Update: Bhattar visit and more

Ramabhadran visit on 15th:

He spent about 3 hours with Rajesh. He looked cheerful and the count has gone up today. He was also feeling better after the 2nd surgery in the leg. Based on the improvement in the count he will have his third surgery in the leg. Nair has started shaking the leg (His trait from Pilani days) as usual and that gave me the impression that the surgery has had good effect.

Narayanan's call with Rajesh(3/18):

He is doing much better. His counts are on the way up. Had a bath after about a month and a half. The Vellore residents are thankful about that.(his words, not mine) Once his counts are up to a certain amount, he is likely to have his 3rd surgery (to remove localized medicine delivering beads and to graft some bone) on his leg. This will hopefully be the final one. He has started to walk around a bit now, with the assistance of a walker.

Sankaran's dad personally delivered Lindi lotions that we had sent for his use. Was very grateful and happy about that. Donor matching process is still on-going. Awaiting results of the high-res reports on the donor for whom the Confirmatory Typing has been ordered.

They are planning to enroll Hrishi in a school. Uncle, Padmaja and the kids are doing fine, under the circumstances.

Narayanan

Update from Rajesh

Dear all,

I have been shifted to 9th floor which is a Hepa filter floor where I have finished my 2nd Chemo and today had the stitches of my 2nd operation removed as the healing is going on fine. I am awaiting information from NMDP for my High resolution matches and prepare for the marrow transplant. My room number is 903 and my direct phone number has therefore changed to +91 416 2283984.

I am unable to sit for long periods and the internet connection is really bad these days and hence I am not able to be on the net for long.

Regards to all and thanks for the support and prayers provided for this long. Hopefully it should take me through the balance of the treatment.

Regards
Rajesh

Update from another friend who visited Rajesh

Lakshminarayanan studied in BITS with us and visited Rajesh yesterday. His message:

I was on an official visit to Chennai and used the opportunity to visit our dear friend Rajesh who is undergoing treatment at CMC, Vellore. He is in Room 903 Building A9 now. I found Rajesh quite cheerful and looking forward bravely to the chemotherapy sessions ahead of him. His femur bone fracture is healing well. He is able to sit up.

We recalled old times at BITS, names and characteristics of several mutual friends etc. I was allowed to stay there only for about 30-40 minutes. He also mentioned about his work experience so far - in B'lore, middle east etc. While I took leave of him, he said "the prayers of all my friends and family will get me out of this."

On the whole, I got a feeling that he is on a full recovery track. And let us all pray for his speedy and complete return to good health.

Regards

Laksh

UPDATE

Spoke to Rajesh a little while ago. The doctors have started the 2nd phase of Chemo from this morning. He will have his chemo dose in the morning and evening for 3 alternate days. He has still got severe pain in the leg. But he mentioned that he has learnt some little tricks to mitigate the pain. Sounded little groggy - perhaps due to heavy dosage of pain killers that he is on. He was in quite good spirits though - pepped up a little having watched India beat Sri Lanka in the tri series one day match.

Plenty of good work has been done with the marrow drives and fund raising. However, all of us need to maintain the momentum, particularly for raising more funds.

Regards to all

Dinesh.

Cooks4Cure

Last week saw the first fundraising effort thru catering by the Richmond families. The "Cooks4Cure" team of Meena Sankaran, Chitra Ravindran, Vanaja Narayanan and Sreelatha Parasu made a great effort and it was a huge success. They cooked for the Richmond Tamil Sangam's Pongal program and RTS Executive Team graciously allowed them to sell the food as the proceeds were going to HelpRajesh.

The ladies sacrificed a few hours of their valueable family time on saturday, and pulled it off. The food was great and appreciated by all. Sankaran made a last minute dash to Costco and purchased soft drinks and water. That was well worth the effort.

The emphasis was to keep the cost low and the ladies achieved that objective. The total sale was over $560 and the net to HelpRajesh should be $400+. You can see some of the pictures from the food stall in the slideshow on the right.

The momemtum is picking up and word is spreading around like wild fire in the community about the quality of the food and the cause it supports. The Cooks4Cure team has already bagged another huge order for a Bharatanatyam Arangetram in Richmond on March 1st. This is a bigger undertaking as they will be cooking for 300 people. The amazing part is that a few ladies from the local community are chipping in and have signed up to volunteer and help the four principals.

Kudos to the Cooks4Cure team.

Team HelpRajesh

Update: Day of femur repair

Update from Rajesh's dad:

Today, the 15th of February 2008, a surgery was successfully performed on Rajesh to stabilize the femur bone with metal inserts. You may recall that a prior attempt to clean up some of the fungal infection on the bone, resulted in a fracture of that bone.

He is recovering well in the ICU. Apparently he had excessive blood loss and required a blood transfusion. But all is well now. He is still in a lot of pain and restless from the effects of the anesthesia and the medication. But all in all a successful surgery by all accounts. Apprently within the next week or two, he will begin the process of physical therapy, which will include walking with crutches. There is hope that at some point in time, he might be able to lose the metal insert, if his bone grafts well.

Could'nt talk to his dad for long, due to all the attention of the doctors that are in the ICU right now, along with him and Rajesh. He said he will give us a clearer/detailed update tomorrow.

So until then.

Narayanan

Update on Rajesh

The four of us from Richmond got together and had a long chat with Rajesh on Saturday night. He is currently getting treatment for the fungal infection. The surgery on the femur bone will be done after 10 days depending on the outcome of fungal treatment. Rajesh told us that the problem with his femur is away from the ball and socket joint and is now less likely to require a joint replacement. He might still however need some kind of metal insert to stabilize his bone.

And the following is not for the weak-hearted. They have drilled a hole thru the bone below the right knee when he was awake and talking to them. A metal rod thru that hole in a traction keeps him straight. Because of that, the pain is less now. But 'less' is here is relative. From spasmodic, gut-wrenching pain, it has dropped couple of notches.

The donor search is underway at NMDP and let us hope for the best.

The last week had ups and downs for all of us. The good news is that Sonia Kumar, another AML patient, found a matching donor. And we also received the crushing news that we lost Bevin Varughese to this dreaded disease. May his soul rest in peace.

So plan your next drive soon to stop further losses! ITS NO TIME TO SIGH.