Every move I take, every step I take, I’m going out going in I can’t walk…

Well, a proper writer would have built in some foreshadowing in last week’s blontry. It’s not that I didn’t know there was a problem. So, unless you have read Rae’s Facebook posts this past week, the content for this week may seem to come out of left field. I have spent most of this last week in the hospital. Knowing how much I enjoyed my hospitalization for kidney stones, this may be surprising. I, myself, was surprised at the turn of events. So, this is what got me into this situation.

When I arrived in Portland (hmm, I guess I missed two foreshadowing opportunities), my lower back was kind stiff and sore. I didn’t think too much of it since I had just spent nearly 30 hours in a cramped plane. Over the time I was in Portland, in addition to my sore back I also started having pain in my right leg: pronounced but not debilitating. I flew to Washington DC and by the time I arrived I was significantly more uncomfortable. I had started doing stretching and strengthening exercises but to little effect. Day by day my back and leg got worse. I couldn’t sleep; I couldn’t sit; and I couldn’t stand. I was having some kind of fun and looking forward to the long flight back to Delhi in coach.

I also began to suspect that I was not dealing with a back issue with radiating sciatic pain. As I researched on the interweb, I began to suspect deep vein thrombosis. The symptoms all fit and by Friday when I was getting ready to head back, my right leg was much more painful than my back.

Charu graciously allowed me to upgrade my tickets to business class but I was worried about how I would handle the flights. I made it through the Dulles airport, white knuckling every step but I made it. However, after we landed in Frankfurt, the situation was different. I was hobbling down the aisle of the plane; gasping at each step. One of the flight attendants asked me what was wrong. When she heard the Reader’s Digest version. She had me wait. I was then taken through security and to my next plane by wheelchair and electric cart.

Getting off the plane at Delhi was a repeat of the scene in Frankfurt except the equipment was older and the attendant was quite a bit smaller but I was fortunate enough to be taken right to the curb where Robinson picked me up. It was after 2:00 in the morning when we got home and I was in excruciating pain. Robinson proposed he pick me up and take me to the hospital later that day, but I really believed I needed some time to rest so I asked him to pick me up and take me to the hospital first thing Monday. I was able to find some pain killer from when I had the kidney stones, and between that and a blessing I received I made it until I could get to the hospital.

                  

Once I checked into the Outpatient Department they, quickly got processed and met with Dr. Bali. As I explained the situation and my expectation it was deep vein thrombosis. She rushed to get me admitted and my tests scheduled. Within an hour the initial diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis was rejected as the Doppler Echo showed no indication of blockage. Over the next four days, I was poked, prodded, and had subject to any number of diagnostic tests, blood values were run and rerun.

The working diagnosis was changed from deep vein thrombosis to a large cyst that was so intrusive that it was effectively cutting off blood flow to my lower leg, leading to all the associated issues. Rounds of IV medicines were hung to shrink the cyst and to fight off infection. Every day I get a letter better; have a little less pain; and can move about with less pain and difficulty.

In many respects this was a more comfortable hospital stay. The room was nicer and the bed was more comfortable. I didn’t take a ton of pictures but here are a couple:

The last day I was in the hospital, I had a consult with a Rheumatologist who is trying to get past the symptoms and find out more about the underlying issues that may have allowed my current symptoms to emerge. I meet with him again later this week. I may have more to report. In the meantime, thanks for all the prayers, and positive thoughts and energy sent my way. I truly appreciate it. Until next week.

  

Namaste

I'll take you on a trip beside the ocean, And drop the top at Chesapeake Bay

This past week was the proximate cause of my trip to the US. On Tuesday and Wednesday all the campus directors and deans plus the leadership from University Administration. Over the course of my professional life, I have been to oh, about a million of these. It’s hard to do it right, actually. First of all success is based on mutual trust and respect that is astonishingly rare. Without that, more energy is spent on organizational politics than on the business at hand. Second, it is important to strike a balance between having fun and working on the business of the retreat. Again far too often one or the other takes over and the balance is destroyed.

This was actually one of the better management retreats I’ve been to. For one thing the venue was beautiful. It was a remodelled and updated series of fifties era bungalows. We were literally across the road from the beach and there were docks right at the venue. For dinner on Tuesday, we took a water taxi across the Bay. We had Maryland blue crabs. Lots of them. I got a good tutorial from one of the deans on how to easily disassemble them and get to what little meat there is. They were good but a lot of work for very little meat. Give me Alaska king crab any day.

As for the business of the retreat we broke up into four groups and each of us tackled tone the major issues we are facing. This was called a FedEx activity because we absolutely, positively, had to deliver a solution overnight. My group came up with a gant chart for the activities we need to complete by December to apply for accreditation under Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Quite an interesting couple of days. 

Here are some pictures:

Namaste

M is for the many things she gave me, O is for the other things she gave me…..

For those who don’t remember, this twist on the old standard was performed by Madeline Kahn on Saturday Night Live. The whole song was:

“M is for the many things she gave me

O is for the other things she gave me

T is for the thousand things she gave me

H is for the hundred things she gave me

E is for everything she gave me

R is for the rest of the things she gave me

P is for the presents that she gave me

Put them all together they spell “MOTHERP”

The one who means the world to me!”

I am a simple man (obviously) but I still think this is funny nearly 40 years on.

So, blontry this week will not be focused on India. I have had the pleasure of being with family in Portland since Wednesday evening. I have to be in Virginia for meetings next week, and while Oregon and Virginia are not geographically close, I was able to build in an interim stop in Oregon for only a couple of hundred bucks. It was a no brainer to extend my trip a few days and enjoy time with family. Not everyone was there, Emily, Michael, and Kai didn’t come up. And I was not able to see everyone else I wanted. However, everything else about the 3+ days was perfect. The weather was amazing; Oregon was at its most glorious; we were able to have two family dinners, including a belated second birthday for Carrigan; we were able to watch Julien’s baseball game including a couple of innings pitching; I got to listen to my beautiful, talented granddaughters and daughter by marriage singing, playing the piano and guitar, and composing a song together; I got to rassle and hug all the available grandkids; pretty much a perfect few days. Now back to reality. SIGH

Today is Mothers’ Day. I won’t be able to spend it with the mothers in my life as I am traveling back to Virginia and, of course, my own mother is not alive. On this Mothers’ Day, I want to broaden the focus from mothers to women; I want to take a moment for whomever ultimately reads this blog to bear witness to the importance of women in my life.

I have been blessed all of my life to be surrounded by and supported by strong, capable, kind, loving women. The first of course is my mother, Nedra Hurst Lundberg. She truly was an amazing women with so many gifts and abilities. I learned more from her than I can ever fully acknowledge or probably really understand. However, I want to point out three specific things here. First was a love, empathy, and compassion for others. The second is a love for and a belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The third is a love of literature and the joy of a good read. I am a pale imitation of her in all three areas but my love of others, the gospel, and books all clearly stem from her influence and example.

The second person I want to acknowledge is my wife Rae. Wife is not an adequate description or title for who she is to me: Companion, partner, lover, best friend, and more. She is finishing the job of raising me that my mom started. She has willingly and happily joined me in adventures in such exotic places as New Delhi India and Midland Texas. She has been a constant support, confident, and encourager (is that a word?). My greatest pride and joy come from seeing the people our children have become. Her influence on shaping them is incalculable. I honor her for being the mother and Nana that she is. I love watching our family interact filled with affection and joy. I know she deserves a great deal of the credit for helping us get to this point.

I am grateful for Evelyn Whyte, my mother in law. There is a long tradition of making mother in law jokes and complaining about one’s mother in law. None of that applies in my case. Evelyn is a woman who had the courage to leave the farm and open and grow a small business that became so successful that my father in law, leased out the farm and joined her in running it. She and Ken were entrepreneurs and full partners in two businesses and numerous investments. I have never known anyone who worked harder or loved more that Evelyn. She was the greatest single influence on Rae in her developing years. I will love her forever for the wonderful job she did in rearing and guiding Rae.

From individuals, I want to shift to two groups of women: first my sisters and second my daughters and daughter in law. When I wrote earlier that I have been blessed to always be surrounded by strong, capable, kind, loving women that includes my three sisters Meredith Simmons, Elizabeth Schlemmer, and Constance Erickson. I have not always had a close relationship with my sisters, but as adults I can say that I am filled with love and respect for each of them. They are each their own woman, with their own talents and interests. Each of them as lived her own life making the choices right for them and becoming amazing people in the process. I am grateful for the examples they have been to our daughters.

Speaking of daughters (and daughters in law) the heritage of incredible strong, talented, loving women continues into the next generation. Rachel Lundberg, Emily Beverlin, Rebecca Brown, and Sarah Clifford are all talented, capable, loving, kind, wonderful women. They have faced challenges and trials with courage and faith. They live their lives with joy. Each of them is doing a wonderful job or rearing and guiding the most wonderful collection of grandchildren that one can imagine! While they are doing that they each also continue to grow and develop as people and provide support to their husbands.

Finally I recognize and thank the other women who have influenced and shaped me: aunts, cousins, sisters in law, and friends. There are so many relatives and friends who have influenced me for good and from whom I have learned. Some went out of their way to help me. Some probably never knew that I was watching and learning from them.

Happy Motherp day!

Namaste

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke, You gotta understand, It's just our bringin' up-ke

Well, I am back. Ready to provide the high level of insight and interesting stories you’ve come to expect. So, buckle up; here we go!

The title for this blontry refers to an interesting development we’ve had since about the first of the year. In December and in January. Several Christian Churches were attacked or vandalized. One day, I noticed that in addition to the usual guard, there was a police officer sitting outside our chapel. I didn’t think that much about it but I noticed that whenever I went by the Church, no matter the day or time, there was always a police officer, sometimes two.

So, I turned to the fount of all knowledge: our driver Robinson. He said that because of the vandalism of Christian churches, the police had assigned officers to each church and they were providing coverage 24/7. I asked what the churches were charged for this coverage and he said nothing. I assumed this would last a few days to a couple of week. It has now clearly more than a couple of weeks and still the guards are there.

So, once again to Robinson for the 411. He said, they say the police are there for protection but really they are there to spy on who comes and goes and to gather information. At some point the government will take over all the churches and try to force Christians to convert or return to Hinduism.

First, yes Robinson does have a paranoid streak. He is more than willing to assign mal intent to the actions of any number of groups or individuals, including the Modi government. Second, he was a strong supporter of the Congress party that has ruled India at the national level since independence. So there is reason to discount what Robinson said. However, it turns out there is at least a little fire with this smoke.

Prime Minister Modi’s party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has a strong faction that believes India should be of and for Hindus. Some believe that Modi himself believes this, despite running, and so far governing, with a focus on increasing economic power and efficiency of India rather than religious purity. These people point as evidence to a major incident that occurred 2003 in the State of Gujarat, while Prime Minister Modi was Chief Minister.

There were a series of attacks between Hindus and Muslims over a several week period. Ultimately 800 Muslims and 250 Hindus were killed with over 2500 more seriously injured. There are over 200 people that have never been found. Modi is accused of 1) orchestrating the riots to reinforce Hindu supremacy; or 2) at least failing to try to control the attacks on Muslims making the casualties much worse than they had to be if he had acted.  Because of concerns about his involvement, the US government refused to give a Visa to Modi until he was elected Prime Minister. It should be noted that while the reality of the deaths is not questioned, Modi’s involvement has never been established.

What is not questioned is that there is a strong faction within BJP for whom Indian means Hindu. Most of them also include religious practices that had their origin in Hinduism: Jains, Buddhists, etc. but religions that don’t share that common origin are viewed as dangerous or second class. Of course there are variations of belief. Some think citizenship and associated rights should be exclusive to Hindus. Some think that government jobs, admission to university, appointment to the military should be restricted to practicing Hindus.

Muslims and Christians are particularly viewed as problematic since Hindus have been converting to those religions. In fact, there are mass conversions, ghar wapsi (roughly translated as homecoming), during which groups of Muslims or Christians are gathered and put under psychological, economic, and family pressure to denounce their adopted religion and recapture their Hindu roots. Every week or two there have been articles in the news about these sessions. There is also an act pending in Parliament that makes religious conversion illegal. These laws exclude reconversion to Hinduism; that right is protected. Such laws already exist in some Indian states.

There are obvious parallels with movements in the US that want to declare America is a Christian country. Actually like America, India was founded politically on the idea of religious neutrality or pluralism. Our Bill of Rights clearly states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." Likewise the Indian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion under Article 25. Accordingly every citizen of India has a right to profess, practice and propagate their religions peacefully. How do these strong traditions in both our countries square with efforts to create religious preference if not purity? Paradoxical at best.

Namaste