On 7 July 1998, Dr Moses and Dr Schwarz performed an angiography on Swamishri at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. They walked out of the cath lab with a grim face and explained the complexity of the situation.
Explaining the results of the angiography the physicians suggested that Swamishri have immediate bypass surgery. Swamishri listened to them attentively and agreed, “Whatever God wishes.”
Swamishri was turning the mala and then went soundly to sleep for two hours, as preparations were made for the operation. How can one sleep so soundly in such critical situations? Only Swamishri, who places everything on the shoulders of God, can.
In the weeks following the bypass surgery, Swamishri was recovering at Dr Mahendrabhai Patel’s house in Westchester. Swamishri was suffering from aching pain in his shoulder and upper back. One day, when he was lying on the bed, Dr Kiranbhai Doshi and Yogicharan Swami noticed that Swamishri was in pain. Dr Kiranbhai broke the silence.
“Is that paining you?”
“Yes, it been hurting for some time now.” An immediate decision was made to start physiotherapy for this. So, a physiotherapist came to examine Swamishri’s shoulder.
“Swamiji, my name is John. I am going to press on your shoulder. I will start off gently and then apply more pressure. Tell me to stop when you can’t bear the pain. ”
Swamishri nodded in approval. John started to press on Swamishri’s shoulder. Swami was silent. At one point, John’s thumb was hurting him from the force of pressing down, but Swamishri remained silent.
John was startled by Swamishri’s endurance of pain. He didn’t remember ever having a patient like this before.