Update on the Health Status of GBC Chair Bhakti Caitanya Swami

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Just a short update regarding my health situation.

First of all, thank you very much indeed for the messages of concern and support many of you have sent. They are all greatly appreciated.

To cut a long story short, on Wednesday morning the 6th a group of us went to a local park in Johannesburg for some exercise and japa, and I found I was extremely short of breath. We wanted to climb a small hill to sit and chant japa under a nice tree, but I had to stop three times because of breathlessness over maybe 75 meters, and finally almost blacked out.

So I was admitted to a hospital where a cardiologist did various tests and scans, and he concluded my heart was in relatively good condition for 70 years of age, and suggested there might be a blood clot in the lungs. A
pulmonologist then did tests and scans, and found evidence of a clot having been in my left lung recently. Then yesterday a specialized scan found three blood clots in the left leg. Just one of them could produce fatal results,
or at least a heart attack or stroke, if they went to the heart or brain.

So I’m currently on blood thinners, and will be for at least six months. I’m still in hospital, and hope to be released today or tomorrow. My whole system has been affected, but is stabilizing, step by step, and I hope to return to active service towards the end of next week or so. I don’t want to rush into taking too much stress, as it could easily agitate the system again, and have unpleasant results.

Again, thank you to those of you who prayed and sent messages of concern and support. It was very kind of you.

Hoping this meets you well.

Your servant,