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Ganga Prem Hospice Patients
Sadhu Arjun Nath
Sadhu Arjun Nath
was one of Ganga Prem Hospices terminally
ill cancer patients who is remembered by the Hospice
team and doctors at the Himalayan Institute as
somebody who never complained and always remained
peaceful despite his life threatening disease.
Sadhu Arjun Nath first
came to the Ganga Prem Hospice clinic in April
2009, with complaints of persistent cough and
chest pain. He had been wrongly told by a local
doctor that he had Tuberculosis. The fifty four
year old destitute sadhu was diagnosed by Dr Dewan
as suffering from Bronchogenic Cancer. The disease
was already beyond the stage of curative treatment.
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| Arjun Nath's humble
shelter near Lakshman Jhula |
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With
the patient possessing no financial means
and having only a makeshift shelter to live
in, the responsibility of giving him palliative
care and ensuring his general wellbeing was
taken on by Ganga Prem Hospice. The patients
medicines, food, clothing, commuting expenses,
palliative radiotherapy and chemotherapy charges
were provided for by the Hospice.
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Whether Arjun Nath
needed to travel to the Himalayan Institute Hospital
in Jolly Grant for treatment, or needed to be
fed when he was too ill to cook for himself any
longer, Sarojini Murthy, the Hospices palliative
care coordinator, was always there to support
him. Arjun Nath, with his simple and non-fussy
ways, endeared himself to the doctors at the hospital
at Jolly Grant and to the Hospice team. He readily
agreed to undergo the five week radiotherapy and
chemotherapy sessions and trusted his doctors
and carers completely.
During his last days,
he openly discussed with Sarojini Murthy what
he wanted after he died. He said that no one had
to be informed in the event of his death but that
if it was possible he would like his fellow sadhus
to be given a meal in his memory. When Sarojini
asked him if he wanted to be cremated or be given
jal samaadhi (where the body is put in the river,
as is the custom for Sadhus), he unassumingly
left it to Sarojini to decide by saying, Whatever
is convenient for you. Even in death, Arjun
Nath was neither complaining, nor demanding.
The day before
he passed away he had expressed a simple wish
to eat apples but in the the night before Sarojini
could get him some apples, he died of sudden Hemoptysis.
On the sixteenth day ceremony of his last rites,
fittingly, apples were lovingly distributed by
two of Ganga Prem Hospice volunteers, Teri K and
Ashley Quinn, both hospice workers from the US.
Sadhu Arjun Naths
death in his very modest shelter by the road side
was quick. For two days before his death, he told
a Ganga Prem Hospice volunteer who brought him
food cooked by Sarojini, that he was not hungry
anymore. He died on the night of 12th December.
His death was very sudden and he did not suffer
much during his last moments. Arjun Nath had been
well cared for during the last nine months of
his life, since his advanced lung cancer disease
was first diagnosed. During his last days, when
it was winter in Rishikesh, the Hospice provided
him with blankets and warm clothing so that he
could protect himself from the cold even though
he lived by the roadside in a very inadequate
shelter, Arjun Nath needed inpatient hospice facilities
in the final stages, but in the absence of these
facilities, the Hospice did its best to ensure
he still had some comfort in the form of an assured
supply of cooked food, warm clothes, pain relieving
medicines, and kind carers to look after him.
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During the days
following his demise, Sarojini arranged
for a lamp to be kept burning in his humble
shelter, as is the tradition after the death
of a sadhu. One of Arjun Naths fellow
sadhus was given the necessary supplies
so that he could lovingly do this service.
On 30th January 2009, the 16th day after
Arjun Naths death, a bhandaara (traditonal
feast) was organised by Ganga Prem Hospice,
to honour the patients last request.
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| Poor sadhus eating
at Sadhu Arjun Nath's feast |
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Near to the hut where
Arjun Nath lived, the feast was arranged for 35
sadhus, many of who knew Arjun Nath personally.
Sarojini Murthy organised the meal and purchased
the food the previous day, entrusting the provisions
to a sadhu who was a close friend of Arjun Nath.
Prayers were held in Arjun Naths memory
and the food was neatly prepared and set aside
for the feast. Apples
brought by Ganga Prem Hospice volunteers, Ashley
and Teri, were distributed. Some dakshina (ceremonial
token money offering to Sadhus) was given to the
Sadhus but as there were many more Sadhus ( 63)at
the feast than the expected number of invitees,
Teri, very generously gave the dakshina to the
sadhus who had not been expected
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| Arjun Nath's photo
at the feast given in his memory |
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Sadhu Arjuns
photo decorated with flowers and placed
beneath a nearby tree smiled sweetly out
at the sadhus enjoying his last gift to
them.
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Madhus Story
She suffered great
pain, fever, malnutrition, weakness and inconsolable
depression.
Madhu is a single mother. When she was diagnosed with cancer there was no one to turn to. Her only son, in his early twenties, struggled to earn enough money for her treatment. He is unqualified and could only earn a little wage. He needed to borrow a lot of money to pay the fare to take his mother to the cancer facility far away from their home. More money was needed to stay and eat in a strange town. The cancer treatment was expensive and so they took the minimum treatment - as much as they could afford. They returned home to their debts and, after a little while, to reoccurrence of the cancer, reoccurrence of the need for treatment and reoccurrence of despair.
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The son faced the dilemma of going to work to pay the debts, the rent, their food, medicine and painkillers for his mother or staying at home to look after her. She suffered great pain, fever, malnutrition, weakness and inconsolable depression. The physical, mental and emotional strain on the mother and son grew in a spiral which, without help, could have only led to a miserable, lonely and painful death for the mother and a life of debt and remorse for the son. |
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This story, however, changed its course because
of the help of the Ganga Prem Hospice palliative
care team. Madhu has now been able to have the
treatment she needed, the pain killers and medicines
she needs, good food, nutritional supplements,
supportive home visits and loving care from GPH
volunteers. Her son, knowing his mother is cared
for, is able to go to work to pay off the bills
and debts.
Madhu and her son were lucky. Many aren't. Help
is needed to increase palliative care services
in India.
A peaceful end to four years
of pain.
Just before slipping into
the coma she stretched out her arms to Sarojini
and said Thank you, thank you
Madhu Rana was a spirited
fighter. Right from the time four years ago when
she was diagnosed with cervix cancer, to her last
days when despite being gravely ill, she visited
the Ganga Prem Hospice cancer clinic to ask her
doctors for advise and to thank them for their
support. In the one and a half years that the
hospice supported her in her treatment and palliative
care, the team grew very fond of their 45-year
old patient who was often depressed and forlorn
but still was tenacious enough to continue to
live with cancer for much longer than the doctors
had expected her to survive. When Madhu Rana first
came to the Ganga Prem Hospice in January 2008,
she was extremely undernourished due to her very
poor financial condition. Her young son, who was
her only family, was struggling to deal with his
mothers illness and expensive medical needs.
GPH covered the cost of her treatment and chemotherapy
as well as sponsoring her nutritional and other
practical needs. The GPH home care volunteers
would visit Madhu at home and Madhu and her son,
Anil found support, love and succour with the
hospice team.
On 19 May 2009, Madhu left her body. In her last
days, Madhu did not suffer much pain, which was
a blessing. In the last week her aged mother,
a cancer survivor herself, her two brothers, nephews
came from their distant homes and joined Anil
in caring for her. Madhu and the GPH home care
co-ordinator, Sarojini Murthy, had a special bond
between them as they had been together during
much of Madhus terminal illness time. The
last three days, Madhu was comatose. Just before
slipping into the coma she stretched out her arms
to Sarojini and said, Thank you, thank you
With Sarojinis guidance, kirtan, prayers
and japa were done throughout the last few days
to aid Madhus peaceful transition. According
to Madhus wishes, she was cremated in Haridwar,
a muktikshetra. After her death, Madhu was adorned
in a blue saree, and decorated with kumkum and
ornaments . Her cancer-stricken body looked amazingly
peaceful as she was laid on a kusha (a grass bed).
The atmosphere was serene and the family carried
out all the required rituals which surround death
in a Hindu family. Neighbours, including the family
of GPHs first terminal patient, Pushpa Devi,
came to pay their respects. Although the members
of Madhus family appeared on the scene only
in her very last days, it was a relief to see
that at least in her dying hours, Madhu was given
much love, care and prayers. Anil is being supported
in his bereavement by Sarojini, Madhavananda and
other Ganga Prem Hospice volunteers.
PATIENT'S STORIES
Cancer patients and their loved ones are invited
to write to us about their views, thoughts and
feelings. We will include as many letters, articles
and stories as is possible in these web pages.
Please send your article to Nani Ma: nanima@gangapremhospice.org
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