Sri Vijay Bhaskar was 16 years old and was studying in the 10th Standard when he was operated at the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram, Puttaparthi. Now he is 47 years old. He talks about how he happened to be the first patient of the hospital, his interactions with Swami and the love and care of the hospital staff during his stay in the hospital.

My humble pranaams at the lotus feet of Swami. I think I am the most fortunate person to have been the first person to have been operated in Swami’s Super Speciality Hopital at Puttaparthi. Swami has given me a new life, He is my Pranadaata and I can never repay Him for what he had done for me.

It was in the first part of 1991, may be around May or June, I don’t quite remember correctly, that I was first diagnosed with a heart problem. None in our family knew about what was wrong with me.

I would have fainting spells, feel breathless and weak most of the time. We first went to a local doctor and he told us that something was wrong with my heart and asked me to get some scans done. We did the scans and the doctor told me that I had a hole in the heart and it was essential that I get operated for it. My peddananna then took me to Hyderabad. The doctors in a hospital there told me my situation was bad and I had to operated as early as possible. They told me they could not guarantee my life if I delayed, but then we got a shock when we were told that the total cost of the operation would come to Rs. 2 lakh.We could not do much so we just kept quite. The breathlessness and fainting spells continued.

Then one day, we call it Swami’s miracle that a person who lived opposite our house, his name was Mahananda Reddy, an ex-army person came to know of our plight. He was an ardent Sri Sathya Sai devotee. He told us that Swami was constructing a high-tech advanced hospital in Puttaparthi and told us that we should go there and find out whether I could be treated in the upcoming hospital.

It was sometime in the October last week and November 1st week that we went to the super-speciality hospital, it was still under construction and we were asked to go to the old hospital, the General Hospital in Puttaparthi.

We met one doctor called Bhagawan, I don’t remember his full name, he took one look at the reports and told me to get admitted immediately.

It was while staying here that I realised that I was going to be operated in the super-speciality hospital. But still had no clue that I might be the first person to be operated upon.

The doctors said that I was not healthy enough to undergo the surgery and that my body had to be made fit so I stayed for around 20 days in the hospital. Those 20 days will ever remain etched in my memory. The love of the hospital staff was unmatched.  

The nurses would come everyday and ask me what I would like to eat and took care of me like a mother does to her child.

Only a few days before the surgery was to happen Swami came to the General Hospital and spoke to me. He told me he was with me always and, therefore, I had nothing to worry about. He pinched my cheek. These memories will remain with me forever.

A few days after this I came to know that a meeting had happened and that I was chosen as the first patient.

Two days before surgery that is on 19th November I was shifted to the Super-speciality hospital and I was put up in the cardiac ward. Here also the nurses were so compassionate. They would take care of me in all ways.

On the day of the inauguration, which was also going to be the day of my operation, I was being readied for surgery when I saw Swami coming to me. The moment I saw Swami I tried to sit on my bed but was not able to and was falling back when Swami came and caught me from falling back on the bed. Imagine my delight that Bhagawan Himself had aiding me to sit up on the bed.

Swami came to me and asked me to lie down and He put a hand on my head and told me that everything will be all right. Right next to him was the then Prime Minister of India, Shri. P.V Narsimha Rao Garu. Swami accompanied me till the operation theatre and then He left.

Then they put a mask on my face and then I lost all consciousness. 

I woke up when I heard a doctor calling out my name. “Get up, get up,” he told me. Your operation is over and you are fine now. I saw there was a scar on my chest. I was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). After I woke up I was given pongal to eat. 

I was then shifted from the ICU to the ward.

I thought that it will be painful when they would remove the stitches. But on that day a doctor came and engaged me in some small talk. He asked me what I had for breakfast and what I had for lunch. As I was replying. He said, it is ok, your stitches have been removed. I was surprised and saw that indeed all my stiches had been removed.

While there, I think it was around a week later that Swami came to see me. It was a heavenly experience.

I got up from my bed and stated walking with Swami. While walking with Swami, He created vibhuti with a wave of His hand and then put the vibhuti in my hand and also pinched my cheek with the same hand, which left a mark of vibhuti on my cheek. Somebody had clicked picture exactly at that moment and that picture remains my priced possession till now. In the picture you can see clearly the vibhuti mark on my cheek. (Photo at the the top of the story)

There were around seven more patients who had got operated around the same time as me. Some of them got operated the same day and some of them the next day. I must say that the love and compassion that was showered on all the patients was simply overwhelming.

There are two incidents, which I just cannot forget.

The hospital food made keeping in mind our health and was most of the time bland. One day when the head nurse wanted to know what I would like to eat. I told her chinnakaya pacchadi. The head nurse was not an Andhrite so she called a nurse who could speak Telugu and asked her to translate the dish to her. She was then told that I wanted groundnut chutney. And it was present in my next meal. A nurse then told me that the head nurse had ground the peanuts with her own hands using a pastel. It was extremely moving.

One day while having food, I found that the food was a not to my liking and I wanted to spit it out. A nurse realised my problem, and asked me to spit the food into her hand. I did as she directed and then she put it in a bin. I could never imagine anybody would be treated so nicely. The love I got there was more than my mother’s, I have to admit that. All the patients there were showered with the same love.

After I was fit to go, the doctors told me that I could go home and eat whatever I liked, but added that I should not lift heavy loads till the time I was completely normal, they also asked me to not to eat ice-creams for around six months.

When I was about to be discharged, a desire arose in my mind that I should have Swami’s Darshan before I went back home. Then arrangements were made for special Darshan with Swami. I remember after bhajans I was ushered into the bhajan hall and Swami gave me pada namaskaram and blessed me.

My family was very happy that I was back to normal and could lead a normal life.  I started playing cricket after a week, which used to bother my mother a lot. She would remind me of what the doctors had told me and bring me back home and make me take some rest.

Before my surgery my chest would be curved and my friends would make fun of me and call me names, after the surgery that bulge also went. I started enjoying having food and you can see now, how fat I have grown (smiles). I am married now and have two daughters.

I consider myself extremely fortunate. I have received so much of love and care and for that I will be ever indebted to Swami.  Like me so many persons have got pranadaan at Swami’s hospital, there was no body else who could have taken care of them. Who could do it if not Swami. Swami is God.

Now almost 31 years have passed since my surgery and now Swami is not there physically with us, but I feel that he is always with me taking care of me and guiding me at every moment.

Jai Sai Ram