Anthar Dhwani

This issue of AntharDhwani is Swami’s Centenary Edition. The SAI Counselling Department has made it special with all the twenty one counsellors offering a Patient Story at the Lotus Feet of our Beloved Swami. These stories are also the Inner Voice, the Anthar Dhwani of twenty one patients who have been healed at Swami’s Hospital in body, mind and spirit. This is the only hospital possibly in the world perhaps offering this facility, free of cost to every patient admitted to this hospital, veritably a boon to those from the marginalised strata of society for whom such care is only a distant dream.

In this issue Swami’s Divine Message is a collection of His sayings extracted from the past twelve issues of AntharDhwani, so relevant, ageless and acting as effective guideposts. The patient stories amply demonstrate that God is innate in all human beings and faith in God is a good tool to leverage faster bodily healing. The Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy has been very effective and well received by all categories of patients.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................ The Editorial Team (Contact person: Umesh Rao <counsellingblr@sssihms.org.in>)

• ‘There can be no quality nobler than service to humanity.’
• ‘Treat them as your own kith and kin.’
• ‘Love in thought is Truth, Love in action is Right Conduct, Love in feeling is Peace, Love in understanding is Non-Violence.’
• You cannot find anything more sacred than love in the world.
• You are all the “Embodiments of love”. Your form is love. God's form is also love.
• “On this auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima, love is the most valuable gift I hand over to you. This is my most precious gift to you.”
• “Love and Faith are present in you. What you have to do is to turn them towards God. Then work will be transformed into worship. Whatever you do, consider it as God’s work.”
• You have to develop your faith with love for God. First of all, have faith in yourself. If you do not have faith in yourself, you cannot have faith in God.
• Do everything with a spirit of dedication. Begin with the cultivation of Love (Prema). If you win the Grace of the Lord, even the decrees of destiny can be overcome.
• Faith is the basis for all creation. Where there is faith and love, everything else will be added unto such a person. Faith devoid of love has no use. Love and faith must be together like mutually attractive magnetic poles.

• The essence of all religions, all teachings and spiritual paths is only one thing: Love. Develop that Divine Love. Above all, whatever your difficulties, whatever the ordeals you have to undergo, in any situation "Do not give up God and realise God is One."
• ‘As is the food, so is the mind; As is the mind, so are the thoughts; As are the thoughts, so is the conduct; As is the conduct, so is the health.’
• Where there is faith, there is Dharma. Faith is truth. Truth is God. Faith is God. Love is God. Live in Love. When we have truth, faith and love, we can achieve anything in this world.
• You love the God in all beings and the God in all beings responds with love. Love God, though tribulation may be your lot, love Him though you are refused and rebuked; for, it is only in the crucible of travail that the metal is purified and cleared of blemish.
• Fill your hearts with compassion and serve the poor and needy with love. Our aim is to cure the patients of their ailments and send them home happy and healthy.
• Moderation in food, moderation in talk and in desires and pursuits, contentment with what little can be got by honest labour, eagerness to serve others and to impart joy to all - these are the most powerful of all the tonics and health-preserves known to the science of health.

Om Sri Sai Ram SAI COUNSELLING

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE - Dr D C Sundaresh

The Importance of Patient Counselling in Healthcare

Patient counselling is a cornerstone of effective healthcare delivery, serving as a critical bridge between medical professionals and patients. By fostering better understanding, adherence and trust, patient counselling empowers individuals to take an active role in their health and well-being. The key components and the impact it has on both patients and the healthcare system is reflected in the outcome of the treatment. It is a well-known fact that the patient outcome is always better when the patient is receptive to the offered treatment and has full faith in the system.

Patient Counselling at SSSIHMS, Whitefield. Patient counselling provides personalised, relevant, and comprehensible information about the proposed treatment for the given patient. The SSSIHMS is recognised as a tertiary care centre in the fields of neurosurgery, cardiology and cardiac surgery. Majority of the patients come from West Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and the neighbouring states. This poses a challenge of counselling in the language of the patient. This is effectively overcome by a team of multilingual counsellors. Here counselling goes beyond simply giving instructions; it involves building a rapport, understanding patients' concerns, and ensuring they grasp the knowledge needed to cope with the high risk surgical treatment offered to them. Counselling may include discussions about:

Potential benefits of surgery

Stress alleviating methods like prayer in their own religious methods, meditation etc. Care after surgery-importance of taking medication regularly and timely follow-up Treatment plans, prognosis, and expectations.

These methods have helped improve outcomes as documented by interviews of patients and parents. This unique approach to counselling has benefitted innumerable patients over years and is a sustainable model considering that the counsellors are all volunteers and committed to the cause. This is “SAI COUNSELLING” infused with love and gratitude.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Dr D.C.Sundaresh, Director, Sathya Sai Institute of Higher medical Sciences, Whitefield.

“Ohidul Rahman expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards Swami and is overwhelmed by the kindness

and compassion of the doctors and the hospital staff. A devout Muslim he mentioned that along with Allah, Swami too held a special place in his heart.” - Patient Ohidul Rahman, Murshidabad, West Bengal.

“Acceptance is when we do not attempt to change, run away or fight painful emotions, sensations and feelings. We let God’s Will prevail.” - Patient Caregiver Shiyuli’s story.

“She mentioned the kindness and love showered on them and their child by the doctors and the staff was what kept them going. Her faith in Durga Ma and Sai Baba was where her strength to bear all this came from.” - Patient Ashmitha’s Caregiver Thumpa Mahanti, Bankura Dt, West Bengal.

“The recommendation of Swami’s hospital from their relatives was a turning point and patient

Shanmugam feels that it was his rebirth and is ever grateful for Swami’s Divine intervention. The whole family is full of gratitude to Swami and His hospital as timely help was given and his life regained.”

• Patient Shanmugham, Hosur, Tamil Nadu.

Forty-five-year-old Patient Prashanth is from Mangalore district of Karnataka state. His mother tongue is Tulu. He came to our hospital, accompanied by his wife Shailaja, with a cardiac problem. He had frequent bouts of acidity and felt very tired whenever he walked and so had gone to consult a specialist in Mangalore. A CAG was done and it revealed three arterial blockages in his heart and surgery was advised. He decided to come to our Hospital because his elder brother had been successfully treated here for a heart ailment twenty years ago. Their family deity is Kali Kaamba goddess.

He was admitted on 03/09/2024 and was getting ready for the surgery when the doctor while checking the medication he was taking found he was taking a blood thinner that would be problematic for the open heart surgery. So he was asked to come after ten days; naturally he felt disappointed. The patient and his wife sounded very sad during the tele-counselling session with the counsellor. They were disappointed but decided to stay on in the hospital at the Salarpuria guest house. Noticing both the patient and his wife were unhappy about the discharge, the counsellor took them through the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy which seemed to alleviate some of their disappointment and anxiety.

During the counselling session in the department, the patient mentioned that he did have a Neuro issue when he was 20 years old and was treated in his hometown Mangalore wherein a ventricular - atrial shunt surgery was performed on him.

Prashanth, a goldsmith by profession, belongs to the Vishwakarma community. He takes orders from showrooms and designs the jewellery from home. Shailaja, who accompanied him to be his caregiver, is a tailor. They have one daughter who is still in school and both parents seemed keen for her to study nursing in our Hospital.

While in the hospital, Prashanth and Shailaja would visit the counselling shrine area where they experienced a lot of solace and peace. The counselling sessions also helped them to connect with their inner spirituality and draw strength from their spiritual source Goddess Kali Kaamba.

After a month, patient was readmitted on 11/10/2022. He underwent a CABG X5 procedure on 13/10/22 and a re-exploration in view of mediastinal bleeding the next day 14/10/22. He was in the ICU for a few days. During this time a worried Shailaja reached out to the counsellor for support and felt calmer after a counselling session. Finally, after six days, on 20/10/2022, he was discharged. The discharge summary was explained to Shailaja which helped her to work on his diet, exercise and medication .

They kept in touch with the counsellor. Ten days later after returning home Prashanth developed chest congestion and Shailaja had the presence of mind to bring him immediately to the emergency department at our Hospital on 01/11/2022. The diagnosis showed right sided pleural effusion and this was corrected by placing an ICD in the right pleural space. He was kept under observation for two days after ICD removal and was discharged on 04/11/2022.

After his discharge, they both came to the Counselling Department shrine area to pray and thank Swami. Prashanth said he felt a second life was given to him in this Hospital. The counsellor observed how balanced and calm both the patient and Shailaja were considering all that they had recently been through. She felt their long stay, the hand holding by the counsellor and their own introspection process during their frequent visits to the shrine in the Counselling Department must have contributed to the transformation in them. They were very grateful to Swami, thankful to all doctors, nurses and the counsellors. They shared the second discharge summary and finally returned to Mangalore after almost three months.

They have been coming for reviews regularly and the patient is in good health. The counsellor being able to communicate with them in their mother tongue Tulu, facilitated a bond of trust and empathy with the patient and his wife whereby they could freely express their emotions without a language barrier. The patient was not just treated for his physical ailment but the continuous nurturing by the counsellor ensured he and his wife felt their mind and spirit were also restored to a sense of overall well being. In this case, because of their long stay the counsellor reaped the benefit of witnessing this transformation.

Prashant and his wife have been in touch with the counsellor since the last two years. He has resumed his work. To show their gratitude to Swami, they have been offering Seva as part of the Sevadal in our hospital for the past two years. This is their fourth trip and each time they find a lot of peace when they connect to their source in the shrine in the Counselling Department.

Swami’s Temple of Healing and the shrine within the Counselling Department therein provided solace and comfort for Prashanth and his wife Shailaja to heal completely through introspection and transformation.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Sadhana Rao, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

This is truly an extraordinary story of how Swami brought about a drastic change in the life of Patient Sumanta Mukherjee while simultaneously taking care of his chronic rheumatic heart disease over a period of seventeen years and probably many more years to come! Swami picks and chooses His instruments in His own mysterious ways but stories such as Patient Sumanta Mukherjee’s are few and far between.

In 2007 Sumanta was assailed by fatigue while walking and recurring breathlessness, chest pain and dizziness. When he consulted Burdwan Medical College in Kolkata he was advised surgery for what was evidently a heart problem. He tried consulting in different hospitals but they all said the same thing. Knowing the cost of such a surgery would be prohibitive he had lost all hope of getting better. He and his family prayed to their family deity Krishna Bhagawan. When things seemed totally hopeless for Sumanta Mukherjee, God intervened to remove the darkness; hearing about his problem, a neighbour told him about Swami’s free hospital in Bengaluru. It was as though a light had suddenly appeared to dispel the darkness.

He immediately came to SSSIHMS, accompanied by his father and a microsurgery (PTMC) was performed without delay. He was discharged with medications and asked to come back after five years for an open-heart surgery. He was also advised by our Hospital doctors to quit his current job at the cold storage since it would affect his health especially after the PTMC microsurgery. He borrowed money from friends and relatives and started a small grocery shop in his own house to meet his living expenses. In 2007 Sumantha was already married to Mum and had a young daughter. They were all happy to see his health had improved and he says he felt it was a turning point in his life. The sheer relief of being healthy again gave him a fresh insight into his potential - his leadership capability.

Having seen and experienced the way our Hospital functioned and inspired by Swami’s Vision and His quote, “Love All - Serve All”, he decided he wanted to help people. On making enquiries he found that there was a Sai Samithi in Sainthia, a nearby town. He started volunteering, selflessly serving people there. While doing so it occurred to him that he could bring the same service to his own village, Benegram/Chandrahat. He discussed the matter with the president of the Sai Samithi in Sainthia who encouraged him and under his guidance and the cooperation of people and friends from his village, a Samithi was established in 2011. Soon they had a Medical Camp twice a month, a yearly Blood Donation Camp, an Environment Awareness Program and Swachh Bharat program.

While being totally involved in this selfless endeavour, Sumanta neglected his health and exactly five years later, his original symptoms reappeared. It was probably Swami reminding him to take care of his health and as per the doctors’ orders to return for his surgery. He came for the second time to SSSIHMS in 2012 with his wife Mum as caregiver, his father having passed away.

He was admitted and MVR (Mitral Valve Replacement) surgery was recommended. By Swami’s Grace, on the day of surgery the doctors decided MVR was not required as yet and performed a second PTMC procedure. Sumanta was delighted. After surgery, filled with gratitude to Swami and the Hospital staff he returned to his hometown. He threw himself into expanding his Samithi work bestowed upon him by Swami. By this time his daughter had finished her graduation and was married. Eventually, he entrusted his shop to a reliable person and devoted his time exclusively to the services of the Samithi.

When the symptoms surfaced again twelve years later in 2024, Sumanta Mukherjee, now forty-five years old was admitted to SSSIHMS on 19/08/2024 for a MVR (Mitral Valve Replacement) surgery. He was accompanied by his wife Mum as his caregiver. This was the third time he was admitted to Swami’s hospital. When the counsellor spoke to Sumantha and his wife on the first day of his admission, she found them both calm and accepting the proposed treatment. After the counsellor took them through BRMC therapy they felt even more relaxed and were prepared for the impending surgery.

MVR surgery was done on 23/08/2024 and having recovered well he was discharged from the hospital on 30/08/2024. He was given a Discharge Summary which advised him about his medication, especially the daily intake of the prescribed dosage of Acitrom, an anticoagulant and the monthly INR check up. Fortunately he had been able to get his INR values checked at our Hospital and dosage changes, if required as advised by our doctors. The dietary department advised him of certain diet restrictions since he was prescribed Acitrom medication. The physio therapist prescribed the exercises he should follow.

Sumanta has extended their Samithi activities for cleaning the venues where periodic festivals are held in nearby well known small towns such as Shantiniketan and Kenduli, birthplace of poet Jayadeva and where the annual fair, popularly known as the Baul fair where the Bauli wandering mendicants gather, is held on Makar Sankranti.

According to Patient Sumantha, his entire life has been blessed by Baba’s Grace. He felt Baba Himself had showered His Grace and Blessings on him and his family. For the counsellor this interaction with Sumantha was an enriching experience as she noted how an individual can change the entire direction of his life towards the betterment of others rather than just taking care of himself for his family.

This is indeed a rare case of Swami dispensing His Love and Protection so that Patient Sumanta Mukherjee could fulfill his destiny.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Sukanya Chattopadhyay, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Fifty-five-year-old Ohidul Rahman from Murshidabad, West Bengal, arrived at Swami’s hospital in Whitefield, Bengaluru with his son Mostafijur, as his caregiver. The patient displayed a positive attitude and a strong faith in Allah and Swami. His faith in Swami springs from a long history of his neuro ailments and resulting treatment in Swami’s hospital.

He experienced mild chest pain and sweating on 24/02/2024. They went to a local doctor and were suggested he has a CAG done. He decided to come to SSSIHMS, Whitefield, Bengaluru despite persistent leg pain which he accepted as a "test" from Allah. On 10/07/2024 after a consultation with a cardiac doctor, his blood test was done. The report showed a high level of blood sugar. After addressing the problem, he got admitted into the hospital on 19/10/2024 with his son as his caretaker. A Coronary Angiogram plus POBA, wherein a balloon is used instead of a stent, was performed successfully on 21/10/2024 and the patient was discharged on 22/10/2024. Ohidul’s son Mostafijur, who was his caretaker said that the doctors patiently explained that they decided not to put a stent because in future his Neuro problem may recur and then they will not be able to perform surgery on him. So the doctors opted for balloon surgery. Considering his past medical history as a Neuro patient in Swami’s hospital, he was advised to have a Neuro check-up. His check-up result being normal, he was given some specific exercises to practice regularly.

He was admitted to the Cardiac ward on 19/10/2024. When the counsellor connected with him on this date he mentioned how he had come to our Hospital in 2005, 2017 and 2021 for Neuro spinal surgeries before this latest admission for his heart.

Ohidul works on a commission basis at the sub-registrar's office in Murshidabad, West Bengal, where he lives with his wife, while his four children reside in Bengaluru; two are working and two are studying there. During his treatment he and his wife were staying with their daughter in Bengaluru.

Having experienced and benefitted from Swami’s hospital previously he had implicit faith and confidence in being looked after well this time as well. His wife, Sabeena Yeafmin, after seeing this also opted to get treated for her diabetes in the Outpatient department of our Hospital.

Ohidul said that in 2004 when he was just thirty-four, he developed pain in his lower back and his legs began to bend and buckle resulting in loss of his balance. There was swelling around his elbows too. He went to an Orthopaedic doctor who prescribed medication.

This health setback worried him immensely as his children were still very small and he wanted to be fit for their sakes. Fortunately, one of his cousins residing in Telangana told him about Swami’s hospital. Ohidul narrated the story of this sixty-year-old cousin who had a heart problem in 2000 and was examined and given a date for surgery in Swami’s hospital. A day prior to her surgery, when she had gone for Swami’s Darshan, Swami blessed her by touching her head. The following day when she was admitted for her procedure, the doctors told her that her heart seemed perfectly normal and she did not need any treatment or surgery. She had a calendar of SSSIHMS, Bengaluru which she had shown Ohidul.

He said his cousin’s miracle impacted him so deeply he made up his mind and came here in 2005 full of faith. He was treated for his lower back pain. A surgery for decompression of L3-L4 was performed on him and he was discharged in ten days.

He led a normal life for twelve years after that. In 2017, he was admitted here again for Canal Stenosis and discharged within a week and asked to come for a review after a year. He came a third time on 16/01/2021 when another recurrent L3 to L5 Canal Stenosis was done and he was discharged on 01/02/2021.

"The secret of perfect health lies in keeping the mind always cheerful-never worried, never hurried, never borne down by any fear, thought or anxiety."

Sathya Sai Baba

The counsellor was intrigued when Ohidul had mentioned that along with Allah, Swami too held a special place in his heart and wanted to learn more about this transformation in him. He said his cousin’s miracle had a lot to do with his first exposure to Swami. Although a devout Muslim, he is ever grateful to Sai Ram for repeatedly treating him and healing him in His hospital. He will remember this till the end of his life. He feels that everything should be surrendered to the Almighty-“Sab Allah ke marji.” He continued, “The One who gives us this life will also take care of us and nothing is in our control. Everyone should have faith and trust in the Almighty.”

The counsellor was impressed by his implicit trust in the Almighty. He follows his religion with sincerity and does “namaz” (prayers) without fail. He wishes everyone followed the edict of being nice to each other instead of finding faults in others. The counsellor then took the patient through the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy, after which she prayed with him for his procedure to go smoothly on the scheduled date.

Now back at home in West Bengal, he is exercising and cycling as advised by the Neuro doctors. He cycles to work every day. He still finds it difficult to stand for long and is thankful for the help of his wife, to move about. Ohidul is overwhelmed by the kindness and compassion of the doctors and hospital staff. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude towards Swami who now has a permanent place in his heart. His family echoes his sentiments.

Thie is yet another of Swami's many miracles that have brought about life long transformation in several of our patients as has happened in the life of Patient Ohidul Rahman.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellors Meenakshi Uchil, Ashalatha Chandrashekar and Aparna Hoskote, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

One of the unique features of SAI Counselling at SSSIHMS, Whitefield is the continued counselling support provided to both patients and their caregivers admitted for neurosurgery or cardiac surgery. Why is it important to provide support to the caregiver at the hospital and thereafter? An individual’s illness involves and impacts the entire family. The greatest concern is fear and anxiety of the unknown future. Sudden illness of a serious nature affecting any family member can disrupt the normal routine in a household creating chaos. The need to adapt and adjust to new demands can take its toll on the immediate family members especially the prime caregiver. Counselling support provided to the caregivers helps them relax. The Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy helps them be mindful of their thoughts, feelings and faith. A shift is perceived in the caregivers as they regain lost courage and hope.

This story is about caregiver Shiyuli from Bangladesh and her journey of oscillating between hope and despair, tenacity and sorrow, perseverance and powerlessness, bravery and fearfulness, ultimately navigating with faith and courage towards prayers and surrender to their God, Allah, culminating in acceptance of the inevitable.

Shiyuli and her husband Abdul Latif (a welder by profession working in Singapore) are from Bangladesh and belong to a loving close knit family. The family rejoiced when they were blessed with a son after two daughters sixteen-year-old Sumaiya and eight-year-old Sadhiya. They named their son Mohammed Abu Said. Unfortunately the celebration and their happiness was short lived when Abu had symptoms of breathlessness and unease. Physicians at the local medical centres failed to diagnose his condition and they were advised to consult doctors in India at SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

In the year 2023 one-year-old Abu had a thorough investigation at SSSIHMS Whitefield and was diagnosed with a genetic condition called Noonan syndrome, that stops typical development in various parts of the body. This illness can affect a person in several ways, many individuals with Noonan syndrome are born with heart problems (congenital heart disease) that causes some of the key symptoms of the condition. Abu was born with congenital heart problems which had to be treated. Doctors manage Noonan syndrome by controlling the symptoms and complications since there is no cure for this illness. It has to be endured.

Shiyuli and Abdul Latiff travelled with Abu from Bangladesh to India SSSIHMS in 2023. Abu needed immediate attention and medical aid and they gave their consent for the cardiac procedure suggested by the doctors. Abu underwent a PVBD (Pulmonary Valve Balloon Dilatation) and was discharged with the advice for a follow up in 2024.

Reflecting upon her first visit to SSSIHMS Shiyuli recalls how desperation was replaced by hope and joy when their child received loving care at SSSIHMS and was discharged after a successful cardiac procedure in 2023.

The second visit to India involved a great amount of planning and expenditure for the family. They made arrangements for their two daughters Sumaiya and Sadhiya to stay with relatives in Bangladesh. Abdul Latiff had to apply for leave and his visa had to be organised to enable him to travel from Singapore to Bangladesh and later to India. Shiyuli’s brother offered to accompany them to India and support Shiyuli since Abdul Latiff had limited leave sanctioned from work. Illness is a family affair where the caregivers have to adjust and comply with various changes and demands.

On 13/07/2024 Mohammed Abu Said was admitted at SSSIHMS for cardiac surgery and the CTVS team performed the following successful cardiac surgeries - ASD patch closure, Pulmonary Valvotomy, MPA augmentation plasty, RVOT muscle bundle resection and PDA ligation. Abu’s symptoms caused by Noonan syndrome had to be controlled through the above surgeries. Since Latiff Abu’s father had exhausted his leave he had to return to Singapore to resume his duty. Shiyuli shouldered the responsibility of being the prime caregiver to Abu and was grateful to her brother for his support. She waited patiently in the corridor outside ICU for weeks together where her tenacity and love for her child helped her endure many challenges such as loneliness, homesickness and concern about her two young daughters and her home in Bangladesh. The long wait outside ICU for more than a month took its toll on Shiyuli.

Dr Lahari a compassionate and empathetic doctor at SSSIHMS who had interacted and evaluated Abu’s condition in cardiac OPD before and after his admission and thereafter observed Shiyuli’s anxiety, stress and emotional pain and referred her for counselling. This initiative helped provide continued counselling support to Shiyuli the caregiver from 17/08/24 to 24/08/24. On day one, 17/08/24, listening to the voice of the counsellor Shiyuli broke down in tears sobbing uncontrollably. Absorbing in silence the pain and suffering of the young mother and providing her the space to express her concerns between sobs, the counsellor provided an opportunity for Shiyuli to unburden her feelings uninhibitedly. There was a slight shift in the frequency of her sobs and this seemed an opportune moment for the counsellor to intervene and introduce the Adhan/call for prayers... She was able to tune into this field of spiritual energy when she heard the familiar call of the Adhan and fervently connected to her spiritual dimension by offering prayers to Allah.

The next session on 18/08/2024 she met the counsellor in the department and was happy to receive a copy of the Holy Koran. She practiced the BRMC therapy in the department which provided her with solace. Six days of continued support brought about a gentle yet definite shift within her. She realized that her child’s end was inevitable and the “End of Life” counselling session provided by the counsellor helped her perceive tragedy in a different light and brought about a transformation in her. She focused on accepting the inevitable with courage and strength. This shift in Shiyuli’s countenance and attitude reminded the counsellor of the following words of Robert Burton, “what cannot be cured must be endured” (“The Anatomy of Melancholy”).

On POD (Post Operative Day) between 4:15 and 5 p.m. on 24/08/2024, Shiyuli was chanting from the Holy Koran when her child Abu succumbed to his illness despite all resuscitative efforts. She accepted the demise of her child with dignity and poise. With the help of her brother Shiyuli took her child to Bangladesh by air.

A fortnight after her departure the counsellor was surprised to receive a call from Shiyuli requesting permission to keep in touch with the counsellor whenever she felt the need for counselling support. Over the past two months Shiyuli has called and introduced her daughters Sumaya and Sadhiya and they bonded with the counsellor. She shared videos and pictures of Abu and their family.

Currently she has resumed her routine as a housewife, tending to her cows and her poultry, taking care of her children, her home and her extended family. She draws strength through prayers and has learnt to accept her challenges with grace and tenacity.

During her recent call the comforting sound in the background of her cows mooing and the cock crowing filled the air with nature’s music. There was a sense of significant closure defined by her positive attitude and ability to stay focused on the present. The crowning glory being her spiritual strength and strong belief in accepting Allah's will.

Acceptance is when we do not attempt to change, run away, resist or fight painful emotions, sensations and feelings. We let God’s Will prevail.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Gita Umesh, HOD, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Patient Madhusudhan Mudi, who is thirty-five-years-old, hails from Ramkanali, District Purulia in West Bengal. He came to our hospital accompanied by his younger cousin brother Devasis, seeking treatment for his heart ailment and after being examined at the OPD he was admitted on 02/09/2024 with symptoms of heart disease. The doctors after a thorough evaluation told Madhusudan his test results indicated that he needed only a simple balloon procedure and said the more complex open heart valve replacement surgery would be considered if and when required. The reassuring manner in which they conveyed this information convinced him that he was in good hands. A successful PTMC (Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Commissurotomy) was performed on 03/09/2024. All having gone well he was discharged on 04/09/24. He was advised to stop chewing tobacco and asked to come for a review on 09/08/2025.

Patient Madhusudhan’s voice was laced with profound sadness when the counsellor initiated a tele counseling session with him on his day of admission, 02/09/2024. The soothing voice of the counsellor encouraged him to share with her the story of his and his family's experience of the illness. Madhusudhan sensed discomfort one and a half years back when he frequently developed severe cough and cold and also vomited blood. A local doctor in Durgapur put him through a battery of blood tests to rule out TB, lung infection etc. Nothing was diagnosed and then a chest X-Ray was prescribed. He was helpless and finally the cardiologist in the same hospital while doing the chest X-Ray realized that the problem was in his breathlessness and chest pain and nothing to do with the blood tests. He then underwent an ECHO test where a valve problem was detected. The medicines prescribed provided Madhusudhan with some relief for several months.

Then, six months ago when he was cycling, he felt breathless and suddenly vomited blood again, which scared him. He said that he felt that his whole world had collapsed. What would happen to his family? He was the sole breadwinner of the family and made a living from their family business named Vishwakarma dealing in decoration lights. He recollected the day the doctors in his home town told him that he would have to undergo a major heart surgery. He broke down on hearing the news, his wife was terrified and his aged parents were visibly tense that their son had to undergo such trials and tribulations at such a young age of thirty-five. In spite of being totally shattered, Madhusudhan found energy to visit hospitals like TATA, in Asansol, WB and BM Birla in Kolkata.

He was not satisfied with their medical advice which were laced with ifs and buts. Even the open-heart surgery advised by some doctors in his home town was vetoed by others. Simultaneously, Madhusudhan googled and came across our SSSIHMS for free Cardiac treatment. He then started putting his funds together to travel almost 2000 Kms from West Bengal to Bengaluru. The family and wife Semoli were supportive and very much convinced that SSSIHMS would give him the best possible advice and treatment. He reached SSSIHMS and was awestruck with the magnitude of the hospital. His visit to the Counselling Department prior to his admission was filled with anxiety and fear but soon listening to the counsellor’s loving voice he was put at ease through the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy. When the counsellor spoke to him, he voiced out his thoughts that although the doctors had suggested a major surgery, he just wanted to be treated with medicines and sent back home. He was scared that if he underwent a major surgery, he would not be able to go about his regular responsibilities for his family of seven who were dependent on him. His wife meanwhile was temporarily engaged in looking after the business as it was their only income. He just wanted to get back home to his three children.

The counsellor listened to him and calmed him down by bringing to his notice that he was a young and healthy man with his BP, sugar and other parameters being normal and that he did not have a family history of cardiac illness either. He was listening intently and said that he had immense faith in his chosen deities Shivji (Shiva) and Ganesha.

He has placed a picture of Swami in his shrine at home. He had faith in all Gods and Goddesses but lamented why he had to undergo this plight. As he recalled and spoke about his journey of one and a half years with God guiding him, his faith in God strengthened. The counsellor told him to have faith in the hospital and leave the decision to the doctors who know best. Patient Madhusudhan calmed down and strengthened his spiritual connect with Shivji. BRMC that followed further helped calm his nerves and thoughts to a great extent. His PTMC procedure was successful as mentioned earlier. On the day he was discharged, he came to our Counselling Department, his new-found life filled with Faith and Gratitude.

A few hours after reaching his hometown, Madhusudhan called to say that his wife was keen to learn the BRMC therapy, not having been able to accompany him to Bengaluru. He requested the counsellor to teach the BRMC therapy again for his wife’s benefit, which the counsellor promptly obliged. A comfortable empathetic bond that was established during the counselling sessions was evident.

Madhusudhan said that he is henceforth going to lead a life with no anxiety and tension fully aware that God, the Almighty, is leading the way. He is going to make sure that his wife and children follow that path as well. Madhusudhan got his three children to speak to the counsellor saying that he wanted them to hear about the beautiful atmosphere in the hospital.

Such was the transformation; exactly how Swami wants us to live in an ambience of devotion, peace and love within our homes.

A wonderful story of Swami’s Infinite Compassion on Patient Madhusudan and family, removing the agony in their hearts and showing them the way forward.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Saroo Annaiah, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"Be fearless. God is with you. Proceed on life's journey with courage.”

Sathya Sai Baba

Forty-eight-year-old N.C.Panduranga, a cab driver from Basavanagudi, Bengaluru was admitted to SSSIHMS on 25/10/2024. On the day he was admitted to the Cardiac ward at SSSIHMS, the counsellor connected with him over the phone in his mother tongue Kannada. He was accompanied by his wife Manjula as his caregiver. He narrated how he developed fever in 2023 and during a checkup was asked to go to Jayadeva hospital where he was told that he had a heart valve leakage. He was not recommended for any surgery but was put on medication, which he continued with.

A year later on 09/10/ 2024, he suddenly experienced dizziness and collapsed but recovered fairly quickly. After the initial anxiety over this unexpected event, he went to a nearby clinic and got his BP checked. Thereafter he went to Jayadeva hospital where a CTCA was done on 15/10/2024. Feeling worried by the reading he came to SSSIHMS and was admitted on 25/10/2024. After reviewing his history the patient was fitted with a Holter monitor the same day for 24 hour monitoring.

After listening to his narration the counsellor took him and his caregiver through a session of the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy which relaxed them both during their first day in the hospital. After studying the Holter monitor results the patient was advised medical management with medication and lifestyle changes with emphasis on BP reduction, quitting his habit of tobacco chewing and reduction in weight by 7kg. He was discharged on 26/10/2024 and was told to report to Cardiac OPD if symptomatic.

The counsellor met Patient Panduranga the next day during her bedside rounds in the Cardiac ward. He was happy to see her. While expressing his admiration for the structured efficiency of the hospital, he confided that he needed some doubts to be cleared. The counsellor reassured him that she would clear his doubts as soon as he sent her his discharge summary. In an attempt to relieve his immediate anxiety she enquired about his family structure and whether he had a deity of choice.They worship Guru Narashimha and derive a lot of strength from their faith in Him. The couple have a teenage son in college. His wife Manjula is a housewife. The counsellor thought it was the right moment to take them through a session of the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy to relax them further. They were both very receptive to her intervention.

The counsellor connected with the patient a few days after he was discharged. He was happy to take her call as he remembered her visiting him at his bedside in the Cardiac ward. He was feeling fine, healthy and was back driving cabs. When Manjula came on the line she confided how afraid she was until coming to Swami’s hospital, while being filled with anxiety about her husband’s health. The doctor’s initial recommendation of surgery had terrified her. After seeing the results of the Holter test when they were told the surgery wasn’t necessary, she said her relief knew no bounds.

They accepted the doctor’s decision and completely trusted their recommended line of treatment. She became emotional when she said how she saw this as God’s shower of Grace on them and requested the counsellor to refresh them with another session of BRMC therapy, as both of them were keen to follow the relaxing therapy regularly.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Sumana Yadalam, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Forty-six-year-old Muhamad Ekram, a government bus driver from Deoghar district, Jharkhand, suffered a sudden heart attack in December 2022 while driving a bus. He was taken immediately to a hospital at Deogarh, where an ECG was taken and it was confirmed that it was a heart attack. He was put on medication for three months. During this period they were aware that his heart disease needed more than medication as he felt breathless and could barely walk due to weakness. Due to financial constraints he could not source an affordable hospital. After running from pillar to post in this quest for three months, they heard about SSSIHMS, Whitefield from an uncle who had been treated there for a heart ailment and readily made their way to Swami’s hospital.

Patient Ekram was diagnosed with CAD and admitted to the Cardiac ward on 04/03/2023. After an evaluation a Cardiac Cath procedure, PTCA (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty) was performed successfully on 06/03/2023. He was discharged on 08/03/2023 in a stable condition and was asked to come back for a review after six months.

The patient and his wife and caregiver Shabnam were sent to the Counselling Department from the Cardiac Care Unit for their discharge counselling and this was when the counsellor met them. They were beaming with joy, devotion and utmost gratitude as they greeted her warmly. Once at ease with the counsellor, they gradually revealed all that they had been through before they came to Swami’s Hospital. They have two daughters and two small sons. As a government employee it was all going well for Ekram right up to the marriages of both his daughters. Just when he and Shabnam were feeling content about having fulfilled their duty as parents, one of the daughters returned home two months after her marriage, rejected by her husband’s family and has been with them for a year now. The tension and worry of this unforeseen situation caused Ekram’s health to deteriorate, possibly leading to his heart attack. The process of finding a place for a cure with zero funds was incredibly hard for the patient and his wife, as they had liquidated all their savings in getting their daughters married. The counsellor empathised with them, understanding how a situation like this could have a ripple effect on the entire family.

The narration of their travails and the end result had both Ekram and Shabnam in tears, a sad contrast to how they had appeared to her at first.They were immensely grateful for the free treatment received here and Ekram frankly said ‘we would have been on the streets if I were not treated at Sai Baba's Hospital. He is my saviour’. He continued ‘I feel very good, comfortable and much better than before, the physical pain has reduced after my treatment here. I couldn't walk a step before the procedure, now I am able to walk across the whole hospital. The overall atmosphere is so good. Everybody is so helpful in responding to any of our queries’. Shabnam added; ‘we arrived here with a lot of difficulty due to his health. We were hopeless before coming here and are now returning brimming with hope. We are very grateful to Sai Ram for my husband's treatment. We are going home happy’. Their tears of gratitude and relief flowed throughout the session.

The counsellor advised them to follow the discharge summary diligently, stressing the importance of keeping Ekram’s mind calm, as medication could only work in tandem with lifestyle changes, not on its own. She said every individual has his or her share of problems in life and it would help them to have the faith to leave all their problems to God. She made them realise it was faith in their God that had brought them here and urged them to continue drawing from it. Both Ekram and Shabnam were very receptive to the counsellor’s emphasis on the importance of faith in God in one’s life. Shabnam then said, “thanks to Baba my husband is going back sahi-salamat (unscathed)” and they are looking forward to coming back to Baba’s Hospital for the review.

The counsellor further explained the requirements in the discharge summary and said how important it was to follow the instructions, particularly giving up chewing tobacco and also to remain calm to maintain the good work the doctors had done for Ekram. She reiterated the importance of Body Relaxation Mind Conditioning Therapy (BRMC), emphasising the fact that this therapy is a tonic for the mind, a prayer by itself, wherein the mind and body are connected to the spirit - the soul, thus, surrendering oneself to His Will.

As Ekram has said ‘we would have been on the streets if I were not treated at Sai Baba's Hospital. He is my saviour’. Another very moving example of Swami’s largesse.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Manisha B, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Forty-nine-year-old Sai Bindu, from Kozhikode, Kerala, after facing numerous medical and personal challenges yearned for a life, which would take a transformative turn to redefine her relationship with her health, faith and resilience. She found herself at the Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital in Whitefield, seeking not just treatment but a renewed sense of hope.

Sai Bindu came to our Hospital accompanied by her older sister Deena. She was suffering not only from breathlessness but also from exertional angina. After the preliminary tests, Sai Bindu was admitted on 21/09/2024. Upon admission the counsellor contacted Sai Bindu and spoke to her fluently in Malayalam, her mother tongue. The counsellor was thus able to establish a good rapport with Sai Bindu with a voice full of concern and love which reduced Sai Bindu’s anxiety level. She was then taught the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy which alleviated her anxiety and gave her peace of mind.

Sai Bindu underwent a PTCA (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty) with stenting on 23/09/2024 and was discharged on 24/09/2024. After her successful surgery, she was advised to follow a strict regimen of medications, diet and lifestyle changes, including the regular daily BRMC therapy and was asked to come for a review after a year.

She is a very simple and straightforward person. She is the eighth and youngest daughter of her parents. She was once a vibrant young woman, excelling in athletics and arts during her school and college years. Her energy was infectious. She participated in dance and plays and even ran her own beauty parlour after completing courses in tailoring and cosmetology. However, her life took a dramatic shift after she encountered severe health issues, beginning with thyroid problems that necessitated surgery in 2013.

Years later, persistent joint pain led to a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, causing significant mobility challenges. At Omega Hospital in Mangalore, a startling diagnosis by the doctors revealed she had 80% arterial blockages requiring cardiac surgery. Coupled with this, she lost her husband to a sudden cardiac arrest. Faced with this overwhelming news, Sai Bindu’s life came to a standstill. In her present condition she could not manage her husband’s business. She did not have the required amount needed for further treatment. Yet, in the darkest of times, she discovered an inner strength. Her father was an ardent devotee of Swami for more than 60 years. She loved her father very much since her childhood and she too became an ardent devotee of Swami.

Swami did not disappoint His devotee. When Sai Bindu’s son’s friend's mother had undergone treatment in Swami’s hospital and told her about the loving care and best treatment given at SSSIHMS. She felt a spark of hope. The recommendation highlighted not just excellent medical care but also a compassionate environment, something she desperately needed. Coming from a family deeply connected to the teachings of Sai Baba, her decision felt almost predestined. The moment she stepped through the doors, a wave of calm washed over her. Looking at the photo of Swami in the foyer she prayed for healing, feeling an overwhelming sense of love and protection.

Sai Bindu’s experience at the hospital was not just about physical recovery; it was a journey of spiritual renewal. She recalled a significant moment when, after the tests she noticed the letter “S” appearing on her thumb nail. She interpreted this as a divine message - a reminder that Swami was always with her, guiding her through the trials of life. This marked a new chapter in her life, one filled with potential and promise.

Today, Sai Bindu is a picture of resilience. She does not suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes and continues to manage her rheumatoid arthritis with a positive outlook. Her elder son is thriving at Presidency University in Bengaluru, juggling studies with a part-time job, while her younger son helps her at home, embodying the caring spirit that runs deep in their family.

One of her favourite stories is the following. When she was a little girl she accompanied her father along with a group of people in two buses to Puttaparthi to get Swami’s blessings. Afterwards when they went to take leave Swami told them ‘I will be with you.’

On their way back when they had crossed half way they were surrounded by a herd of elephants, which are common in those areas. They were all very frightened and were not able to turn back. Immediately they all started singing bhajans and suddenly from Swami’s photo which they had kept in the bus Vibhuti came and was spread all over and the elephants moved away. They were safe and remembered Swami telling them that ‘I will be with you’. These words are stuck in Sai Bindu’s mind and are the source of her inner strength.

Through her journey, Sai Bindu has learned that Hope can blossom even in the most challenging circumstances. Her story is a testament to the power of faith and the strength of the human spirit - a reminder that, no matter how dark the path may seem, there is always God’s light waiting to guide us home.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Parvathy, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"Once we surrender our mind to GOD completely, HE will take care of us in every way.

Have constructive thoughts, consoling words, compassionate acts."

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Puja Devi, a twenty-five-year-old Hindi speaking lady from Koderma district in Jharkhand, came with her husband and caregiver Anil Kumar to be admitted in our hospital. The counsellor met them a week prior to her admission when they came to the shrine area in the Counselling Department. Creating an atmosphere of warmth and understanding she took them through the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy to let go of any tension they were feeling in a new environment and the patient’s impending admission for surgery. Having made this important connection, the counsellor came to know more about how the patient and caregiver came to our hospital and what it entailed for their family.

Six months ago Puja Devi found her breathlessness and palpitations had become so severe that she could barely walk or carry her youngest child. They consulted a family physician located ten kms from their home and she was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease. This came as a shock to the patient and family. Puja Devi and her husband have three young children and their feelings on hearing this alarming news can only be imagined. Their anxiety was further escalated on hearing the cost of the treatment, which they could ill afford. Anil Kumar is a JCB driver and his parents live with them. As is Swami’s way, in their moment of desperation an acquaintance made them aware of SSSIHMS, Whitefield, where he had received treatment. There were no two ways about it after this lifeline was given to them and they immediately contacted our hospital and arrived in Bengaluru for treatment. Having a very supportive family they left their two school going children with one set of grandparents and their three-year-old with the other grandparents.

After their first satisfactory connection with the counsellor, Anil Kumar approached her to inform her that the date of admission for Puja Devi was fixed for the evening of 06/09/2024. While the counsellor took them through the BRMC therapy again there was a strong sense of Swami's energy all around them in the department, thus forging the earlier connection made between patient, caregiver and counsellor. Puja Devi and Anil Kumar’s happiness was evident when they left the department clutching their packets of vibhuthi.

After Puja Devi’s admission, Anil Kumar sounded very receptive to the tele-counselling call from the counsellor. He was more communicative than Puja Devi, who seemed shy by nature. However, the counsellor asked her about her deity of choice and when she was told it was Lord Ganesha, she reminded Puja Devi that Ganesh Chathurthi was next day and her surgery having been fixed during that auspicious period was a sign that Lord Ganesha was looking after her. Subsequently, the patient was very calm before the surgery and practicing the BRMC therapy helped her relax further. She underwent a successful MVR surgery on 09/09/2024 and thankfully her recovery was uneventful. She was discharged on 19/09/2024.

Both the patient and caregiver were very happy with the hospital and Anil Kumar genuinely felt that the doctors here are the best in the entire country.

A meticulous discharge counselling was done by the counsellor. Later, Anil Kumar sent Puja Devi’s first PT/INR report. Since it was within the prescribed range he felt an additional visit to the doctor wasn’t required. The counsellor emphasized the necessity of going to a doctor after each PT/INR report and getting the test done according to the doctor’s advice. Patient has been given 21/12/2024 as the date for review at our hospital.

Connect between the patient and counsellor forged earlier, helped in reiterating the importance of following the instructions in her discharge summary. This facilitated the patient and caregiver’s understanding of effective disease management particularly after a MVR surgery.

‘Connecting’ with the patient and their caregiver creates an atmosphere of warmth and friendliness and also to remain sensitive to patient needs. This is exactly where the counsellor as Swami’s instrument strikes a chord of rapport and trust with the patient for total healing of the Patient and Caregiver in body, mind and spirit.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Anuradha, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"Good health enables you to carry out meritorious deeds. You will derive happiness out of such deeds. Thus happiness

is a product of good health. So take proper care of your health to find happiness."

Sathya Sai Baba

Seventeen-month-old Devansh Kavyulepalli, from Sathya Sai Jilla, near Bukkapatnam, Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, was brought to our hospital by his parents, Saraswati and Mallikarjuna. They were very worried about his health as he suffered from frequent cold and cough since he was three months old. They also noticed he wasn’t growing at the same rate as children of a similar age. They first consulted at the General Hospital at Puttaparthi where he was prescribed medication for three months. Seeing no significant improvement in Devansh, the doctors advised the parents to take him to the Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi, where an angiography was done. They were then directed to SSSIHMS, Whitefield. He was admitted here on 22/08/2024 and diagnosed with Acyanotic Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD). He underwent a Large PDA ligation and clipping on 2nd September.

Mallikarjuna who is a painter and Saraswathi, a homemaker have been with Devansh throughout his stay in hospital, while his older sister is being looked after by his grandmother in their village. As a family they are deeply devoted to Sri Sathya Sai Baba and their family deity, Lord Narasimha. Having studied in Swami’s Eshwaramba School, Mallikarjuna has always had great faith in Swami and feels very happy when he visits Puttaparthi.

On his day of admission to SSSIHMS, Bengaluru the doctors could not fix a date for surgery due to Devansh developing a cough. The parents were surprised to find there was no treatment prescribed for their child for the next seven days. It is to their credit that they did not voice their anxiety to the doctors who came on their daily rounds. Although worried and anxious, they patiently waited out those days in the ward with their child, trusting the staff and doctors to do their best for their son. This faith was bolstered further when they listened to the daily bhajans offered to Swami by the Nursing students. Even little Devansh seemed to enjoy them.

While in this state of uncertainty they drew considerable solace from the continuous support rendered by their primary counsellor and the other counsellors who made sure they didn’t feel lost. This helped them get through each day, as they had someone always ready to listen to their concerns, especially when the surgery was postponed indefinitely due to Devansh’s cough. BMRC (Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning) therapy was also taught to them to cope with their anxieties and keep them calm. As a result of all the support Saraswati told one of the counsellors “Swami has sent me here and I can see Him with me now.” She also mentioned how touched she was by the warmth and care shown to her by their primary counsellor.

A Thursday counsellor met Saraswati while doing bedside counselling. When the counsellor got to know that the young patient and mother had been in the hospital for a week, she saw the mother’s expression was blank and she looked lost and wanted some empathy and assuring words. The counsellor obliged readily and instinctively offered to take her to the shrine to pray and voice out her grief to God. In the shrine, Saraswathi sat before Swami's Lotus Feet shedding silent tears while praying. Malikarjuna expressed gratitude for the BRMC therapy which helped him considerably.

Finally, after waiting for eleven days, Devansh was taken in for surgery on 2nd September. On the suggestion of their counsellor Saraswathi went to the shrine while her little boy was in the OT and tearfully prayed with complete surrender and devotion to Swami for her child’s well being. The surgery was a success and little Devansh was shifted to the ICU. However, their relief was short-lived as Devansh, while in the ICU developed a cold and cough and was detained for further observation. This was both a testing and strengthening of their faith.

He remained in the ICU for another week. Saraswathi was allowed to stay with the child in the ICU as she was nursing him. She was confident that with Swami's continued blessings and guidance, the doctors would take care of her frail child and ensure that he would be blessed with good health and soon be playing in her arms. With constant reassurance provided by the ICU doctors and staff, she felt a sense of calm and hope.

Soon the nurses were affectionately calling Devansh "little Ganesha" during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, which made Saraswathi very happy as did the fact that Devansh prays to Swami daily and loves to eat Vibhuti.

He stabilized in a few days and was shifted back to the ward on 9th September and discharged on 11/09/2024. During this entire process their primary counsellor was very moved by the unwavering faith that Saraswathi and her husband have in Swami. It is this staunch faith that has given them the strength and resilience throughout this challenging journey of 21 days in the hospital.

The post-discharge period was thankfully uneventful with Devansh recovering well and walking around after the sutures were removed. The parents decided to stay back in Bengaluru due to concerns about the potential impact on his health due to a change in weather. Mallikarjun began working as a painter in Bengaluru for sometime to earn money for their return journey.

Truly a heart warming story of Swami’s Grace and Care bestowed on this devout and contented family.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellors Radhika Yadalam, Gita Umesh, Saroo Annaiah, Mala Somashekar and Vimala Oak, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"What is true surrender?

Irrespective of what happens to you, think of it as God's gift to you. In any situation, joyous or sorrowful,

tell yourself-This is good for me."

Sathya Sai Baba

Patient D Venkatesh, a forty-six-year-old tailor from Bengaluru, had been unwell since July 2024. He experienced symptoms of breathlessness and a burning sensation in the chest area.

He consulted a government hospital and they took his ECG, ECHO and referred him to Jayadeva hospital, where he was admitted for eight days and discharged with medicines. Not seeing any improvement, he got admitted in Chinmaya Mission Hospital closer to home. Still not finding much relief, Venkatesh and his wife Semmalar became worried and fearful while imagining the worst case scenario regarding his health. Finally, his wife’s employer, who happened to be related to a Sevadal member in the OPD of the cardiology department in our hospital, directed them to Swami’s hospital.

Venkatesh was admitted on 26/ 10/ 2024 and after investigations, a CAG (Coronary Angiogram) was scheduled for 28/10/ 2024. The counsellor who spoke the patient’s mother tongue Tamil, connected with him on the day of his admission to the Cardiac ward. She learnt that he was a hands-on parent to his two sons aged six and twelve. His wife works as a maid and cook in another house and leaves home and the children in his care. He gets them ready, feeds them and drops them to school, picks them up later and looks after them till his wife returns.

His parents also live nearby. They were of great help in looking after his children, getting them to school and back when his health became an issue and Semmalar was at work. They are a well bonded family and they all felt the stress of his being unwell. He felt it was his faith and intense prayers to Lord Shiva, Ganesha and Munishwara which brought them to Swami’s hospital. The support they received here helped them feel confident that all would be well.

They came here very tense but slowly relaxed as they experienced the divine energy and love. However, on the day Semmalar was asked to sign the consent form before the angiogram, she felt very disturbed and came to the counsellor for support. After taking her through a Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy, she felt relaxed and reassured that her husband was in safe hands.

The caring presence of the doctors and sisters in Swami’s hospital was a great help to her. Her anxiety was enormously reduced by her genuine effort to understand the relaxation technique and do it with full faith while surrendering to the Almighty. She felt the care and love of God in people who came into her life; her employer, our staff, doctors and the counsellors who helped her shed her fears and listened with patience to her concerns. She also shared with the counsellor that her husband was under a lot of stress at home since a long time because of the constant bickering and fighting between her and her mother-in-law (her husband’s mother). She was fifteen years younger than her husband and that also created problems. All these anger episodes stressed both of them and she suffered from shoulder and neck pain. Added to this they were non-vegetarians and besides eating at home her husband ate a lot of unhealthy food outside, which affected his health.

Patient Venkatesh was discharged on 29/10/2024 on Medical Management after a successful procedure on 28/10/2024, with advice on medication and lifestyle changes especially to reduce his weight by 10 kg and maintain a low salt diet.

He was immensely impressed by the care given in Swami’s hospital. After his health stabilised, he brought his wife here to have her shoulder and neck pain examined as he now had full faith in our hospital. He is a quiet man of few words, yet he felt comfortable enough with the counsellor to ask her advice on how to calm his two sons who are at the squabbling stage, causing constant confusion at home. The counsellor suggested they be enrolled in the Balvikas classes taught in the neighbourhood by the Sathya Sai Organisation. She shared a number of the Balvikas Guru, for which he was very grateful.

He told the counsellor he was doing his BRMC therapy three times a day and was enjoying its benefits. His surrender to Swami is complete and he wants to stay in His Aura.

The story of Patient D Venkatesh illustrates how each patient arrives with a combination of fears and anxieties and how Swami’s hospital alleviates them through love.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Vimala Oak, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"Try to develop self-confidence in order to lead a good life. You are God yourself, God is the eternal resident of your heart.”

Sathya Sai Baba

Four-year-old Ashmita Mahanti hails from Bankura district in West Bengal. Ashmita's parents, Diboendu and Thumpa Mahanti, first came to know their child had a heart problem when as a 10-day old baby, they had taken her to a paediatrician for a routine checkup. The paediatrician advised them to consult a cardiologist. At the government hospital in Bankura district, West Bengal, they were informed that she had three holes in her heart. They took her to Durgapur where they were told one hole had closed naturally and the other was closed by the surgeon they consulted. He said the fourth hole would have to be closed after she was four years old. The entire family was engulfed in fear and anxiety on hearing this news.

After her fourth birthday her parents consulted with the doctors again and learnt that her surgery would cost them a few lakhs of Rupees - a sum they could ill afford. Diboendu works for the police service and earns a nominal salary while Tumpa is a home maker and his mother lives with them. There was no avenue to get finance for Ashmita’s surgery. Dibuendu trawled the internet and social media, networked with friends and relatives and finally came to know about the free of cost high quality treatment available at SSSIHMS, Whitefield, Bengaluru. Ashmita's parents felt that it was Sai Baba's Grace that brought them to Bengaluru to SSSIHMS hospital.

Ashmita and her parents, as per protocol, were sent to the OPD Department for a preliminary evaluation by the doctors. Ashmita was then admitted as an inpatient on 23/05/2024 and diagnosed as having a congenital heart disease called ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) where there is a hole in the heart. Patient Ashmita was operated successfully the following day 24/05/2024 for an Atrial Septal Defect closure. She was discharged on 27/05/2024 and asked to come on 07/06/2024 for a review when the sutures would be removed.

The hospital atmosphere and the BRMC (Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning) therapy taught to them by the counsellor made a lot of difference and they learnt how to cope with the stress of their child having a major surgery. They said how they had instinctively felt that their daughter would be fine and healthy after the treatment in the hallowed space of Swami’s hospital.

Our Hospital in the Discharge Summary had indicated a review on 07/06/2024 when the sutures would be removed. Apparently this was inadvertently overlooked. By God’s Grace when Ashmita started complaining about pain the parents noticed some swelling around her sutures. The local doctors advised them to go back to where the surgery had been done. So they returned to SSSIHMS on 18/06/2024 and Patient Ashmita was treated for a wound infection with antibiotics and discharged on 22/06/2024 with an OPD review to make sure everything was alright. They were told by the doctors that she needed to undergo minor surgery for about half an hour to get the sternal wire removal done. They were required to come to SSSIHMS on 02/09/2024 for direct admission of Patient Ashmita for the planned minor surgery to remove the sternal wire, which was done on 03/09/2024.

The parents were naturally worried as they had no idea how many more times they might have to visit the hospital. However the day before the surgery, on 02/09/2024 their anxiety was alleviated when they accidentally ran into Dr. Gautham Shetty, the surgeon handling this case, near the canteen just before admitting Ashmita. He was kind enough to patiently make them understand the whole procedure their child was to undergo and what needed to be done in the future to help the child live a healthy life. It was a Godsend, they both felt very relieved and optimistic after that encounter.

When the counsellor connected with the parents on 3rd September they were outside the cardiac OT as little Ashmita’s surgery was underway. Sensing their stress the counsellor said she would call again while keeping Ashmita in her prayers. When she called Ashmita’s father a couple of days later, she was told that Ashmita was recovering well. They mentioned how supportive the nurses were on the day of the surgery and observing her parent’s worried faces, even little Ashmita had bravely told them not to worry as she was going to be just fine.

The counsellor was in touch with them throughout the recovery period. She enabled them to rely on God’s Grace and their personal deities of choice, Krishna and Mahakali. They shared their joy when Ashmita was finally discharged on 04/09/2024. Once back home she gradually gained back her strength and began singing and dancing happily like any four-year-old. One day her parents noticed her skin texture had changed around her postoperative area like the last time. They took her to a local doctor who confirmed they were merely remnants of sutures, which could be removed by a local surgeon and got it done accordingly.

When the counsellor contacted the parents, Ashmita’s father said all the family members were in low spirits about the child’s numerous visits to the hospital. They just did not want the child to suffer any more. Tumpa’s distress was on another level altogether. Between sobs she described how the last four years had been a complete nightmare for them. So many hospital visits for major and minor surgeries for such a small child, was extremely stressful. Every visit she said, was laced with fear. In between she mentioned that the kindness and love showered on them and their child by the doctors and staff was what kept them going. She said nowhere else had she encountered such humility in the doctors and their capacity to explain and reassure the patient’s family. She interspersed her narration constantly with the gratitude she felt for Sai Baba’s krupa (mercy).

While staying in Kadugodi during Ashmita’s treatment she had felt a lot of peace when attending the evening bhajans at Brindavan. She agreed her faith in Durga Ma and Sai Baba was where her strength to bear all this came from. It was lovely for the counsellor to hear Tumpa smile between her sobs every time she mentioned Ashmita doing something special, like being brave in the ICU, sincerely praying to Sai Baba or telling her parents not to worry. When Tumpa finally regained her composure she said as a family they don’t want any more problems with Ashmita’s health and asked the counsellor to pray for them. The counsellor in turn told Tumpa to call her anytime she needed comforting.

Tumpa believed that since God has given her this child, He would surely take care of her too. The counsellor asked them to continue practising the BRMC therapy taught to them and include Ashmita, so that she too gets the benefit of it. Ashmita's parents are extremely grateful to the surgeons, doctors, nursing staff and the cardiac OPD staff for the genuine concern and care received from them.

God’s helping hand is always there working silently. The whole family feels that it is purely due to God's Grace and Sai Baba's Blessings that Ashmita is doing fine after having undergone a major surgery. The parents are happy to see her back to being the vivacious child she was, singing and dancing happily.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellors Ashalatha Chandrashekar and Sadhana Rao, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Forty-seven-year-old Ranjit Kumar hails from Thirukovilur, Kallakurichi district in Tamil Nadu. In 2018, when Ranjit was 40 years of age, he collapsed after he had an attack of fits. The doctors prescribed medication to control the problem and since then Ranjit has not had any such episodes.

Unfortunately, five years later in 2022 he began experiencing breathlessness and fatigue, especially when walking and climbing stairs. When he found that doing anything even slightly strenuous tired him out; he attributed it to a sinus problem and was prescribed medication by a local doctor and got some relief. Later he consulted a cardiologist in Thiruvannamalai and was diagnosed with a heart condition. When his condition was explained to him, a MVR (Mitral Valve Replacement) was advised. He was in shock and couldn’t understand how he had this problem given there was no family history of heart disease. He decided to take a second opinion in his town. Coincidentally the cardiologist he consulted had a close cardiologist friend in SSSIHMS, Whitefield and directed Ranjit to our Hospital with an introductory letter. Ranjit suddenly found a ray of hope. Parallelly his wife's brother who works in an IT company in ITPL, Bengaluru visited the hospital to know more about it and briefed Ranjit which boosted his morale.

Ranjit's parents-in-law live in Thiruvannamalai, which is about thirty kms away from Ranjit Kumar’s home. His father-in-law, Anbarasu, accompanied Ranjit to our Hospital. They were scared and worried about the future and the course of treatment. As they entered the hospital, both were awestruck to see the magnificent structure, which did not look like a hospital, but a temple. Ranjit started feeling relieved that he had been guided along the right path and that they had reached the right place. He slowly gained confidence that he would get good care and treatment here. He was very grateful to the cardiologist who directed him to SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Ranjit was in and out of the hospital daily for about ten days undergoing various tests. While familiarising himself with the hospital, his faith became stronger in the process and he was certain it was this strong faith in the Almighty that had brought him to Swami's hospital.

On 23/11/2024 Ranjit was admitted to the Cardiac ward. When the counsellor gave him a call and spoke to him in his mother tongue Tamil, he connected well and explained in detail about his illness, emotions and family circumstances. He owns a small shop selling snacks and sweets. He has a Master’s degree in Chemistry from Anna University in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu. He has done a one-year Physical Education and Training course as an ancillary. His wife Kalpana looks after their two children who are preparing for board exams back home. As parents they are focused and encourage their children to study well.

Ranjit believes in the power of God and prays to his kula deivam (family deity) Periyaandavar. He has always been a great devotee of Lord Shiva and has been regularly visiting the Thiruvannamalai temple since his youth to develop his mental strength and attain peace of mind. When the counsellor taught him the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy, it helped him relax and calm his mind. It resonated with the training during his youth at the Thiruvannamalai temple.

The counsellor met Ranjit in the Cardiac ward the following day, 24/10/2024 for bedside counselling. Though intubated, he was very happy to see the counsellor with whom he had connected well over the phone the previous day. He told her that he had to undergo a few more tests and that the date for surgery was yet to be given. He confided in her that he was nervous and worried not about the surgery but the post-op care after discharge. The counsellor understanding his anxiety reassured him that the nurses would brief him and the caregiver in detail about home care, medicine dosages, diet and answer any queries he had. She said the counsellors too would speak to them in their mother tongue about the discharge summary, teach them the BRMC therapy and would send them with Swami’s Vibuthi as prasad. She assured Ranjit she would be in touch with him and his family to support and guide them anytime the need arose.

An MVR surgery was performed successfully on Ranjit on 29/10/2024 and he was discharged on 02/11/2024. He was asked to come for a suture removal and PT INR reports for a review on 06/11/2024.

On 02/11/2024, the patient and his father-in-law, Anbarasu, visited the shrine in the Counselling Department. The counsellor noticed that the patient was nervous and distracted because he had to go home and take care of himself; he was writing down very diligently all the advice given by the doctors and nurses. He listened very patiently to the discharge instructions from the counsellor and seemed relieved but still was worried about taking care of himself. The counsellor gave them a lot of assurance which calmed them as they prayed to their God in the serene space of the shrine.

On 06/11/2024, the day of the suture removal, he came in to the Counselling Department when the other patients were doing the BRMC therapy. As they finished he told the counsellor that he would like to address the new incoming patients who were in the shrine. He told them his experience of how he felt scared when he first came and then the ever-loving God helped remove all his fears and made him feel safe, comfortable and confident - a Divine transformation! ‘All will be well when we come here.’

Two days after Ranjit reached Thiruvannamalai, the counsellor received a call from him, his wife Kalpana and her parents expressing their gratitude to Swami, the hospital and the care given by the doctors and sisters. They truly appreciated the emotional support and assurance given by the counsellors during his treatment in the hospital, making them feel that they were not alone during their difficult times. Ranjit also conveyed his gratitude to the counsellor for counselling him and his father-in-law on the day of his discharge.

Ranjit and his family are convinced that it’s their kula deivam (family deity) Periyaandavar and Lord Shiva, who guided him to Swami's hospital for treatment.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellors Subha Srinivasan and Vimala Oak, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

“Faith is there in you right from the time of your birth. When you realize this truth, faith will automatically develop."

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

“Life is slowly attaining some stability and the family is looking forward to happier times”. The last line of this story reflects the transformation that has happened in this family, which has been through very testing times.

Sudip Das from Raiganj, West Bengal was born with a congenital heart disease, which the parents were aware of. As a one-year-old he had frequent bouts of fever, which worried the parents a lot and the parents consulted a local doctor who diagnosed it as a heart problem, probably requiring surgery. This was beyond their means. Sudip's father Ganesh Das, who was the sole breadwinner for the family ran a small ‘pani-puri’ business. Seeing their limited financial circumstance the doctor pointed them towards SSSIHMS, Bengaluru. Without losing much time they headed towards our hospital. They took two-year-old baby Sudip in 2008 for the first time to our hospital. After a thorough examination he was put on medication for two years and asked to come when baby Sudip would be four years old and ready for surgery.

He was admitted at SSSIHMS on 30/12/2010, when he was four years old and successfully underwent a VSD patch closure on 08/01/2011 and was discharged on 14/01/2011. He was asked to come for a review and check up in April 2013 but his visit happened on 08/06/2013 and everything was okay. He has been visiting the hospital ever since for checkups.

In August 2023, sixteen-and-half-year-old Sudip visited the hospital as he had developed chest pain and palpitations and was put on medication and asked to come for a review if symptomatic. A year later, in August 2024, recurring breathlessness and chest pains, brought him back to our hospital. Now, Sudip accompanied by his mother Lakshmi came to get this investigated at the OPD. He was advised deep breathing exercises and a review after a year. Both mother and son were sent to the Counselling Department and as it happened, they were individually counselled by two separate counsellors. This turned out to be beneficial for them as they could freely unload their personal concerns and anxieties without worrying about its impact on each other.

Sudip was taken by the counsellor to the silent space in the department and encouraged to narrate his concerns about his health and other matters. In the process he expressed that he had lost his father to a heart problem just a year earlier in December 2023. It had been a devastating and shocking experience for the whole family. Sudip's father Ganesh Das had visited SSSIHMS in 2023 when he had a stroke. He was at the time advised to undergo treatment for his heart problem. Unfortunately he passed away in December 2023, a day before travelling to SSSIHMS for his treatment.

As a result of his untimely death the family underwent untold hardships and financial problems. Sudip has two sisters. The older sister works in a beauty parlor and contributes to the upkeep of the family and the younger one is studying. Sudip felt obligated to take over the reins of the family being the only son. For a young man who was studying and leading a carefree life, it was extremely stressful to suddenly be at the helm of things. He had to take up a job in an office to contribute towards the family finances. He has a deep interest in painting and art and was pursuing his passion with the help of a teacher. His life changed totally where he had to multitask from eight in the morning, rushing from working at an office, attending college, then art classes before getting home. This was all happening at a pace where there was no proper internal space for him to process the grief for his father, whom he doted upon.

Unburdening all this with the counsellor, who provided a platform of non-judgmental listening and empathy brought out layer upon layer of feelings about his grief, stress, health issues, assumed responsibilities threats to his passion for art and his future dreams of education.

The counsellor took him through Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy and witnessed Sudip undergo a gradual internal transformation, resulting in him feeling more relaxed by the end of the session. Yes, he had a great responsibility but he realised that getting stressed would affect his health and that could result in more worry and problems for himself and his mother. He needed to be calm and have clarity to tackle his daily routine and address each situation step by step. The family are very devout and pray to Kali Ma, their family deity. He gathers courage from his faith, support from family and his own inner strength to face the future.

Meanwhile Sudip’s mother Lakshmi was being counselled separately where she expressed her emotions and worries with an undertone of deep sadness. She opened up about the grief of losing her husband and how they missed him. Her husband had a pani puri business which was running at a loss for some time but he did not tell anyone about it. She felt his keeping his financial worries within himself so as not to worry her, probably affected his health. She came to know of his problems only after his demise.

She mentioned how it left her no choice but to support herself and her three children by working as a cook in two households. While grieving and stressed herself, she had to be the pillar her children could lean upon after losing their extremely loving father. She understood that Sudip missed him the most and the stress of his loss was a reason for the breathlessness which made her bring him to SSSIHMS immediately.

She was well aware of the burden on young Sudip’s shoulders and was grateful for having such a good and responsible son with no bad habits. She also had the added concern of her older daughter who had a tumour on her back which needed medical attention. Given their financial constraints they were not able to get her treated for it. The counsellor took her through BRMC therapy and assured her that following it regularly would benefit her in her extremely pressurised circumstance.

During the last couple of conversations with Sudip and Lakshmi, they mentioned that the relaxing BRMC therapy helped them a lot. Sudip misses cycling as he finds it difficult with his breathing difficulty. He also had a recent fainting spell and the counsellor advised him to seek local medical advice.

Sudip has subsequently given up the morning job and chosen to do a diploma in civil engineering at a polytechnic with better job prospects, instead of a graduate engineering course. He will continue pursuing his painting which is his passion. They are planning to get his older sister married, which will be a happy occasion. Their difficult times are behind them, thanks to their steadfast faith in God.

Life is slowly attaining some stability and the family is looking forward to happier times.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellors Lalitha Anil and Mani Meghalai Chandrashekar, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Sixty-two-year-old Shanmugham, who resides in Hosur was admitted to our Hospital on 16/09/2024. This isn’t his first visit to SSSIHMS. He has been coming here since 2017. His medical history has been a traumatic one, starting in 2010 when his company’s annual health check up revealed a low heart beat. His employers, Bombay Rayon, a Pvt textile company, kindly kept him on, giving him a less demanding job.

On 30/05/2017 Shanmugam collapsed suddenly at work. He was rushed to Columbia Hospital in Hebbal but his heart stopped completely and he went into severe cardiac arrest. He was treated there for two weeks. One cannot even imagine how difficult such a situation must have been for his wife and son. The bill was ten lakhs which fortunately his company paid. He was advised to stay on for further treatment for his persistent breathlessness. Staying on would have meant another ten lakhs which Shanmugam could not afford. It wasn't just the uncertainty of the situation but the worry of hospital bills mounting up. He took some treatment in a Hosur hospital instead. At that time a relative residing in Whitefield brought him to our hospital on 21/10/2017.

He had suffered a cardiac arrest on 30/05/2017 and resuscitated with two shocks. A CAG had been done on 06/06/2017. Based on the above history followed by further evaluation indicated that the patient needed ‘Cardiac Re-synchronisation Therapy with Defibrillator’, (CRT-D) procedure. A CRT-D implantation was done successfully on 26/10/2017 at our hospital and the patient was discharged on 28/10/17.

Unfortunately on 18/05/2018 due to CRT-D pocket infection explantation had to be done on 22/05/2018. Two months later on 28/07/2018 Patient Shanmugam was again admitted for a CRT - D Implantation on 01/08/2018 and discharged on 04/08/18. For six years he had no problem. Then on 16/09/2024 the patient was readmitted as he was having intermittent alarm sound from the CRT- D device. A Pulse Generator Device replacement was done successfully on 17/09/24 and the patient was discharged on 19/09/2024.

The counsellor had a session with Patient Shanmugam and his wife Sharada on his day of admission. They were both in an agitated state given all that they had been through in the past few years. That was when they spoke of what they had been through since 2010. After hearing the patient’s history the counsellor gently asked them to keep their faith in their God. She took them through the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy. It gave Shanmugam and Sharada a sense of calm and relaxed feeling. The counsellor left her contact details with Sharada. This came in handy as the next day she called the counsellor for emotional support and reassurance while Shanmugam was in the OT.

Shanmugam and Sharada have a married son, Shivaraman and two young grandchildren. Due to his medical condition Shanmugam had to stop working in 2016 but they feel fortunate that their son, who is working for a private company looks after them. They are devotees of Tirupathi Venkatramana but now also have staunch faith in Sai Baba after coming to this Hospital. They have faced a lot of hardship battling with Shanmugam’s heart condition and Sharada seems to have borne the brunt of it.

When one of the counsellors met them face to face in the Counselling Department after the patient was discharged, it was evident that Sharada needed to unburden all that she had been going through. The counsellor gave her the time and space she required to do so. That was when she spoke about the trauma of her husband being in a “coma” as she puts it. How difficult it was to cope with the uncertainty of that situation, especially seeing him immobile with his eyes wide open. She expressed the relief she felt on the day he suddenly gestured towards the food she was eating by his bedside, indicating hunger. The nurse then started giving him food through tubes and slowly he regained his strength.

Then came the stress of knowing he needed further treatment but lacking the funds for it they just gave up and started praying. At this point Shanmugam said he was like a log and didn’t know what happened to him that month. His heart, kidneys and brain had stopped functioning during that time. He was given speech therapy. Sharada said his recovery itself was a miracle given all the obstacles. The deep exploration into Sharada’s emotions and empathizing with her trauma helped to bring about a positive shift to her mental state.

The recommendation of Swami’s hospital from their relatives was a turning point and Patient Shanmugam feels that it was his rebirth and is ever grateful for Swami’s Divine intervention. They appreciated the kind nurses in the Cardiac ward who patiently explained the complex aftercare methods to the scared family.

When they were contacted by their counsellor after their return home, Shanmugam sounded in a good frame of mind and spoke of how friends and acquaintances from nearby Sai Samithi in Hosur visited them with vibhuti prasad and showed love and concern over Shanmugam’s wellbeing. He subscribes to Swami’s Sanathana Sarathi in Tamil and enjoys reading the contents. Sharada, though in a better place emotionally and mentally has still to deal with their present circumstances.

She said their son looks after them very well but this situation of being dependent on him is highly irksome for Shanmugam and she has to take the fall-out of his frustrations while looking after him and the household chores since her daughter-in-law is still with her parents, having given birth to their second grandchild. However, she did say they’ve dealt with the worst and are now in a relatively positive mood. The whole family is full of gratitude to Swami and His hospital as timely help was given and his life regained.

This Divine intervention and their indomitable faith in Tirupati Venkataramana and Swami has given Shanmugam and his wife Sharada the confidence to face life with courage.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellors Mala Chandrashekar and Saroo Annaiah, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"Where there is faith, there is love; where there

is love, there is peace; where there is peace, there is truth; where there is truth, there is God;

where there is God, there is bliss."

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

This poignant story captures the life experiences of Patient Ajoy Kumar, the difficulties and the challenges he had to face.

Sixty-three-year-old Patient Ajoy Kumar Mondal, from Birbhum district of West Bengal accompanied by his son Sashwato, who was his caregiver came to our Hospital seeking a solution for the chest pain he was suffering since the past one month, especially at night. He was an ex-smoker but had given it up one year ago. After a thorough evaluation he was admitted to our Hospital on 27/05/2024. He underwent a successful PTCA (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty), a minimal invasive non-surgical procedure to open a blocked coronary artery on 29/05/2024 and was discharged on 30/05/2024.

Patient Ajoy Kumar Mondal a month back had experienced chest pain at night. He was admitted to the Government Super Specialty Hospital in Sewadi. Later, a CAG (coronary angiogram) was done at a hospital in Durgapur which revealed blocks in his arteries necessitating a heart surgery. The patient has great trust in the excellent treatment at Swami’s hospital since he had accompanied his friends on two occasions earlier, for their treatment. Hence, he decided to come here for his treatment.

Prior to admission Patient Ajoy Kumar and son Sashwato, were taken through a group Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy in the shrine area of the Counselling Department. Both patient and caregiver were very grateful for this “unique” method of relaxation after all the tension they had been through. Later, during the tele-counselling session after being admitted to the ward as an in-patient, the BRMC therapy was repeated by the counsellor with soft flute music in the background, which further relaxed them.

During his short stay in the hospital the counsellor gently asked him what were the reasons for the tension he mentioned in the years prior to his diagnosis. In response he shared a very traumatic event in their lives seven years ago.

In 2017 Ajoy Kumar’s wife, whom he misses acutely, died of serious burns in a freak accident. Her sari pallu caught fire while burning a heap of dried leaves and trash she had gathered from the front yard of their house. Their happy family of three was reduced to two in a trice. Sashwato was only 18 years old at the time. As a father Ajoy Kumar tried to do everything he could to be there for his grieving son but his work situation had come in the way. Working as a pharmacist for the Government of West Bengal Health Service, he was constantly required to move around for the next three years after his wife’s demise. Till his retirement in 2020 his work took him to Primary Health Centres in remote villages in Birbhum district.

His friends and neighbours had been of immense help during that difficult time and fortunately Sashwato’s maternal grandfather and uncle had stepped in and taken him to Murshidabad, where he joined a B. Pharm degree course. In spite of their support Ajoy Kumar regrets not being there continuously and physically for his son during that difficult period. He added, there were times when no doctors were available at the centres he visited, leaving him as the only person the villagers could turn to. He gave basic first aid and free medicines to them. He admitted he found great satisfaction in serving the poor and sick patients. Patient Ajoy Kumar came across as a sensitive and sincere person who wanted to do his duty by both his son and his employers.

After listening to him the counsellor expressed her heartfelt sympathy at what had transpired and gently enquired as to what extent his faith in God had helped him through such a hard journey.

“I felt a rare feeling of hope as my feet touched the Holy soil of Swami’s Hospital” he said.

He felt his steadfast faith in God, specially Ma Kali, Shiva and Loknath Baba has and will always protect him. He visits temples frequently and prays for the well-being of all, his family and himself. He confessed how much he misses his wife’s company and participation in their religious and everyday life. His inner emotions were palpable while he spoke about her. Yet he looked on the positive aspect of their present life. Sashwato, who is employed by a pharmaceutical company is now married, making them a family of three again.

After hearing his story the empathetic counsellor took both Ajoy Kumar and Sashwato through another BRMC therapy, adding flute music this time. They both expressed how much better they felt after the session. “Now I’m satisfied.” Ajoy Kumar said, adding, “I feel hopeful about starting life afresh.”

Having been in the medical field himself, he understood the challenges of the hospital doctors and staff. Referring to SSSIHMS, he marvelled at how, amidst the continuous flow of patients and carers, the doctor’s and staff were so kind and courteous, serving with love and care, without discrimination of any sort. The quietude, serenity and cleanliness in the hospital is one of its kind. He felt this was the best hospital he could have come to for advice and treatment. Father and son expressed their sincere gratitude to the doctors and staff here.

There was a follow-up tele-counselling session with Ajoy Kumar Mondall after his return home. He is well and is following the doctor’s discharge advice and medication. He enjoys family time with his son and daughter-in-law. They have a close bond of love and respect for each other. He continues to nurture relationships with his neighbours and friends as always. The counsellor was deeply moved by how Patient Ajoy Kumar conducts his life with honesty, kindness and integrity. She found him truly inspirational.

Swami’s Grace and Protection are ever present for those who seek His help and trust in God.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Sharada Gopinath, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

“The tree is held and fed by the roots that go into the silent earth; so also, if the roots go deep into the silence of your inner consciousness, your spiritual blossoming is assured.”

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

‘Success is not the outcome of destiny. It’s the outcome of effort. Predestination is fact, not in terms of fate but in terms of inborn qualities' – Maulana Wahiduddin

Khan. Our patient, seventy-year-old Sri Panner Selvam, is an explicit and excellent example for this quotation.

In 2001, Panner Selvam experienced chest pain and breathlessness for the first time. He went to Jipmer, Pondicherry, where the doctors put him on medical management and he gave up smoking. In October 2023, he complained of chest pain again, twenty years after 2001. This time a relative guided him to our hospital, SSSIHMS, Whitefield, where after the OPD consultation and evaluation, he was diagnosed with CAD. Accompanied by his son-in-law Kannan as his caregiver, Patient Panner Selvam was admitted to Swami’s hospital on 11/03/2024 where a PTCA + Stent was successfully done on 12/03/24 and he was discharged two days later on 13/03/2024.

When the counsellor first contacted Panner Selvam on 11/03/2024, he seemed to have no weariness, stress, discontentment, or any other negative emotion, common among patients admitted for a CAD procedure. The counsellor took him through a BRMC (Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning) therapy which he appreciated, however calm he seemed.

Panner Selvam is from Hosur in Tamil Nadu. He belongs to the Vishwakarma community. He has two sons and a daughter. All are married and at present he and his wife live with their daughter. As all the families live close to one another he gets to spend time with his four grandchildren and maintains a good and comfortable relationship with the entire family. He appreciates his wife for managing their household while he takes care of their livelihood. His father was a traditional jeweller by profession but Panner Selvam chose to branch out into the niche market of making ornaments and accessories for temple deities. He loves what he does and is very content with his profession as it has given him a good living. He is happy his sons and son-in-law have also taken up this line of work.

The counsellor’s interaction with him voluntarily brought forth some facts about his unusual childhood. He shared how he lost his mother at the age of eight to a botched abdominal surgery. His father remarried and Panner Selvam had to endure living with a step mother till he was seventeen. He then went to live with a family from another community. He chose not to elaborate on the circumstances as to why this occurred but he fondly remembers the love and affection he was given by his adoptive parents. He says he worked hard to support not just his younger siblings but also those he acquired when adopted. His father is no more and he seems sad not having time to see his step mother. The counsellor was very impressed with the matter of fact and non judgemental way in which he spoke of these matters. She wondered how he had acquired such equanimity in the face of all that he had shouldered without complaint. He puts it down to his ample faith in Lord Venkateshwara, his family deity (Kula Devata). He is pious and always thanks God for his spiritual strength and his inborn qualities which have seen him through it all. He is ready to leave this world happily ‘when He calls me’, he says.

When the counsellor contacted the patient after his discharge he said he was taking his medication as instructed and goes for regular walks and checkups. He feels his innate spirituality is strengthened by practicing the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy. Through informal conversation the counsellor asked him what makes him really content and whether he had any regrets. His response was, “my present and being with my family is a source of contentment. Having always helped others and worked for others much more than I did for myself, I have no reason for regrets.” He volunteered an observation of his own. Due to the counsellor’s compassionate interactions with him he admits that for the first time in his seventy years, he has disclosed to anyone the challenges and responsibilities he has shouldered from a very young age. He candidly admitted to feeling a sense of relief having done so.

While concluding the session the counsellor expressed how honoured she was to have met a desire-less person like him to which he responded he has one desire: to have Darshan of Swami's Samadhi at Puttaparthi. This perhaps was triggered from his experience at our hospital as quoted from a letter of his “This year I had heart problems. I went to Sri Sathya Sai Hospital. Doctor treated me. Stent was given free of charges. Doctors and nurses took care of me well. So I am fine now.”

This was a unique experience for the counsellor, where she felt she had been given a glimpse in the art of living a rancour free life with total faith in God, no matter what the challenges.

Panner Selvam’s life is just like the river which continuously flows forward. He moves on and doesn't stop to look back.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Mani Meghalai Chandrashekar, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

“One should cultivate human values for healthy living. This calls for harmony in thought, word and deed. When you cultivate this harmony you will be free from desires and fears.”

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Twenty-seven-year-old Harshini Sunku’s story is a sterling example of how fear can be overcome by the Grace of Swami and deep rooted faith. A former MSc graduate from Swami’s Anantapur College, Harshini came to Swami’s hospital via a circuitous route.

Hailing from Devanahalli, Bengaluru, Harshini was going about her daily life as a young working woman, when she began experiencing breathing difficulty and chest pains in October 2023. Assuming it was a gastric issue she consulted their family Ayurvedic doctor, whose treatment did not help her but worsened the symptoms. By May 2024, she had constant chest pain and profuse sweating. Consulting her Ayurvedic doctor again she had an ECG done in August 2024, which revealed a small hole in her heart.

Her inbuilt fear of allopathic treatment made her turn to Ayurveda again. Her condition deteriorated further, where breathing was difficult. She was exhausted and could barely walk even a short distance, her work had begun to suffer. She felt it was time to consult a cardiologist. While pondering on how to go about it, she remembered a friend and a relative who had been treated at SSSIHMS, Whitefield successfully. It dawned on Harshini that it was Swami directing her to go to His hospital for treatment.

Harshini and her mother Sarala arrived at Swami’s hospital on 12/11/2024. The doctors here told her that surgery would be required to avoid any problems in future. Harshini, who found even injections frightening, prayed to Swami for a painless procedure. She recounted an incident at the hospital when she was in the throes of this anxiety. When walking through the hospital corridor in her turmoiled state she became aware of a caregiver who was walking back from the Counselling Department after collecting Swami's photo and vibhuti. He accidentally dropped Swami's photo on the floor and when Harshini bent to pick it up and hand it over, she read Swami’s words 'Why fear when I am here'. She saw this as an answer to her disturbed state of mind and was reassured that Swami was with her and protecting her with His Healing Grace. She completely surrendered to Him and agreed to undergo the surgery.

Harshini passed out with the batch of 2020 from Swami’s Anantapur College for Women where she got her B.Sc. and M.Sc. degree in food science and nutrition. Five years in Anantapur hostel and college campus during her formative years had a deep impact on her and she says it was like living within a family. Although her own family is devoted to Shirdi Baba, their faith in our Swami is profound.

Her admission into Swami’s college by itself was a miracle. Although she had applied for admission to Anantapur college, she had not received a hall ticket for the entrance exam. Nevertheless, she reached the exam hall and was just telling the Sevadal member there that she had only received a message but not the hall ticket, when another Sevadal walked up to Harshini and handed her a hall ticket. She does not, to date, understand how the second Sevadal came by her hall ticket but she went ahead, wrote her exam and got admitted to the college. Harshini's faith in Swami strengthened with this miracle. She says that what she is today is not just due to the influence of Swami's teachings but also experiencing and imbibing strength from the environment that she had been in. Her character has been imbued with the values taught in Anantapur College. She feels that she was at the right place at the right time.

Harshini is a very mature and composed young woman. Her calmness before her procedure is a reflection of her faith. Her parents were a little disturbed when they first heard about her heart ailment but seeing Harshini's firm faith and courage they felt reassured. Her father said the first time he saw the hospital he felt God’s presence. He has no words to express the superb quality of service provided. He said he left his daughter in Swami's protection with total faith and surrender.

She underwent an ASD Device procedure on 13/11/2024 and was discharged after a successful procedure on 14/11/2024. This was followed up with an ECHO the next day and she was advised to come for a review the following year on 10/05/2025.

Harshini and her parents feel very grateful for all the care and love she received in the hospital. They are overwhelmed by the manner in which the nurses, doctors, sevadal and staff give their 100% and work round the clock. She feels there is no other hospital like Swami’s. She is very grateful to the counsellors for their concern in not only explaining the discharge advice clearly but in also teaching her the Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy in the Counselling Department which she felt was an unique experience. She felt so relaxed, light, calm and fresh that for a moment she forgot why she was in the hospital. On her day of discharge, the BRMC therapy again helped soothe her pain and bodily discomfort.

Harshini is a perfect example of how spiritual strength and faith give courage to face any challenge in life.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Mallika, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

“Living with God is Education. Living for God is Service. Living in God is Realization.”

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

This is the story of a young couple. Patient Santan Kumari (27 years old) and husband Jitesh Kumar. Santan Kumari was admitted to our hospital on 03/10/2024 for MVR surgery.

The counsellor’s first interaction with the couple was on the day of her admission. They are originally from Darbhanga District, Bihar but currently living in Bengaluru. Santan Kumari spoke in a soft voice. Her response was in quick short sentences. Her tone reflected fear and anxiety. The counsellor assured her of the good treatment and care here at SSSIHMS. After Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy her voice sounded calm and relaxed. Jitesh too enjoyed the calming experience of the BRMC therapy and decided to do it daily on his own. The family being ardent devotees of Mata Rani (Maa Durga) had an elaborate pooja at home for Navratri. Jitesh along with his family were fasting for these nine days. The next morning, Jitesh called the counsellor when Santan Kumari was taken to the OT. The counsellor suggested that he first go to the shrine and that later they could continue the conversation. He readily agreed and went to the Counselling Department and offered prayers. The soothing ambience in the Shrine strengthened his belief that everything would go well with the surgery.

Since the counsellor was not aware of the trauma patient Santan Kumari had physically undergone in the past few months, caregiver Jitesh narrated their ordeal since the diagnosis of the illness in 2020. Jitesh and Santan Kumari had got married in 2015 and were living with his parents in Darbhanga, Bihar. In 2019, Jitesh moved to Bengaluru to work for an Interior Design company as a tiles supervisor. Six months later his wife and four-year-old son Gopal joined him. In 2022, Santan Kumari developed breathing issues. With advice from neighbors he took her to a local doctor who narrowed it down to a cardiac problem. Since they were relatively new to Bengaluru, the doctor guided them to Jayadeva Hospital. There, Santan Kumari was diagnosed with a heart issue which was treatable with medicines. In fact, six years prior, she had a similar breathing problem and fast heartbeat in her 8th month of pregnancy. At that time, the local doctor in Bihar said it was a normal condition during pregnancy and gave medicines for temporary relief. Santan Kumari took the medicine prescribed by the Cardiologist regularly. Things were going on fine when early this year, i.e. in March 2024, Santan Kumari started bleeding. She was unaware of her second pregnancy and was taking Acitrom medication prescribed by the cardiologist. They shuttled between a Cardiologist and Gynecologist but ultimately it ended in a miscarriage. The couple was heartbroken. Santan Kumari became physically weak. After she recovered, they went back to Jayadeva hospital to check on her heart. The tests showed that her heart condition had worsened in the past one year and a surgery was required now. The cost of the surgery was quite high. Jitesh was worried about finances when fortunately, a colleague suggested SSSIHMS. Even today, he thanks his stars for taking that advice seriously.

He contacted the SSSIHMS helpline in August 2024 and got an appointment immediately. After necessary tests the doctors confirmed that an MVR was necessary. They were given a tentative appointment for 08/10/2024. He was warned the date could be postponed since it was Navratri time. Little did he know that things would happen sooner than later. It was the first day of Navratri and as per their tradition, a photo of Mata Rani and Kalash were installed at home. His parents had come from Bihar. Jitesh and Santan Kumari were sitting down for puja when they got a call from the hospital. A slot had suddenly opened up and the hospital called to check if they could come right away. This was 5 days prior to the original appointment date! They took this as a good sign and agreed. After the puja, they quickly packed a few necessities and reached the hospital by 2 p.m. Santan Kumari was immediately admitted and the surgery was scheduled for the next day.

Santan Kumari later confessed that she has always been timid by nature. The C-section during her first pregnancy (when she was 21 years) and the abortion couple of months before had traumatised her so much that she was scared that she might not survive a heart surgery. She would cry worrying about Gopal if anything were to happen to her. Contrary to her thoughts, the temple-like ambience of the hospital and kind interaction of the staff put her mind at ease. She says she stopped crying once she got admitted. She felt Mata Rani and Swami were going to look after her. Though the first few days after surgery were painful, she was grateful for the treatment in the hospital. After discharge on 08/10/2024, Ashtami (8th day of Navratri), she offered special prayers to Mata Rani at her home. Now, a photo of Swami also adorns their altar.

After a rough 2 years, Jitesh admits he is now “100% happy”. To him, being able to directly walk into a hospital without recommendation or concern about the bill was an unimaginable feat that came true in SSSIHMS. He refers to this hospital as “Swarg”. Jitesh and his entire family love Santan dearly and are relieved that everything turned out well. He is happy with one child and all he wants is Santan Kumari to be happy and healthy.

It was purely the steadfast faith in their Mata Rani and Swami that helped the family to be able to endure the several crises that Santan Kumari went through.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Jaya Tadimeti, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"With prayer to God, you can achieve anything in life. I want you to pray. I am always with you, in you, above you and around you. Make efforts to instil such faith and devotion in fellow human beings.”

Sathya Sai Baba

Thirty-six-year-old Prema was admitted to Swami’s hospital on 28/11/2024, after being diagnosed as requiring a MVR (Mitral Valve Replacement). She is from Kundagol Taluk, Hubli in North Karnataka and was accompanied by her husband and caregiver Hanumanthappa. Prema had been coming to our hospital since the age of fifteen and undergone two heart related surgeries before. One when she was fifteen and the other at twenty-one. She had also come for reviews following the same.

When the counsellor tele-counselled the caregiver immediately after Prema was admitted, his voice sounded feeble and dull. He is a very caring husband and was very concerned about his wife, who over a period of time had felt constantly tired, weak and breathless while attending to normal household chores. She had also been experiencing bouts of cough, cold and fever for the past two months. They initially consulted at a local hospital in Hubli but decided to come directly to SSSIHMS due to her familiarity with our hospital over the past years. As this was Hanumanthappa’s first experience of her illness and resulting diagnosis, his anxiety for his wife’s health was understandable. As the counsellor warmly conversed with him in his mother tongue Kannada, she detected a positive change in his voice and found him more forthcoming with the history of Prema’s illness and their family background.

Hanumanthappa’s business is to buy vegetables from the wholesale market in Hubli and sell them in the surrounding villages daily. He married Prema fourteen years ago, a year after her second heart surgery. At the time the doctors had assured her father that she was healthy enough to get married and lead a normal life. They have a eleven year old son named Prajwal, who is studying in a boarding school which is absolutely free of cost. Hanumanthappa is very happy with the education his son is getting there. Prema is blessed with a close-knit family with a traditional background. Her older brother Lakshman has accompanied them all the way here to be of assistance. They are very devout and their family deity is Hanuman.

Prema’s surgery was fixed for 29/11/2024. When the counsellor called Hanumanthappa on that day, she learnt that Prema was already in the OT undergoing surgery. He was anxious and concerned and welcomed the friendly voice of the counsellor. He said he was praying that his wife is in capable hands, receiving good care in Swami’s hospital.

Sensing his tension, the counsellor first reiterated the benefits of Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning (BRMC) therapy for moments like these and suggested he practices it while waiting for Prema to come out of surgery.

Though he agreed, the counsellor felt he would benefit more if she took him through the therapy herself and asked him to come to the Counselling Department to pray and connect with his Ishta deva, Hanuman. He promptly came down to the shrine. The counsellor could not help but notice his disheveled appearance and the deep pain in his eyes. He also appeared emotionally disturbed and his voice was a hoarse whisper. The counsellor took him through the BRMC (Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning) therapy and noticed it helped calm his mind to a great extent.

A couple of hours after surgery, Hanumanthappa was allowed to see Prema for a few minutes in the ICU and he was happy to hear from the doctors that the surgery was successful. Later, when the counsellor met Prema in the CTVS ward during the bedside rounds she found her looking worn out and in pain. However, she seemed emotionally relaxed and content as she placidly absorbed the encouraging words of the counsellor.

On 07/12/2024, the day of Prema’s discharge, she came with Hanumanthappa to the Counselling Department’s shrine area. What struck the counsellor was the change in Hanumanthappa. He looked fresh, neat, confident and relaxed, as though a weight had been lifted off his chest. Prema also looked relieved and content with the good care she had received in the hospital. After discussing the discharge summary and seeing how concerned he was about his wife’s after-care, the counsellor assured them that she would be in touch. Hanumanthappa is an ideal caregiver who is very concerned about his wife. Since her discharge he has diligently been taking her for all her checkups to a local hospital in Hubli.

It was obvious that Prema and Hanumanthappa, simple folks from a village near Hubli, were returning home happy and with Hanuman’s Blessings. They were very satisfied with the loving care provided in Swami’s hospital addressing the body,mind and spirit.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellors Nirmala Murthy and Sharada Gopinath, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

"Always have complete faith in the indwelling God who takes care of everything. True greatness can only come from faith.”

Sathya Sai Baba

Thirty-eight-year-old Ravi Kumar from District Katihar in Bihar accompanied by Amarnath Choudhary, his brother-in-law as his caregiver came to our Hospital on 14/09/2024, seeking a cure for his chest pain, weakness and dizziness, which he had been suffering from for the past two months. He was diagnosed to have ACHD, PDA Ligation and was admitted to the hospital as an inpatient on 15/09/24. On 16/09/24 the doctors evaluated the patient and he was taken up for elective Right Heart Cath study + PDA device closure done successfully by catheterisation. He was discharged on 17/09/2024. This was purely God’s Grace.

The counsellor had a tele-counselling session with Ravi Kumar on 15/09/2024. She learnt that he had been suffering from weakness, frequent pain in the chest and dizziness. He had consulted a local doctor who found that he had a congenital heart defect requiring surgery and suggested they go to SSSIHMS, Bengaluru immediately. The diagnosis came as a shock to him and his wife, Pratima, who was in tears but his mother said ‘don’t be scared, all will be well’. A friend who was treated previously at Swami’s hospital, helped Ravi Kumar register and fix an appointment.

Naturally Ravi Kumar was stressed, added to this he was still grieving over the passing away of his father, a heart patient, three months back. He landed in our Hospital with this added baggage. He did not know that Swami’s Hospital treated the body, mind and spirit for total healing. He felt very relaxed and comfortable with the counsellor and shared his thoughts freely. Ravi Kumar works in a medical shop. His family consists of his mother, his wife and a daughter. He also has three married brothers. He talks fondly of his late father who brought them up well, resulting in their respectable standing in society. The family deity is Lord Shiva. Patient is grateful for God's blessings and his parents, for guiding him to SSSIHMS at the right time.

The patient was taken through BRMC (Body Relaxation and Mind Conditioning) therapy and he felt relaxed, peaceful and prepared for his surgery the next day. He was convinced practicing BRMC therapy daily would help him at work too. Patient felt extremely happy and is ever grateful to Swami. Both he and his brother-in-law expressed how impressed they were with the functioning of Swami’s hospital. After returning home the counsellor spoke to him and Pratima, who expressed her thanks to God for taking care of her husband.

Another patient experience at SSSIHMS, Whitefield of Swami’s Unseen Hand behind His Leelas.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Aparna Hoskote, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Aum Sri Sai Ram

My experience as a counsellor in SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

After my mother’s death on 1st July 2005, I felt a void in my life as she has been with us for the last twenty five years after my father’s death in March 1975. During that time, my husband (late) Wg. Cdr R Thirumalachar (Retd) was serving in SSSIHMS as a Service coordinator. He wanted me to get involved in some activity so that we can be of some help to society which in turn will give me some satisfaction and also peace of mind.

Around that time Smt. Vimala Shyam who was district service coordinator gave me an opportunity to send my resume to Smt. Gita Umesh, to be trained as a Patient Counsellor in the Department of Counselling, SSSIHMS, Whitefield. Though I was already sixty six years old, Gita selected me for the training. I thank her for the same. Apart from Smt. Gita and Mr. Umesh Rao there were two more resource persons Smt. Usha Punja and Smt. Ramani S Rao who took a lot of interest in counselling the SAI way. Every moment of the six months training period was very educative and also enjoyable. At the end of the training period, our batch had to undergo a written examination also to assess our performance.

I always opted for Saturday duty so that I could attend to my sister-in-law who was a dementia patient and was admitted in a rehab centre, called the Nightingale Home for the aged which happened to be in Kammanahalli on my way back home.

Listening to the stories of patients with different cardiac or neuro problems who came to us was really interesting and also heart-rending as many of them were from rural areas. I could talk with patients who spoke Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and English as I was conversant in these languages. On the day of discharge, when the patients used to come with a smiling face, I used to feel contented and happy.

We used to have monthly meetings on the second Sunday of every month where we would interact with other counsellors and exchange different types of cases. The final advice by either Mr. Umesh Rao or Mrs. Gita Umesh used to be highly educative.

I was given the opportunity to lead bhajans during our monthly get-togethers. We used to attend sadhana camps arranged by Smt. Gita Umesh. We happened to go to Puttaparthi for Swami’s darshan in the year 2010 as a team and spent a couple of days there attending all the sessions including early morning Omkaram and Suprabatham.

All the fourteen years that I served as a counsellor with fellow counsellors gave me complete satisfaction and each one respected me as a senior colleague. They also extended every type of help whenever I needed it. This shows nothing but the true feeling of the word LOVE which is universal. My heartfelt thanks to Mr. Umesh Rao, Mrs. Gita Umesh and all my fellow counsellors.

I also had the opportunity to interact with Madame Mia and another group that came from Singapore. In the year 2020 when COVID was about to start I bid goodbye to my service at SSSIHMS as I was not able to take up tele-counselling which was introduced then.

My husband attained Swami’s Lotus Feet on 22nd Aug 2022. I am always grateful to him for putting me on the path of service. Only the experience that I had at counselling during training as well as practicing thereafter has kept me physically and mentally healthy so far.

Acceptance and God’s Will and my complete surrender to GOD has kept me alive today.

My younger sister and I live together. Sharing and caring from family members, friends and fellow counsellors has given me a lot of confidence and courage to lead life as it comes. May Swami’s grace be with me always.

Jai Sai Ram........................................................................................................................................................................................

Contributor - Sai Counsellor Susheela T Char, Department of Counselling SSSIHMS, Whitefield.

Counsellor Ashalatha C Counsellor Sharada G Counsellor Vimala O Counsellor

Mala S

Counsellor Meenakshi U Counsellor

Jaya T Counsellor

Subha S Counsellor Aparna H Counsellor Anuradha C Counsellor Lalitha A Counsellor Nirmala M Counsellor Mallika C.R Counsellor Radhika Y Gita Umesh HOD/Mentor/Trainer Retd. Counsellor

Manisha B Umesh Rao Editor/Mentor

Art & Design Sailatha B.A Counsellor Mani M.C

Counsellor Sumana Y Counsellor Sadhana R

Retd. Counsellor Susheela T.C AD Editorial

Nimmi K Counsellor Parvathy Counsellor & Editorial

Saroo A

The SAI Counselling Department, SSSIHMS, Whitefield

Counsellor Sukanya C Layout design- Sailatha Bopanna Aiyappa

Pictures used on the covers and contents page

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