And now, the end is near….

Regular readers of our blog will know that we missed an entry last week. The reason was we knew the game was a foot but didn’t know any details. Therefore rather than ignore the elephant in our living room, or giving only partial or wrong information, we choose to ignore, or more properly delay, our responsibility to you dear reader. This week we will reveal all. We hope you will forgive last week’s lapse.

So, we are going back to the US. Soon. Like the middle of next month. Rick Shurtz, the US partner, had intimated what they were proposing while they were here last week and Charu presented the plan when she got back into the office this week.

When my health was at its worst, I wrote Charu a letter in which I told her that we weren’t going to renew our contract next year and that I was not going to be able to keep working the 50 – 60 hours a week I have been; restoring my health had to be my first priority. I wrote I also understood they had a college to run and this was a critical time, so, if they found my replacement and wanted to make a change sooner, I would understand. I have been involved in some of their activities to find a replacement (with no luck I should note) and my health has improved. So, Rae and I fully anticipated that we were here until the end of my contract next March.

While Rich Shurtz was here, he and Charu decided to promote Rajive Narain, the head of our marketing and admissions, to campus director while they looked to fill the other two positions. With that, they are releasing me from my contract early – as in mid-September – but they are going to pay me through the end of December. So, now we start trying to figure out the next stage of our lives.

One of the parts of the next stage is figuring out how to use the rest of the time we have left in India. I am going to go to Goa (famous for its beaches) for a few days to receive Ayurvedic treatment and to have a little vacation with Rae. We are also trying to arrange a weekend trip to Rishikesh, up in the foothills of the Himalayas. With those two stops we will have at least seen many of the varied aspects of India. It would take much longer than we have had to really see anything like all of India – it is just too immense and different.

Here’s Rae with her take on all of this and more.

Wow is the word that comes to mind as I look back at this last week. Tuesday was the day that Charu and Phil spoke.  Wednesday was the day that we got the official word that Rajive would take over running the campus.  Wednesday night we had a party scheduled for all the staff, to celebrate some milestones, and so it was decided that the changes would be announced at that gathering. 

The reaction to the announcement was one of shock and sadness and it was touching for me to see their response as so many of them came up to Phil to express their sadness and love.  I know that Phil cares a lot about these people and so I’m sure this was hard for him.  It was an emotional time for me also.   Once the announcement had been made then the wheels could start in motion for our return.  Friday we found out that the moving company would come out on Saturday to see what was going to be shipped.  Saturday the moving company came to make their assessment.  Wow!

Now to dispose of the things that we will not be taking back to the US.  Some things are already spoken for but there are still some things that we need to resolve.  Moving is always so much fun, hopefully you caught the sarcasm there. 

I should be happy for the distractions that a move brings, because it keeps me from sitting around and thinking about the people that I will miss.  There are some things about India that will be easy to leave behind, but the people who have become so special to us, that’s the hardest part about leaving. 

We are excited to be back with our family and friends and feel at peace that this is what is right for us, but it does make our heads spin a bit.  Wow!

We’re trying to get more pictures taken that might help explain the experience(s) of living in India.  We are experiencing some computer issues so some of those pictures may have to wait until we’re back stateside and computers are resolved.  Just another reason it’s time to go home, maybe?

WOW!

Namaste 

[We are] back in the saddle again….

With a tip of the hat either to Gene Autry or Aerosmith depending on you generation, we are back physically to India and back to capturing our experiences in this blog. Woohoo!

Since the last blontry, I joined Rae for two weeks of family time in Oregon. It was great to see everyone and soak up the love, the relative cool (even though Portland was having a heat wave for them), and beauty of Oregon. I won’t try to capture all we did, but in addition to just spending time with our Oregon family and friends, some of the highlights included: Colvin’s 8^th birthday and baptism; seeing Emily and Kai for a few days who joined us from Arizona; seeing Launa and Jenna, who drove up from California to see us; and spending some time with Larry Capps – we recuperated together. And it was a time of healing. No one would let me do anything and kept having me keep my legs elevated. I also went 11 times to Brendon’s Radiant Pain Relief Center for treatment. As a consequence, I am essentially pain free even after the flight back from the US.

We got back just in time. We got back Tuesday morning at 1:00 AM; Dr.  Shurtz and Feroze arrived about 2:00 PM. The whirlwind started the next morning. Over the next three days we looked at all of the potential properties for a new campus, and had about a thousand meetings about what we are doing (or trying to do), and how we can do it better. Many decisions were made, and by Friday night we were more aligned than we have ever been.

One of the key decisions we made was about a new campus. We all agreed on one property in particular. It will take a few months to develop the design and do the remodelling. In fact, we undoubtedly won’t be here when they move to the new campus. It will at least be exciting to see the designs come together.

That’s about it for me. It is a lot more fun to write the blog when there are two of us. Here’s Rae!

It’s been a long time since I’ve contributed to our blontry, and the saddle is feeling a bit odd.  Let’s see if I can share some of the things that have changed while I was gone, and some things that are still the same.  One thing that hasn’t changed is the construction of the metro.  It still goes on, and maybe always will, but the detours and construction areas have shifted.  The summer heat is the same, sorry to report that that didn’t change.  The sightings of men urinating along the road side, the crazy traffic, and the guard outside our house are all the same. 

Today was my first time back to the branch in about three months and it was wonderful to see so many of the familiar faces that I have come to know and love.  There have also been some significant changes there also.  While I was gone the branch presidency was reorganized and Phil was released.  That resulted in the reorganization of almost every organization in the branch, including my release from the Primary presidency.  It was nice to be able to sit by my husband during the meetings, something that has never happened since my initial arrival to India, and a change I enjoyed.

Another significant change for me is my husband’s health.   It is amazing to me that someone’s health can change so dramatically so quickly.  It was a heart wrenching time to be so far away from him and have him be so sick.  He really has made progress, but he still has a ways to go.  Glad to be back together with him.  I’m sure that a lot of people were wondering what was wrong with his wife that she wasn’t back here to help him.  I must say that I will always love and appreciate all those people who helped him in my absence.

The final change I’ll talk about is my vision.  While this change took place while I was in the US it is still a significant change and one that I’m loving.  Cataracts are interesting things.  While I knew it was there and I knew I wasn’t seeing very well, I didn’t realize how poorly I was seeing until after the surgery.  I now see the world in a whole new light, pun intended.  I still have the left eye to do but it is not nearly as bad as my right eye was and I will have it done when we are back in the US.  The only disadvantage I have found from my clearer vision is the clarity with which I see all my wrinkles.  That I could do without. 

Life is full of changes, some are better that others.  I’m grateful for the good ones.  It’s good to be back in the saddle.  Have a good week.     

Namaste 

I once ... was blind, but now I see....

The title for this week’s blontry is a shout out to Rae. On Tuesday, she had cataract surgery. Since this is “our blog” she actually should be writing this but we have long since bought into the fallacy that if one of us is in India (me) it is his responsibility to write that week’s entry. It’s like there are no computers or internet connection in the US.

In any case, I am pleased to report that Rae’s surgery went very well. She is essentially 20/20 in her repaired eye. She has not had that kind of vision without contacts or glasses since she was a little girl. Now the question, given how positive the outcome, is how long she will wait to have her second eye done. She has surgery for the second eye scheduled. However, that would mean she would not return until mid-August. She may wait now until we are back in the States permanently. Part of that will be how well she deals with the visual ambiguity of one repaired eye and one that still has a cataract.

Well, I wrote last week that I would not write about my health again until there was a something significant to report. Since I can also use this report on our board meeting this week and reflect on traditional Indian medicine, I decided to go ahead.

On Tuesday, we had our board meeting. When Mr. Modi arrived, I asked if we should start. He said, “No, I want to talk about your health.” For the next few minutes he grilled me about my health, treatment, and prognosis. He then turned to Charu and said, “We need to get Phil together with Dr Uppoor.” He then went on to say the Dr. Uppoor is an MD and Ayurvedic (traditional Indian medicine) physician who had treated him and other members of their family. Dr. Uppoor’s clinic is in Goa. At first they were talking about flying be down there. Then he told Charu to see if Dr. Uppoor would be willing to fly to Delhi to meet with me. Once that was all settled, and only after it was settled we went on with the meeting.

I was very touched by Mr. Modi’s concern and his willingness to take action in my behalf. Since Dr Uppoor was coming to Delhi, anyway, the Modi’s decided to offer a consultation to other employees and their families. It was a generous act. Having now met with Dr. Uppoor, I am wrestling with what I heard. First a word about Ayurvedic medicine.

As mentioned above, Ayurveda or Ayurvedic medicine is traditional Indian medicine. Its roots go back thousands of years. Ayurveda does encompass surgery, in fact some of the earliest documented cataract, heart, and plastic surgery were done by an Ayurvedic physician in Varanasi. However, as practiced today, Ayurvedic focuses on the use of massage, medicine made form herbs, seeds, spices, and diet. There is an entire theoretical underpinning behind Ayurveda that is connected to Hindu thought and belief. But just as one does not have to believe the Hindu roots of yoga to benefit from its ability to improve flexibility and health, IF Ayurvedic treatment has value, it has value whether or not the theoretical underpinning is validated by science.

The question I am wrestling with is does the treatment have value? Dr Uppoor listened to my history; he reviewed the medical records from my treatment to date (remember he is an MD as well as Ayurvedic physician). After doing that, he said you do have an auto immune disease that is essentially rheumatoid arthritis. I know Ayurvedic treatment can cure you while all Western medicine can do is treat the symptoms. He didn’t want me to discontinue the medicine I am taking because in the short term the symptoms would get much worse again. He wanted me to come to his clinic in Goa for a 10 day course of treatment consisting primarily of massage and a specific controlled diet. However, it is best if someone go with me to assist me during the treatment. So, if I go, I will wait until Rae comes back.

In the meantime, I have trying to decide which dietary changes if any I should make. Based on Ayurvedic principles, Dr. Uppoor had a list of changes he thought I should make even if I don’t come to his clinic for a while. The problem is I have been researching the impact of diet on auto immune diseases and some of the things he is recommending are different from the current dietary recommendations in the US. There are certainly similarities but there are also pretty significant differences. If diet and/or Ayurvedic treatment can “cure” me or even significantly reduce my symptoms I am all for it. How to sort out what actually will help and what is irrelevant is hard to know.

What to do? What to do?

Namaste 

I'm doin' my yoga, And the world looks better standin' on my head

Today is Father’s Day in India as well as the US. If Father’s Day gets little attention in the US, at least compared to Mother’s Day, observance in India is essentially non-existent. In my case, my two fathers (Horace W Lundberg and Kenneth Whyte, Rae’s father) have passed on. I have been blessed in my life, in addition to these men to have others show me by example how to be a father. In this list I would include Jaron Norberg, Tomasue Abo, and my brothers in law. It is also a genuine pleasure to watch my son and sons in law grow into the role of father. They are doing a great job helping rear and guide our grandchildren. So, here’s to the fathers in my life. Thank you!

As noted, today is Father’s Day but did you know that it is also International Yoga Day? The United Nations has declared today, June 21^st to be Yoga Day. I am not sure how big a deal that is anywhere else in the world but here in India it is a freakin’ big deal. Well, actually, I guess it is officially a bigger deal than it is for the common man or woman.

It appears that every level of government has arranged some official recognition. The centrepiece was this morning at which 40,000 people assembled on the raj path (the official assembly grounds between India Gate and the Presidential Palace) to do a yoga session. It was designed to set a Guinness World’s Record. Prime Minister Modi addressed the throng, but didn’t participate. This despite the fact that he “practices yoga every day.” In that regard there have been articles published about the importance of people practicing in advance of official activities. There is great concern that it would not be seemly if people cannot do the asanas, or yoga positions, correctly. I guess it might become apparent that yoga is honored more in its breach than its actual observance.

There have been commercials touting Yoga Day and encouraging participation. Today alone I have received three texts on my phone encouraging me to do something to participate in some way. I guess not surprisingly, all of this attention has caused some backlash. Many Muslims are concerned about the pressure to participate in yoga activities. They correctly point out that yoga is not just exercise but is inextricably connected to Hindu theology. They are afraid that if they don’t participate, they will be viewed as not being patriotic. However, they are more afraid that if they do participate, they will violate the imperative to only worship Allah. So much for yoga being just a good form of healthy activity.

Namaste 

Yeah! Back to work again! Back to work for us! Joe...

The last two weeks the blog has focused on my health issues. It is not that I haven’t been working either at home or a few hours a day in the office, but it has not been the focus of my greatest attention. I am tired of thinking about my health issues. You are probably tired of reading about them. So, I will say I am seeing gradual progress and I am optimistic about the future. Having said that, I am not going to write about my health again unless there is a significant development.

So then, what will I write about? Today I think I’ll provide an update of the strategic changes that are going on at work. This is definitely a work in process and there is the occasional step back after a couple of steps forward. I will also say these changes have come through trying to reach consensus among the key players. I don’t think we have reached a true consensus, but we are close on some points. I used to work with someone who was fond of saying, “Here we stand with our feet firmly in the air.” That’s about where we are.

At the center of the uncertainty is the role of Modi Academic International Institute (MAII). Stratford University would like nothing better than for MAII to disappear. The joint venture organization has to exist but Stratford would like to have all public communication only include Stratford University. The Modi family has always been uncomfortable with that but it is only in the past few weeks that a compromise has emerged that seems to satisfy both partners.

In order to better tie all the Modi educational efforts together, MAII will be renamed as KK Modi International Institute (KKMII) in order to make it easier to co-brand/co advertise with KK Modi University, the name of the Indian University we are building in Chhattisgarh. This will not just be a name change. Although we will pursue becoming a proper Indian University ourselves, we will offer recognized Indian diplomas, advanced diplomas, and post graduate programs – roughly the equivalent of Associates, Bachelor’s, and Master’s degrees.  Students will be able to receive both our diplomas and Stratford University degrees with only some additional work.

This gives KKMII a legitimate reason for existence and for public communication. We are expanding that by articulating with other Universities than Stratford. There are many programs of interest that Stratford does not offer. Using the same KKMII structure we will offer joint programs in other disciplines and from other countries. In this way KKMII will become a vehicle for many jointly offered/articulated programs from across the globe. When combined with KK Modi University and the ability to thus also offer Indian degrees not just diplomas and there is a viable strategy.

Well, there are more initiatives I could cite but it may be that the details of what we are doing is a little too inside baseball for more than a couple of the blog’s readers. I just wanted to let you know there is life here and some interesting professional jujitsu to bring it all together.

Have a good week. I am going to.

  

Namaste

You wake up, you're older, your plans just got smaller….

Well, it’s been two weeks. I think I am ready to talk about the rest of the story. Since this is our personal record of this adventure as well a travelogue, Rae and I agreed we should include this. It won’t have much to do with India per se.

As I mentioned in the end of my last blog, on the last day of my hospital stay I met with a Rheumatologist, Dr. PD Rath. He, I think, was the best doctor with whom I interacted while in the hospital. He, first told me he was sure the immediate problem was not that the cyst was so big that it had blocked the leg. Rather he was sure it had ruptured and the fluid from the cyst had infiltrated the tissues of my leg. I quick ultrasound confirmed this diagnosis. This changed the direction of treatment and within a week the swelling was markedly reduced and progress on that front seemed to be going well. I was still taking pain killer every six hours or so but, as noted, the swelling was going down and it was getting easier to hobble around.

Then the other shoe, so to speak, dropped. In my last blontry, I admitted to not properly foreshadowing. Well, I foreshadowed the heck out of this one. Dr. Rath, actually told me blood tests revealed I had an auto immune disease. His analysis of my symptoms, and the MRIs of my back and leg and convinced him that I had spondyloarthropathy. As you know, auto immune are those in which the body’s natural defences against disease get misdirected and attack the body itself. My particular flavour attacks the spine (particular lower spine) and potentially all of the connective tissues in all of the joints, plus eyes and digestive track.

He said there was not currently a cure, but there were medications that can help with the symptoms. The problem is these drugs are hard on the liver and kidney. Unfortunately all of the medicine I had been on had been hard on my liver and kidneys, and he wanted me to be off all medications for a week before I started the new course of treatment.

OK, I thought, how hard can it be? By now I was feeling quite good: swelling was almost gone; mobility was quite good. It was frustrating to always (about 22 hours a day) have my right leg propped up at a 30-45% angle, but I couldn’t see that it would be too much of a trial. On the following Friday I would be on my new medications and on to full productivity.

Well, Tex, I sure missed on that estimate. I WAY (like completely) underestimated how much relief I was getting from the pain killers. Saturday was fine. In fact, it was the best day I had had in weeks. “Yeah baby! Just like I thought this is going to be a piece of cake.” Saturday night was bad and by Sunday, I felt like my body was under full attack. I was running a low grade fever that seemed to spike occasionally, every joint in my body (not really much of an exaggeration) hurt. My neck was so stiff and painful I couldn’t turn my head. My shoulders, particularly the surgically repaired one hurt and would experience shooting pain with use. My lower back, hips, knees, ankles, and feet all hurt. I could not roll over in bed. Getting in any given position was hard and painful; once in place moving only happened with great pain and effort. I could only stand with great difficulty and intense pain. Walking was an impossibility without a cane and even then I shuffled like a 90 year old man.

Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. Each day got worse and my physical world shrunk to essentially my bed and the bathroom, and then to just the bed and a pot. I was beginning to wonder how I would ever get back home. I might have to die, be cremated, and have my ashes sent home. I couldn’t imagine getting on a plane for 30 hours!

The darkest point was probably Monday night, although the seeds for improvement were already laid. A blessing Sunday gave me courage, peace, and hope. Monday afternoon I had the thought that I could have a couple of young men from the Branch stay the night and help me as needed. Monday night Siddharth one of the Priests from the ward stayed. Tuesday night Siddharth’s brother Deepak and Nitin Sony stayed. The presence of these young men helped me physically (such as helping stand) and emotionally. The anxiety of needing something and not being able to do or get it was removed. Still the pain was unceasing with only muscle rub to provide any release.

On Tuesday there was a real breakthrough. A friend called the doctor on my behalf and explained how bad the situation was. He convinced the doctor to call and talk with me. On the basis of that conversation he started me on a three medications: two painkillers/anti-inflammatory drugs and one to protect my GI track. He also moved my appointment from Friday to Wednesday.

Robinson went and got the prescriptions filled. I took them and within 30 minutes – relief. Beautiful, blessed relief. Wednesday, he added four more meds: one more anti-inflammatory and three to protect liver, kidneys, etc. Each day since has brought improvement and a milestone: Thursday was spending the whole day up and about. No resting. I was exhausted Thursday night but the pain was under control. Friday I went into the office. That was a mixed experience. My office was fine but the chairs in the meeting room were so uncomfortable it generated waives of pain. Saturday, brought a willingness to write about the past two weeks, and today I went to Church.

So far, every day the pain becomes more controlled, my ability to get about improves. It is not that there is no pain, but it is tolerable. I would say hope for the future is back, although what that future actually holds is unknown. I have turned the future over to God. I will do what I can step by step, day by day.  Beyond that, or where that leads, I can’t control.

I am grateful to so many people who have prayed for me; who come to visit me; who have thought about and worried about me; who have made calls and acted in my behalf. We talk a lot about our Church family. Over the past few weeks I have felt in a material way assistance and concern on both sides of the veil.

 Namaste

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