Help Vinay & Sameer

March 9 Update

All of us have spent most of our time in the ICU and the hospital. Sameer’s condition remains serious. His status as of this morning is as follows:

His temperature was back up to around 100F after being normal for 3-4 days. No bacteria have shown up in his blood culture for the last 3-4 days. We do not have results yet from this morning’s blood cultures. The temperature has come down now to around 99F by now.
His blood pressure and heart rate are stable. Both are somewhat higher this morning than they have been for the last few days - probably related to his higher temperature. This is not a cause for concern. In fact a slightly higher blood pressure helps during dialysis.
He has been on dialysis for the last 3 days and his kidney-related vitals have been holding steady, although elevated. However he has a lot of fluid retention and they will try to remove some of the excess fluid through dialysis today.
His blood oxygen level has been fluctuating in a narrow range since yesterday. Therefore they are giving him some extra oxygen through a small mask over his nose and mouth. They think that the lungs tend to collapse a bit due to a lack of motion. This also is not a cause for concern right now.
He has been comfortable and does not seem to be in pain. Prior to today, he was responding a bit by opening his eyes when we were talking to him. This morning he does not seem as responsive.
They did a chest x-ray yesterday and his lungs were OK.
His bilirubin level has gone up to around 7 (it indicates liver function) from 3 yesterday. This could be indicative of the stress his liver is experiencing due to the chemo he has received. The doctors are reviewing his medicines to see if they need to make any adjustments.
His bone marrow biopsy results have shown that there is absolutely no blood cell production in his marrow. This is called aplastic anemia. It is most likely that this was caused by the tremendous amount of chemotherapy he has received to date. Therefore it is not possible to judge the status of the leukemia. We will have a clearer picture when his marrow recovers in two to three weeks.

His attending physician is pessimistic about his recovery. He says that no one has seen as much chemo at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance as Sameer. Even though Sameer is strong, the body can only take so much. We have told him that Sameer is a fighter and we expect him to pull through this one. We also had a meeting with all the specialists in addition to the attending hematologist-oncologist on Friday and requested them to treat Sameer in a multidisciplinary approach by coordinating very closely with each other. They said they are doing that already and will make sure that they continue to do it.

My friend Douglas Adkins, Reena and Reena’s brother Deepesh were present for the meeting. Prashant has been sick with a cold and he cannot come to Sameer’s hospital floor. He has been in constant contact to follow Sameer’s progress. Sunita (Sameer’s mother) visited Sameer last night and was able to spend a few hours with him. She has not been well herself and has not been able to visit frequently. I was concerned about how she would react seeing Sameer in this unconscious state. I have tried to describe to her Sameer’s condition but it is always hard to see your son or loved one in Sameer’s condition. She did well considering everything, and tried to engage Sameer. She also had good help from Andrea (Sameer’s nurse) who answered her questions clearly and with empathy. Andrea reassured Sunita that they are doing everything possible to take good care of him.

Swami Bhaskaranand of the Vedanta Society of Western Washington (Vedanta Center) visited Sameer yesterday. He prayed at his bedside and blessed him. Swamiji has known Sameer since he was 3 years or so old. Swamiji has been praying for him everyday as have several other devotees at the Vedanta Center who have known Sameer for a long time and are extremely fond of him. I know that all his friends in addition to our relatives and even others whom we do not know have been praying for his recovery. We appreciate all of their prayers.

Robert, Brady and Veer were here since Wednesday arriving at different times and leaving at different times. Brady was the last one to leave (early this morning). Brady has collected videos and sound clips from many of Sameer and Reena’s friends. Sameer was able to respond somewhat to them since they were loud and demanding! Deepesh also came on Wednesday and plans to stay through the coming Wednesday. Reena’s mother and Deepesh moved to a smaller (1BR) apartment from the 2 BR apartment they were renting since most of the time the second bedroom was not being used. Anamika has come last night and saw Sameer briefly. Samit is here as well since late last night, and Melindah is coming this afternoon. I look forward to seeing them all.

For any of you who want to visit Sameer, you are welcome to do so. However the infection control makes it necessary that if you have had any cold, flu or other symptoms in the previous week or have been in close contact with someone who has been sick, you cannot come in Sameer’s room. This is important for Sameer’s safety since he has no immune system at this time, and an infection can be fatal. Also, he cannot have any flowers or plants in his room, and is being fed by an IV. Please do not bring any gifts for Sameer, we appreciate your blessings.

The best scenario for Sameer is to avoid any infections or additional complications for the next 2-3 weeks until his blood counts start to recover from the chemo. The nurses here are wonderful. The analogy I have in my mind is that doctors are like gods - powerful (smart) but slightly distant and afraid of raising expectations- while the nurses are like angels. They are positive and very supportive. They bathe him, turn him, keep him from getting infections while administering all the medications, drawing blood, taking vital signs, recording everything, and constantly hovering around him all day. He has a dedicated nurse for each 12 hour period of the day. They rotate and all of them are transplant ICU nurses, which means that they are very senior and experienced. They tell us that they have seen people recover almost miraculously. While the doctors tend to explain all the potential complications and are pessimistic, the nurses deal with each case on its own without presuming the outcome while working optimistically. It is such a nice example of karma yoga in every day life.

Some of you have wondered how we are doing emotionally. Reena has been strong and has been spending all her time at the hospital. Reena’s mother has been there to support her and has been spending most of the day at the hospital. I have spent most of the days at the hospital since Sameer has been in the ICU. Before that, I would return from work a little after 4 PM and spend the evening with Sameer and Reena before going home to sleep. As you can imagine it has been very hard for all of us. I have been praying to the best of my abilities to Lord Shrinathji (Shri Krishna - our family deity) to heal Sameer.

When I go to Vendanta Center, I pray in the shrine of Sri Ramakrishna who to me is another avatar of Shri Krishna. I have been continuing to work professionally even traveling to conferences and meetings. This keeps me from worrying all the time about Sameer with unproductive thoughts. I have suggested to Prashant to do the same and spend as much time with Sameer as he can (when he is healthy) but continue his work. I encouraged Prashant to accept responsibility for a new project with very tight deadlines which now is taking all his time.

My priorities are Sameer, my family, our friends and my work. I have been thinking about the teachings of Bhagvata Gita which has been helpful to me in my life. However, my mind is unwilling to accept any separation from Sameer. I pray to God for Sameer’s recovery since it is hard for me to imagine a satisfying life without Sameer. Therefore, I am going to continue to focus on the right and intelligent action, and on praying or even demanding from God to bring our healthy Sameer back to us.

Please pardon me if I have not returned your calls. I take calls when I can but I find it harder to return calls especially the calls which require some additional work of finding and punching a lot of numbers.

Thanks for your continued prayers for Sameer’s recovery. Take care.

Kumar Bhatia

21 Responses

Shalini Says:
March 9th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Thank you Kumar uncle for your update…I am keeping Sameer in my thoughts and prayers. With Bhagwan’s help he will come through this. All of you please be well, and take care of yourselves.
Sudha Says:
March 9th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
In these hard and testing times we are with you in mind and pray that Sameer recovers quickly without any complications. You are all in our thoughts and prayers.

-Sudha
Anjali Says:
March 9th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Kumar Uncle, Thank you for updating us. Your emails help us feel connected to Sameer and your entire family during this time. We are always praying for our friend and the health and happiness of your entire family.
Rashmi Says:
March 9th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Dear Kumar uncle,

Thank you for the update. Sameer is in my thoughts and prayers, as are all of you. I too am hoping and praying that Sameer will be able to fight through this and regain his health and wellness.

Rashmi
Dipa, Ripal and family Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 4:39 am
Dear Sameer, Reena, and Family
Our deepest prayers and thoughts are with you during this time. We pray that Sameer’s strength and the love and support of his family and friends will aid in his recovery process. God Bless you all. Jai Shri Krushna.
Dipa & Ripal
Saily and Rajiv Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 6:00 am
Dear Uncle,
We really appreciate you taking the time to update all of us about Sameer. You are all in our thoughts and prayers. We are sending healing thoughts to Sameer. He will get better and be much stronger.
Vasan Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:06 am
Dear Mr. Kumar Bhatia,

The very good health prayer for Sameer is as under:

OHM ACHUTHANANDHA GOVINDA VISHNO NARAYANA AMRUTHA,
ROHAN MEI NASAYA ASESHAN ASU DHANVANTHARE HARE,
DHANVANTHARE HARE VISHNO NARYANA NAMOSTHUTHE,
KRURAKGRAHAIHE PEEDITHANAM BAKHTHANAM ABAYAPPRADHAM,
SREEN RUSIMHUM MAHAVEERAM NAMAMI,
RINAMUKHTHAYE.

GOD BLESS.

Love,
Vasan.
Saranya Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 8:43 am
THERE IS NO EXPLANATION WHY SOME FAMILIES HAVE TO ENDURE SO MUCH…..WISH YOU CONTINUED STRENGTH, HOPE AND PEACE THROUGH THIS DIFFICULT TIME. SOME DAY, IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO REALLY MEET YOU SAMEER ….TILL THEN…TAKE CARE!

GOD BLESS!!!

Saranya
Vandana Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Dear Kumar uncle & family,

We all hope and pray that Sameer gets well very soon. He is always there in our prayers.
Please continue to have the faith you all have been maintaining so far - I am sure you all will get through these difficult times. Jai shri krishna.

Vandana
Madhu Krishnan Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Our prayers to Sameer and your family. Thanks for keeping us updated. I will always keep the faith and hope that Sameer will beat this disease. Your family is amazing.
Nalini Bhatta Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
My sincere thoughts and prayers are with you Sameer and your entire family during these trying and tough times. May God bless you and heal you soon.

Nalini
ruhpreet Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I really hope with all my heart that Sameer gets better. I have gotten to know Sameer and his family from these updates and they are honestly in my thoughts very often. I really wish that Sameer is cured from this sickness very soon. He is a great guy and has a wonderful family who loves him very very much. We hope to hear from you soon Sameer!
Sourabh Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
We hope that Sameer gets well soon. He is in our prayers. He has fought this successfully till now and will surely overcome this. May God give him the strength to heal soon.
Amishi Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
It is amazing how at such crucial n critical times, you are giving such amazing details for people who have been praying for the entire Bhatia family. Thank you for that. I so hope things change for the better and that the oncoming spring brings more sunshine for all of you all. Will continue praying for you all. Your spiritual strength will help definitely and may God give you the strength to bear each day.
Janna Says:
March 10th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Sameer and Bhatia family,

My family send their love and prayers your way.

Janna Hansen, MIHS ‘93
Tarak Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 9:00 am
Kumar Uncle,

Thanks for the update. I know it must be very tough to provide all these details, but we very much appreciate it. We are your extended family, and thus have a vested interest in Sameer’s health. He is a fighter, and I believe he has many more rounds in him. Please hang in there, as sometimes you have to take two steps back before going forward. This is temporary, and I do believe in miracles. We are praying for Sameer and your family to get through this. Sameer has been a real inspiration to a lot of us - his courage, don’t give up attitude are infectious. I also believe that he is going to deliver to the South Asian community a real success story. Sameer, Vinay and Nirali have brought to our attention the need for bone marrow registrants. Of all the battles that they have to fight, they shouldn’t have to go through the excrutiating ordeal of finding a match. That is something we can control, and remedy. I really hope that this process will become easier in the future, and would credit these three for really bringing it to the forefront. They are our heroes.
Ashika Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
I continue to check on updates for Sameer. Kumaruncle you are especially strong to give us updates and I will continue to pray for his recovery. I won’t come visit Sameer right now because I want to meet and see him when he is well because I believe that he will be okay and will continue to pray for him to recover quickly and miraculously to give us all hope in everything we do.

JSK
Ashika
shruthi Says:
March 11th, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Dear Sameer,
I have never met you or your family before, but ever since I came across your website I often check for updates on your well being. You have always amazed me with your positive attitude. You will always be in my thoughts and prayers and I will continue to pray for your recovery. May God give you the strength to overcome this. You and Vinay have both helped so many lives by spreading awareness and encouraging people to join the registry. Such volunteer work is a simple task, but it requires a positive attitude and determination to do something like this while you are going through a tough time in your own life.
To Reena, Sameer’s parents and Sameer’s siblings, please stay strong. God will help Sameer in overcoming this hurdle in life and he will recover soon. Take care everyone.
Harsha Says:
March 12th, 2008 at 5:47 am
Dear Sameer and his family

I have not met you all but am just amazed and inspired by Sameer’s positive attitude and his strength and his willingness to do good to the community. When he worked through several chemos and was hiring folks in the company that he and Reena founded, I just could not help but gasp at the attitude!! He has decided that he will not let this bad disease rule his life!! And that’s the exact attitude that will pull him through this. I have asked several of my friends and relatives to pray and send positive vibes his way. He will get through this..no doubts in my mind about that. And when he is fit as a fiddle, I really want to meet him as well as his family personally and give him my kudos for being such a fighter..Praying hard and demanding to God to get him back to normal sooooooooon..

Harsha
Carrie Rodrigues-Jackson Says:
March 16th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
Hello,

I am a friend of Vinay’s family and I have been following Sameer’s story for a while. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family right now. Sameer is such an strong soul and an inspirational, positive human being. I have been incrediby moved by Sameer’s persistence and his family’s love and dedication. I am praying that he heals soon.
Mira Says:
March 19th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
I don’t know any of you personally, but I have been following Sameer’s progress and I will continue to pray for his recovery. Sameer, you are a hero and an inspiration to anyone who has ever thought they had adversity in their life. May you see many long, healthy, fulfilling years ahead after you surmount this obstacle. And my best wishes for strength and courage for your wonderful family as they continue to stand by you through these trying times.