History of Ven. Thero's brief illness

Given below was the report on the condition of Ven Soma. Written by a Sri Lankan doctor practicing in Moscow with over 30 years experience on 06th Dec.2003. He traveled to Leningrad to check the condition of illness of Ven. Thero

Dr. Karu's report

06.Dec.2003, Petersburg

Report on Soma Thero

Rev. Soma Thero has been suffering from diabetes mellitus type 2 for the last 10 years. When he came here about 2 months ago, before landing in Moscow he felt chest pains. With those pains he managed to fly further to St. Petersburg spending another 3 hours and then only the ambulance was called and he was rushed to the hospital. In the cardiology clinic in St. Petersburg doctors could place a stentor in one of the coronary arteries and to recover blood flow where it was totally absent. Then his diabetic therapy was converted into insulin. Now the glucose levels are fluctuating between 3.9 - 6.0 m.mole/1 litre. After treating him in the hospital, for rehabilitation therapy Thero was sent to a sanatorium where pineso therapy moler observation of a cardiologist and other specialists was done. For this period Soma Thero has improved a lot. He can walk a distance of about 500 meters without feeling any pains in the chest. Today he looks very cheerful.

But as any diabetic patients he has got diabetic angiopathy. One of the coronary arteries has stenosis with 3 atheroseborotic plaques in its lumen, according to the angiographic data. So the doctors have a dilemma whether to place 3 stentors in those 3 foci or to perform a bypass surgery. A consilium is planned on 8th of Dec. (Monday) to make the right decision.

According to Soma Thero he is not sure in this condition whether he can fly or not because last time he got chest pains in the air. I agree with him on this point, as the diabetic patients may feel chest pains whenever they get into conditions with low oxygen levels. As he is in the hands of well-qualified cardio surgeons now, there is no point to be worried about.

Dr. Karunanayake

Courtesy: Mr. Lakshman Abeykoon (Astrology site)

Click Here to see the Photos said to be taken at the International University of Fundamental Studies (IUFS) .

Lankan Ambassador in Moscow says . . .

The Foreign Ministry in a statement over the sudden demise of Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thera said yesterday the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow had not been informed about the Thera's sudden illness when he was in Russia until a Sri Lankan resident in Australia informed the Embassy.

Quoting a report compiled by Lankan Ambassador in Moscow U. B. Wijekoon on the Thera's sudden demise in Russia, the Foreign Ministry states that the Thera arrived in Russia to receive a doctorate conferred on him by the International Parama Vignarta University in St. Petersburg for his book Buddhastupa.

According to the report Ven. Soma Thera had arrived in Moscow on October 11. He had taken the next flight to St. Petersburg even ignoring a chest pain he had undergone during the flight to Moscow.

On arrival at St. Petersburg he had been welcomed by Dr. Shanthi P. Jayasekera, a Sri Lankan residing in St. Petersburg and had admitted the Thera to No. 2 urban hospital in St. Petersburg after he came to know about his illness.

After undergoing treatment at the hospital for a few days and recovering from his illness, the Thera had been sent to Rejina health resort to obtain physiotherapy treatment prior to undergoing a bypass surgery.

After the Sri Lankan Embassy had been informed about the Thera's illness, the Ambassador had a discussion with the Thera. The Thera had spoken positively about the health resort and treatment he had received.

"The Thera had expressed his desire to undergo treatment at St. Petersburg though the Ambassador informed the Thera about the Sri Lankan community and Sri Lanka Embassy's desire to bring the Thera to Moscow and have medical treatment in Moscow," the Ambassador states.

Later, Rupasiri Perera, Chairman of the Buddhist Association in Moscow who had met Ven. Soma Thera on November 30 had also reported to the Ambassador that the Thera was under normal conditions. Ven. Soma Thera had been conferred the doctorate at the Rejina health resort on December 4.

Meanwhile, the final decision on the Thera's bypass surgery was due to be taken on December 8. The Thera had been admitted to the hospital again for a medical test.

Since he was a diabetes patient, doctors had been reluctant to have an immediate surgery. Amidst this the Thera had undergone a long heart pain on December 12 and had passed away around 8 a.m.

Although a panel of doctors made an effort to save the Thera's life it was futile and the Thera passed away, the Sri Lankan Ambassador states in his report.

The Sri Lanka Embassy in Moscow later made arrangements to send the remains to Sri Lanka, the report states.

Courtesy: Daily News

Here is the web site of Rev. Prof. Pushapakumara Shanthi Jayasekara (Who invited the Thero to Russia. He is the brother of the editor of "Janawijaya” foundation headed by the late Venerable Soma Thero)