[viper33]

Hello TeamBHP family, Hope you are all doing good.

Some of you might know me by my previous thread: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/what-...v-car-buy.html (Confused: To sell or retain Honda BR-V, which car to buy?)

I just want to share an update that taught me many lessons.
After my aforementioned thread, I wanted to document my travelogue where my family, wife, 2 adorable kids, Parents, and sister's family went on a Western Ghats temple trip which started from Hyderabad to Bangalore, Halebeedu, Belur, Dharmasthala, Horanadu, Sringeri, Murudeswar, Gokarna, Goa and back to Hyderabad in my BR-V. The 2,200 kms trip ended uneventfully with a lot of beautiful memories.

I wanted to share my above experience but life had other plans. A day before the trip I observed a peculiar headache started. It is not severe, but it used to be there always. I have migraine history and for the first few days, I thought it was the same. During the trip it persisted, but I thought I had been driving and lack of sleep or tiredness might be causing it. But the headache was nevertheless there throughout the trip.

I came back home and took 2 days complete rest, the body pains or tiredness subdued but not the headache. So I visited the nearest Neurosurgeon alone. Usually my family is too emotional, so I usually share the outcome but I do not take them through the process. The neurosurgeon has done EEG test and said everything is normal, and could be due to driving or due to migraine, this type of headache occurs and gave some medication.

I came back home happily and went on doing my routine. I joined an online course to learn more about the some advanced AI/ML models. Bought a new laptop as my old one 5 years old and not suitable for new AI workloads and bought a new phone as well my old one’s battery dying out quickly as I got great bargain on my old one effectively getting the new one at 50% of retail value.

Life seemed normal as I ignored the headache even though it was always there. I was attending the online classes and during hectic office schedule. But on a fine morning, that headache reminded me again as it as almost two weeks and it never went away.

I though I might not be having enough physical activity, so I went to play cricket with my community folks and played for 3/4 hours with extensive fast bowling. But, everything else is normal and headache is persisting.

My intuition said something is not right, so I pinged my brother-in-law (Wife’s brother) who is Orthopaedic and works at well known Hospital in Hyderabad. I went and met him and explained.

He also said due to extensive trip that I have taken and asked me to not to drive car of a month and asked me to take enough rest. I followed his advice and took good enough rest and did not touch the car for a week.
Still, the headache was persisting, so I pinged him again and I asked him to do the necessary tests anything if required.

I am always conscious about my background and cautious about my future and family. I understand the devastation that will be caused in my family if something happens to me.

So, I took a leave, went and met my BIL at his hospital, he brought his colleague and both of them inspected and said it is just neck strain and asked me to take another week of rest. Even though I disappointed that no tests were performed to rule out any cause as I was clinically well and there are no other symptoms.

It was 19th January early morning and the headache was still persisting. I am tired of feeling it all the time and not able to focus on my daily work, I pinged my BIL again that you do whatever tests that required and do it today.

He suggested get the neck MRI done and booked an appointment for me. My wife resigned her previous job just a day before as she got a new opportunity and relatively free that day and joined me to the diagnostic centre.

We both were laughing and cracking jokes and discussing about new job and she asked to take her to the new office building while we return and I agreed.
At the billing counter, my BIL called the receptionist and asked them to the MRI for my neck and they did bill for the same.

But, out of the blue I thought what if the neck is not the problem and I want to rule out all specific causes, so I personally asked the diagnostic centre to do the MRI for brain as well. They said, doctor not referred but, I asked them to do it anyway.

I completed my MRI and I came out of the room and I see my wife started crying. Apparently, the technician told that there is lesion in my brain and they have to give an injection to verify its presence and do the MRI again for that she agreed. But no one was telling what it is what harm does it cause because it is simple diagnostic centre.

The technicians sent scanning video directly to my BIL instead of waiting for reports. My BIL immediately understood and showcased to his colleagues and took their opinion. We planned for a lunch that afternoon after the test, but he said, you need to visit KIMS-Secunderabad and appear in emergency at the earliest without any delay and said no need for lunch right now.
Prior he was Doctor at the same hospital, KIMS-Secunderabad, so he had some contacts and got appointment of Dr. Manas by personally talking to him.

I drove my self to the KIMS from Kukatpally and reached hospital at 6PM. I called my nephew to collect the MRI films from the diagnostic centre at meet me at KIMS. While my BIL forwarded MRI video directly to the doc.
I attended the emergency section, but they said you are looking absolutely fine and we don’t take you into emergency, first you go and meet the doctor in OP and take his recommendation.

So, I went to OP, first an assistant doctor attended and said there is brain tumor which requires surgery, but Dr. Manas is going on leave and he will not be available till mid of February. He said, however wanted to take Mr. Manas opinion and took my report and showed it to the Dr. Manas at operation theatre. Dr. Manas recommended an immediate surgey as it was fatal and can not wait any longer. The tumor was 4x4 CM and displaced the brain by 7CM inside it is causing the pressure.

But as the doctor is going on leave, he said his team will perform surgery. While all these happening, my BIL was in touch with Doctors across the city and made adjustments if Dr. Manas couldn’t do it.

Incidentally my wife also worked at KIMS Secunderabad an year before she has some contacts. While she is reaching out to her contacts, fortunately, her friend is the PA for Dr. Manas. She reached out to him cried like anything that requested the Dr. Manas to do the surgery.

Finally, he agreed at night 10.30PM, as he has to leave hospital by 8AM in the morning for his planned leave, he suggested we do the surgery at morning 4AM.

Doctors told me the surgery is complex and it could go either way, they asked me to talk to my family and all-important people.

They started surgery preparations at 11PM and started the surgery at 4.30AM in the completed by 9.30 AM in the morning.

They removed the 100% tumor as I was healthy and there were no other symptoms they discharged me 2 days later.

Biopsy report came it was Grade -1 tumor and bening in nature as long it doesn’t regrow I can lead a normal life, but if it regrows I need to go through Chemo/radiation and there is 96% probability that it will stop its growth completely.

From 9.30PM to 4.30PM I have some time to reflect about my life. I just want to share few thoughts that came across my mind.

1. Family is above everything else: Without my wife I couldn’t have been here and writing this, her relentless efforts to get the right doctor do the surgery helped me unscathed through this event. My BIL and nephew all stood by me helped me through and through. Many of our children or closed ones going for Nuclear families, but nothing beats a family side by you when you go through rough times

2. Egos and Misunderstanding doesn’t matter much, relationship does matter: Do not keep anyone away because of mis-understandings or ego, they don’t matter in the life. I thought what I could in my last few hours and realised burning bridges never is the solution.

3. Credit Cards do help: As it was late evening, the insurance approvals does happen next day only, and the hospital asked to clear the bill to give go ahead for the operation. I had more than enough limit in my credit cards and cleared large sum of amount easily without blinking an eye.

4. Regrets are painful: For a moment, I though what I could have done better and I realised there is nothing that I could have done better, I started couple of companies to pursue my dreams and realised my financial backdrop doesn’t help much and sacrificed my dreams for my family and happy that I took term insurance and bought a house for my family and I leave them relatively in better position.


Finally, life is uncertain, do not brag about anything and anything can be taken away in moment, Cherish the time with your family and make everyone’s day a beautiful as long as it is possible, that might not be your day, but you could help someone’s day as well.

Whether you call it Karma or god's grace, but all fell in place in right time, whether I was asking for brain MRI even when doctors did not ask, or Dr. Manas kind heart that agreed to eprfomr surgery even thoug he has limitations, all fell in place for the right time and I cam unscathed out of this mishap. Thanks to the almighty and gratitude for everyone.

Thanks for reading through.

[gischethans]

Tears welled up on reading the final thoughts, @viper33. At first, I thought you would be sharing some road mishap.

I wonder how the doctors you consulted could be so casual and suggest rest repeatedly. The Gods you prayed for days before seemed to help you at the right time and everything fell into place. I am so happy you came out safe and I am looking forward to reading your travelogue soon.

[jjp@chn]

Originally Posted by viper33

Whether you call it Karma or god's grace, but all fell in place in right time, whether I was asking for brain MRI even when doctors did not ask, or Dr. Manas kind heart that agreed to eprfomr surgery even thoug he has limitations, all fell in place for the right time and I cam unscathed out of this mishap. Thanks to the almighty and gratitude for everyone.

Thanks for reading through.

It is good to hear that you have successfully overcome this terrible situation, with the help and support of your immediate and extended family! Thank God for your presence of mind in asking for the MRI of the brain.

All the points that you have listed are absolutely true and many don't realize it until it is too late or never realize it at all, creating an atmosphere of mistrust and problems wherever they go. Even when I was hospitalized for COVID-19 during 2021, I had fairly similar thoughts and that experience had changed my perspective and outlook towards life, family and friends to a great extent.

All the very best for your future!

[V.Narayan]

God's Grace flowed with you at each step that caused several fortuitous timings to fall in place including your thought of getting MRI of the brain done too. It is a big relief that you managed to get the surgery done in the nick of time and that too at the hands of a seasoned surgeon. And you have drawn all the right conclusions about life and us that such trysts with mortality bring up in some of us. Let's pray the tumour does not reappear - 4cms x 4cms is B-I-G. As they say all of us have two lives. The second one starts when we realize we only have one. My best wishes for your good health always.

On a slightly separate but related topic when I faced a similar mortality in your face situation, I sat my children down the evening before my surgery and walked them through the family finances in detail right down to whom to call and informed my CA, lawyer and bank to co-operate in case I didn't come out.

My sincere advice to all is - write your will & get it registered. You owe it to your family.

[HIGHWAY_PATROL]

It is very heartening to read that you have successfully come back to life. You have been blessed with a wonderful family.

I would also like to mention about the nobility of some of our doctors. Inspite of his travel the next day, Dr.Manas attended to your unscheduled surgery the previous night. It says a lot about him.

Wish you good health and well-being ahead.

[saket77]

Events like these remind us that everything material in life is a bottomless pit. Time spent with self, friends, family and our loved ones is what we will be remembered by. We should strive to give them something good to remember.

Thank you for sharing your story Viper. Jolts us back to reality and brings us self-declared 'high-fliers' back to ground realities of life.

Wish you good health from here on. Would love to read your travelogue one day when you are good to do so.

[dailydriver]

What a miraculous tale of survival!

For once, not listening to the doctor's advice saved you from an impending disaster. Please accept my good wishes for an event free recuperation and risk free revival.

It is often the small things in life that hold the secret to mammoth problems. One must be careful, and to an extent lucky too, to be able to overcome them with minimal damages. You are proof enough.

Hope you will pen the pending travelogue soon. And every time you mention that headache of yours, we will knowingly smile, cross our hearts and utter a silent thanks to the invisible devil who egged you on to stretch your neck and push your head where even the angelic doctors were wary to direct you to.

Cheers!

[praful]

I felt everything you wrote!

I lived through this exact situation, just that it wasn't me, it was my dad back in 99. We had a very last-minute discovery of an apple-sized tumor after months of headaches! Unfortunately, we had the tumour come back twice after the first surgery not because it was malignant, but because it had spread far and wide and probably the imaging tech back then wasn't as super precise as it is now. So he had to undergo three surgeries between 1999 and 2003, with the last one being followed up with radiotherapy to put an end to the tumor! I am glad that he got a renewed lease of life since then!

I wish you a very speedy recovery! Courage to the whole family, this is tough on everyone! And I sincerely wish that there are no relapses and no need to undergo further surgery or even chemo/radio.

[DogNDamsel12]

My heart sank as you described the ignorance of the doctors that delayed the process. And I got goosebumps at the realisations that you have outlined.

Having a connection with one's own body is so important. I have seen my loved ones diminish or delay their health checkups or not respect their body in time. My mom leads in this. Since this is a car forum, I will draw a parallel to our grit in getting that juddering noise in our vehicle resolved, while ignoring the chronic issues that we have in our body, saying it is normal and giving up on the resolution because another doctor ignored it.

I am glad you are fine. I am sure it won't grow back.

Have you considered yoga at all to aid your recovery?

[rajeevsulu]

I am surprised at so many doctors taking things so casually. That apart, I am happy for you that you are through the procedure. That is life, dear brother. It constantly throws curve balls at us. I guess life was never meant to be easy.

Take care, brother, do follow your check up schedule on dot, and, you will be fine.
Cheers

[rajesh1868]

Man, I don't know you but tears are welling up reading this. So very happy that you persisted with your intuition and came out of this ordeal. Can't imagine how you and your family went through all this.

It reminded me of my father who once complained of chest pain and the leading doctor of a reputed Bangalore hospital telling me after checking the ECG that everything is normal. But my father insisted on an Angiogram and the doctor told me that he was doing it just to satisfy him. There were 4 blocks, 2 of them very advanced. An angioplasty was done immediately

[denzdm]

Tough reading through the post. Admire your courage you displayed through the entire process and our strength to go through the pain for such a long duration.

Indeed, life can be so uncertain with so many curveballs. Stay strong my friend and may the strength be with you.

[Neurodoc]

You were lucky that they could remove it completely, never ignore new onset headaches, headaches lasting for 48-72 hours or more continuously and headaches in early morning. We tend to ignore our health most and land up in trouble.

[RiderS]

viper33,

Your proactive thinking to include the brain MRI is the turning point in making everything fall at the right time.

Your thoughts are so true, I have ignored the same in many situations.

May the Almighty strengthen you to overcome this short-lived pain.

Stay Strong!

[charanreddy]

@Viper33 , thank god you came out safe and all the best in your recovery.

In close family, we went through the same. One of my uncles had persisting cough from a couple of years and whenever he went to a doctor they said it’s asthma / breathing disorder. Mind you he is not that easy to convince type being an ex-public prosecutor, high court advocate and active in politics. However the doctors shut him up saying “ are you the doctor ?”

Fast forward to now , a 4th stage lung cancer was detected recently and he has about 6 month to a year to live.

To all doctors on the forum : I know we operate on if something is likely vs worst case scenario, but would you have tips / suggestions on what can we do as educated folks to avoid these situations ? Is it just a case of visiting multiple doctors or do we have other exclusive diagnostic tests over and above the annual health check up ? I heard a few UHNW Individuals get an annual full body MRI, but some doctors in my circle have denied such a thing exists.