Update from Ravi - June 6, 2008

Dear Friends,

I am writing this just a little over two weeks after my back surgery. So many of you have written or phoned and prayed from all over the world and before I say anything else, I want to thank you. I have been deeply touched by your love, your care and your prayers. All of your prayers were needed and answered. One of the pictures sent to me was of a group of children from the red light district of Bombay. These kids are being cared for and given the love of Christ by a most unusual man, his family and his team. The picture said it all: These precious little ones with their eyes closed and their arms raised, praying up a storm for my healing. How does one adequately respond to such tender and determined faith? The Lord told us all to become as one of them.

Let me take you back a few weeks. As you know, when the doctors first evaluated my situation in March they had proposed something very drastic. They had wanted to correct a situation from my surgery in 2002 when a triple fusion was attempted from L3 to S1, and address a fresh problem in the L2-L3 region. That surgery was going to require both an anterior and a posterior entry. The very description of the surgery was incredibly daunting and, I was told, it was a very serious operation.

There was a great deal of prayer for wisdom in this decision and in a remarkable turn of events, the chief surgeon changed his mind on my next visit and decided that to just address the L2-L3 herniation would be the wisest and least risky route. So much discussion took place in the ensuing days as I spoke to several surgeons both here and overseas. The general consensus was to stay with this course as the other was quite fraught with possibilities of complication. The surgery was set for May 19th and I was told to expect it to be 1 1/2 to 2 hrs.

As I awoke after the surgery, I looked at the clock and asked the nurse how long I'd been in surgery. When she told me it was a four hour operation I immediately realized that something unexpected had happened. Later that day the doctor came to my room and told me that during the laminectomy, he had found extensive scarring from the first surgery. As he was trying to remove it, he had torn the dura, the thin membrane that encases the spinal fluid. This was potentially a very serious turn of events. As one doctor put it, "Repairing the dura is like trying to sew together wet toilet paper." Half of the surgery time was spent mending that.

As he broke the news he said, "You are now my prisoner. You cannot lift your head for any reason for four days." I was to lie still and allow the dura to heal. "If you don't do this," he said, "you will be paying for it the rest of your life." From splitting headaches to the risk of losing my sight, and numerous other risks, the hazards were many. All I can say is that they were four long, hurting days.

On the fourth day they sat me up for observation and tests. I experienced no symptoms of a spinal leak whatsoever. I was quite on edge, trying to sense any change of feeling. The Lord brought me through and I have been overwhelmed by His goodness to me and by how successful the surgery was. The blessing is beyond words.

I was discharged on the fifth day. It was so good to sit and stand and walk again....and yes, to eat again.
Before I was discharged, the doctor said to me, "So, do you feel you're a lucky man?" "No, Sir," I said. "I feel I'm a blessed man. Before my surgery, I prayed for two things, whether or not to have the surgery and, if I do have it, who should perform it. Doctor Heller, God gave you the skill to face situations such as these and in his grace, He used you to answer our prayers." He was obviously moved and said, "Let me put it this way. You provided our entertainment for the week."

I smiled and said, "I'm just glad it was a happy ending."

"Me, too," he said. On that note we discussed my discharge and I am home now.

I am doing extremely well. Yes, the first few days were painful but I have avoided all of the stronger medications and managed to make it bearable with just Tylenol. By the end of the first week I was off all forms of medication. That is remarkable. The temptation is to forget how important it is to heal. So I have worked hard at restraining my urge to do more than I should. As I write this lying down, I am filled with thanks to the Lord that all is now well and that, in due course, I will resume my responsibilities. The rest of this year, I will abide by the pleas of my family and colleagues and will not pick up any travel. Instead, I will devote my time to writing and to radio work. I want to return stonger than I have been in a long time. All indications are that for the first time in years I may well be living only with minimal pain. We shall wait and see.

I should add one little scary moment to the tale. The third day I was home, I was headed downstairs to my home office to pick up a book. Faster than I could blink I had slid down the stairs, "thudding" my way down with the head and hip taking every thud. I was in a state of shock. I couldn't believe it. As I lay there, scared that I might have done serious damage to myself, I was also aware that if I had to fall, I had fallen on my strongest side, the left side. The surgery was done because of stenosis that was affecting my right leg. The surgical site is, of course, right on the spine. Had I fallen flat on my back or on the right I would have had reason to be really fearful that I had done some damage. Even in my stumbling our Lord protected me. Apart from that "Calvinistic moment" when I wondered what on earth that was all about, I have behaved myself and am feeling extremely well.

On behalf of my family and my colleagues worldwide, I want to say thank you to all who have prayed and cared. The love I have experienced at this time from my entire team and from all of you is a foretaste of all that heaven is about. One therapist even flew in from overseas to give me some gentle therapeutic back massages, using some pure herbal oils from India, that have helped immensely. Other therapists nearby have also donated their skill. My heart is full of gratitude.

Each day I feel stronger and so at peace that this was the Lord's doing. In my prayer time each morning I dwell on the Lord's fresh mercies, from sleep to freedom from pain to the love of family and friends.

Please continue to pray for the healing to progress well and for the ministry as the work goes on in full force. Thank you so much for your continued support and eager desire to help and to stand with us. Thank you again for your love. You have truly ministered to me.

With my love,

Ravi