Interview December 1, 2006

My name is Sandeep KJ , and I live in Trissur, about 60 kilometers from the AIMS hospital. I am 19 years old, and live with my mother and sister. I am studying to be an automobile mechanic. My father died when I was six years old, from a heart problem. He was a street vendor. My mother is a household servant, and by working hard she is able to meet our daily needs.I feel a great debt to my mother. When she is old I feel that I will be able to repay this debt by taking care of her. There is no one else who will be able to take care of her.

I have had a constant headache from childhood, ever since I can remember. Then about three months ago, I began to have severe epilepsy, and the seizures became more and more frequent. It was very frightening. I went to a physician who lives nearby my house, and he recommended that I have a CT scan of my brain. I went to a hospital in Trissur, and they said the cost of the scan would be eight thousand rupees. This is a huge amount of money for my family, in fact we do not have any savings. My friends did not have enough to loan me the amount, even though they wanted to help me. I became very depressed and felt that I was meant to die.

Then one of my friends told me that he had heard about a hospital called AIMS. He said that I should go there because they accept poor patients who have no way to pay for their treatment. The hospital was founded by Amma. I had heard about Amma and that she has created many institutions to help the poor.

I came to AIMS, went through the patient admitting process and soon I was an inpatient, and was given a CT scan. The doctors said that I had a brain tumor. I was quickly scheduled for neurosurgery. Now I am in the recovery ward after surgery, scheduled to be released soon. I am free from severe headache pain for the first time in my life. I feel happy and full of hope. I have been lying here feeling so thankful to Amma. I can hear bhajans (devotional songs) coming from somewhere in the hallway sometimes and it makes me feel that I am close to Amma. I am wanting to meet Amma now. When I get out I will go to see her.

Now I will be able to be there to support my mother when she is old. I have been thinking of my father. I still remember him clearly, even though he died when I was six. I still feel him close to me. I wish that he could have come to some place like AIMS. He might still be alive.

My treatment came to over one lakh rupees ($2300 USD) and it was paid for completely by AIMS. I don't have any words to say how thankful I am to AIMS and to Amma for giving me back my life.

TR Sundeep, MRD # 512299

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