Overcoming Multiple Health Problems

by Mr Quek HH
Source: Breakthroughs - A Compilation of SSA Men Division Experiences

"No matter what happens in the course of our lives, we can be certain of ultimate victory because of the wondrous power of the Mystic Law to "change poison into medicine." Therefore, no matter how painful your situation might be right now, or how sick you might be, or how others might be bullying or tormenting you, you can win in the end. You can be a victor without fail. This is the heart of the Daishonin's Buddhism. It is the purpose of our Buddhist practice." - SGI President Ikeda 

Embracing a religion was never important to me in my adolescent years. As I could not relate to any form of religious practice, chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo was not the most natural thing for me to do. Even in bad times when ill health seemed to dominate my life, it had never occurred to me that chanting could help me in any way. I had supposed that medical treatment alone could put me on the road to recovery, but I was wrong. Fortunately, my wife later convinced me that Nichiren Buddhism could release me from the  shackles of poor health.

The history of my heart ailment went as far back as 1972 when I first enlisted for National Service. I constantly suffered severe chest pains, symptoms similar to that of a heart attack. Eventually, doctors diagnosed me with Congenital Bicuspid Aortic Valve, a congenital heart defect. While a normal person has three leaflets or cusps in the aortic valve, mine has only two. This led to another complication: enlargement of the artery (blood vessel) from the heart (aneurysmal dilation of aortic root). The normal size of this blood vessel is between 1.4mm and 1.8mm. Mine was 6.2mm and I had lived with this condition for more than 18 years. The aorta is the largest artery that carries blood from the heart to other parts of the body. I was told that very little could be done to improve this situation.

"Nam Myoho Renge Kyo is like the roar of a lion. What sickness can therefore be an obstacle?" - Reply to Kyo'o. Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, p 412. Gosho

Some time later, the same symptoms reappeared and I had to be hospitalized again. Through the years, I had been warded so many times it came to a point where the hospital was like a second home. By the time I got married in 1979, I had almost forgotten what it was like to be in good health.

I had often thought that obstacles were life's unusual ways of testing our strengths. But when a person is forced to contend with an endless stream of difficulties, life does not seem so benevolent to him anymore.

Three years later, in 1981, my life was dealt another blow when my kidneys began to malfunction. My urine was first stained with blood before finally turning black. This disorder kept me in hospital for several months. Even after my condition had stabilized somewhat, I had to watch what I ate and drank, as my urine would become heavily stained after a "wrong" meal.

In 1985, my wife first chanted "Nam Myoho Renge Kyo" on the advice of a colleague. Facing east, she would kneel down and chant for my good health everyday. I understood her good intentions and decided to keep mum about my skepticism in the practice. When my condition deteriorated, the senior cardiologist recommended open-heart surgery. By then, I was so tired of going in and out of the hospital that I actually welcomed the idea. In fact, I wanted desperately to get well and live like a normal person again. But knowing my wife had persisted in her chanting made me wonder if her chanting had worsened my condition. Venting my bottled up emotions, I lashed out at her and blamed her for the predicament I was in. My wife did not retaliate and continued to chant without my knowledge because there was only one week left before the operation.

Then, something unusual happened on the eve of the operation. Soon after I had completed all the necessary medical tests, the senior cardiologist and the heart surgeon came to tell me they had cancelled the operation and that I could go home. I was to return to the hospital the following week for another review. I was dumbfounded. Except for the fact that my pulse had improved a little, everything else was the same. I was bewildered. I was told to avoid stress of any form for as long as possible. Upon hearing this news, my wife was overjoyed as she saw this as a positive sign from the Gohonzon. She later disclosed to me that she had chanted very hard and was convinced it was the Mystic Law at work.

To be continued....