I did not write my daily
Facebook Poem the four days
I was in the hospital. (Actually
for two days before that,
while I was still at home,
I was so much out of it
with my illness that I was unable
to write the Poem.)
Based on my health symptoms
and behavior, my primary medical
physician told me to admit
myself to the Emergency Health Unit
of the hospital for urinary infection.
Some of my symptoms were incontinence,
headaches, fatigue, constipation, etc.
Baladeva stayed in a room with me and
we endured patches of sleep
interrupted frequently by many nurses
turning on the lights and poking me
with needles or “checking
my vitals.” The hospital technicians
discovered that the initial diagnosis
was wrong and the actual cause
for all my maladies was
diabetes. An old man
across the hall from us
had the same disease,
and he kept howling from
advanced pains.
They asked him what
he wanted for lunch:
“What about chocolate pudding?”
“No,” he said. The nurse
then asked, “What is your
second choice?” He replied,
“Anything with sugar in it!”
The days and nights dragged by.
I took an MRI and received
insulin and instructions
for using it at home. Finally
they released me from the catheter,
when I could prove that I could
pass urine and had control without it.
Then they discharged us.
When we arrived back at Viraha Bhavan
I asked Hari Bhakti Vilasa how
long he had been here. (I knew he had
arrived the day I went into the hospital.)
He said, “I have been here four days.”
I couldn’t believe it! I thought
we had been in the hospital six days!
Nitai-Gaurasundara, my disciple, consulting
MD and psychiatrist, is adamant
that I should rest and not plunge
back immediately into intense chanting
of sixteen rounds and writing.
He wants me to wait a week.
He was very adamant about this.
But I will sleep starting at 6:30
and plan to get up at 1:00.