Indradyumna Swami: Last week here in Durban, South Africa, I visited my dermatologist – a skin specialist. Unfortunately, he found a Malignant Melanoma skin cancer on my face. The tumor was very near to the first one I had five years ago. It is called recurrence cancer. I had a PET/CT scan to see if this second tumor had metastasized (spread) throughout my body. The result came back clear. It had not spread. Nevertheless, as a precaution, my oncologist (cancer doctor) asked that while surgically removing this second tumor, the doctor also perform a neck dissection and remove a number of lymph nodes to ensure the Melanoma had not spread there. It sometimes happens that PET scans cannot see small traces
(micro-metastasis) of Melanoma.
Yesterday I underwent 4.5 hours of surgery in one of the best hospitals in South Africa. The tumor was excised with a wide margin, requiring a skin graft from my leg onto my face. The surgery also required that part of the skin of my right ear be removed. In addition, a neck dissection was needed to remove all the lymph nodes that cancer could have spread to. That part of the surgery required thirty staple-stitches to close the wound on my neck. A suction drain is in place to drain excess blood. Obviously, my appearance has changed somewhat, helping me to understand I am not the body!
The good news is that the laboratory reported this morning that there is no cancer present in any of the lymph nodes, nor anywhere near where the tumor was. I am again cancer-free! The doctors reminded me that because of the aggressive nature of Melanoma all these procedures were absolutely required; it is standard practice.
A special thank you to Sunil Mohan das, a disciple of Bhakti Charu Maharaja, who lovingly and efficiently took me through the whole process – and who himself performed the delicate surgery.
I will be in hospital for four more days and then I will continue my recovery for a few weeks at the home of Sunil Mohan prabhu and his good wife Hemangi dasi. Very soon I will be back on the road continuing my services to Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!
Once again, I am grateful to Lord Nrsimhadeva for watching over and protecting me. I am also grateful for the opportunity to continue serving my illustrious spiritual master, Srila Prabhupada in spreading the samkirtan movement all over the world. Now, each day is like gold.
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