to find a new rhythm and routine, and to juggle all our various responsibilities without missing out on what is most important.
Our papers have now been filed in court, and the adoption process moves slowly along. This is our most recent family photo that we have submitted with our papers. Unfortunately, the photographer could not get the kids to smile...
Thank you, each one of you, for your love, and care and concern for us, expressed so frequently, and wonderfully, and in so many ways. We are so blessed!
It has been an event-filled month. Unlike when we adopted Anand, and stayed in Bangalore for more than two months while the process of adoption got underway, this time I have not been able to get away from work for such a long time.
And so, Arpita and the kids had to stay in Bangalore, while I returned to Vellore. That was a difficult period of time for all of us. Finally on the 30th, they were all able to come to Vellore.
Let me also quickly say a big Thank You to all at 69, Hutchins Road, who have done so much, and put up with so much, and rearranged their own lives around ours, so that this time could be more pleasant and easy for us.
Namrata is growing well and it is such a joy to watch her. She is one of the most cheerful kids I have ever met, and has the cutest smile. She is now beginning to sit up, and pivot around to reach out for objects. She makes loud conversation, and laughs out aloud when amused. She does not require much entertainment, and can keep herself occupied, even just by staring at her toes! She has got over her initial respiratory infection, and is now eating well and putting on some weight.
Anand has taken the changes very well. He had been praying for many months that God would give him a 'smiling sister' and is relieved that God answered his prayers! He tells us often how much he loves his sister, and is very sure that she loves him too. There have hardly been any of the 'elder-sibling' problems we had heard so much about.
He also seems to have grown up an awful lot over the past one month. He has now entered the "Why?' phase, and we are often scrambling to answer his 'whys'. While reading a book to him, he now stops us if he does not understand something, and makes us explain what we just read, and the meaning of difficult words. When he has been satisfactorily answered, we are told, "Okay, read!", and meekly continue reading to him.
We have uploaded more photos at Flickr.
Arpita is now recovering from a bad viral infection that left her quite drained. Since I am so busy at work, she has been managing the children and the house all by herself, and always amazes me at how she manages to find the resources to keep things going so smoothly. Both of us are struggling to find a new rhythm and routine, and to juggle all our various responsibilities without missing out on what is most important.
Our papers have now been filed in court, and the adoption process moves slowly along. This is our most recent family photo that we have submitted with our papers. Unfortunately, the photographer could not get the kids to smile...
Thank you, each one of you, for your love, and care and concern for us, expressed so frequently, and wonderfully, and in so many ways. We are so blessed!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Goodbye Achachen
Given that I had a lot going on about the time, I probably wouldn't have gone all the way to Kerala for Achachen's funeral. But since I was already a third of the way there and I felt it important to support and be with daddy at a difficult time, I decided to go. I'm glad I did, because it turned out almost the entire family tree felt it important enough to travel across the world to be present to say goodbye to Achachen.A few seconds after Girly kissed Achachen goodbye, I did too. And as I did a thought struck me. When I leave this world and all that is familiar to me and as I travel to an unknown realm, Cheryl will not be there to say goodbye to me (she may go before me). and given the natural course of things, in all likelihood my parents won't be there to say goodbye to me, neither will any of my siblings, possibly none of my friends... no one who I know and trust as my own today is likely to be there while I leave this world. Except for one person... the little person swimming in Cheryl's amniotic fluid. As I was kissing Achachen for the last time, I fast-forwarded in my mind to the time when my child will be kissing my brow and telling me to travel well across the valley of the shadow. As I leave these shores, s/he will be waving goodbye to me, assuring me that I will be missed. And in that moment, I became aware of a deep spiritual connection between me and my child... and this worked to assure me and calm my anxieties. What could be the loneliest, darkest and most fearful journey of my life, became in my mind a beautiful adieu.. what's more, I wouldn't have to begin that journey alone. Someone who is already alive today... my child... will be there with me.
So as we say goodbye to you Achachen... we will miss you... we love you... and we eagerly long for the day when we will be reunited... till that day... kartavey stotram!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)