Today, the morning sun over the city seems to glow with a gentle, new clarity, as if quietly celebrating the very breath I once feared would be my last.
Sitting here in Dhaka this dawn, looking out at a world I once thought I would have to leave behind, I am completely overwhelmed by a feeling I went years without experiencing: profound, quiet gratitude. Today, April 29, 2026, is not my birthday. But in every way that truly matters, it is the first anniversary of my rebirth and a true success story of complex spinal surgery.
Success Story of Complex Spinal Surgery
If you had seen me during the darkest stretch between 2024 and early 2025, you would not recognize the man writing these words. I was entirely consumed by an agony that language can barely capture. The relentless, burning fire of severe backpain and diabetic neuropathy was already a heavy cross to bear, but the true nightmare took hold when previous surgeries failed.
Instead of the healing I desperately sought, my body became a terrifying prison. I was left with a catastrophic, life-threatening spinal infection, and the very architecture of my spine had been shattered by the interventions meant to fix it. It is worth noting that CSF leakage was observed after the second surgery. But the surgeon, Dr. Anurag Gupta, hid that information from me and my relatives.
The pain stripped me of my mobility, my independence, and my spirit. I watched my world violently shrink. The drive I used to pour into building Editorialge was gone. Worse still was looking at Mitali and our children, feeling the suffocating terror of what lay ahead for them if I lost this battle. I was physically broken, mentally standing at the edge of the abyss, and quite honestly, just waiting for the end. All hope seemed thoroughly, irrevocably lost.
Guided by Grace, Led by Dr. Neeraj Gupta
But in that darkest hour, the Almighty guided my path across borders to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC) in New Delhi and into the care of Dr. Neeraj Gupta.
From our very first encounter, the atmosphere shifted. Dr. Gupta didn’t just look at my ruined X-rays or MRI films and treat me as another complex, deteriorating case. He looked directly at me. He saw Sukanta. He saw a father, a husband, a brother to Aushnik and Chandan, and a human being who was fighting with his absolute last ounce of strength for a second chance to live.
April 29, 2025, is a date etched into my soul. Dr. Gupta led a courageous, fiercely dedicated medical board into the surgical theater for what can only be described as a high-risk rescue mission. It was my third spinal surgery, and the stakes were absolute. They had to navigate a treacherous minefield of damage left by others, meticulously clear out the deep-seated infection, and pull me back from the brink. By the sheer grace of God and the masterful hands of that medical team, I didn’t just survive. I was resurrected.
When I opened my eyes after that surgery, I knew a miracle had taken place. But surviving the operating room was only the first breath of this new life.
If you had told me a year ago that I would be experiencing this measure of peace today, I would have wept in disbelief. Let me be clear: Recovering from Diabetic Lumbosacral Radiculoplexus Neuropathy (DLRPN) is never an overnight miracle. Also known as diabetic amyotrophy, this condition demands a long, exhausting journey of healing. It is a grueling, daily war. Healing means my nerves do not always cooperate, and the road back is paved with sweat, tears, and iron willpower.
The Discipline of Survival, The Grace of Recovery
My routine today is anchored in relentless survival and discipline. I fight for my normal life every single morning. I endure intense, regular physiotherapy, force my body through more than 20 specific physical exercises daily, and strictly manage a heavy regimen of medications just to keep moving forward. There are still days when the exhaustion is heavy and the neuropathy flares up, demanding to be felt. But the suffocating despair of the past is gone. My body still remembers the trauma, but my spirit is infinitely stronger than the pain.
I am slowly reclaiming my space in the world. I am returning to the helm of my passions at work, and most importantly, I am embracing the beautiful, ordinary miracles I will never take for granted again—sitting down for a meal with my family, feeling the morning sun, and simply taking a breath without the heavy shadow of impending death.
Dr. Neeraj Gupta viewed the procedure as one of the most complex spine surgeries he had undertaken in recent times. He described the situation as highly critical and life-threatening, primarily because it was the third revision surgery fraught with severe risks, including meningitis and the potential for rapid clinical deterioration. To navigate these immense challenges, he emphasized that the operation demanded extreme precision, meticulous decision-making at every stage, and sustained monitoring to ensure a successful outcome.
Surviving the surgery, however, marked only the beginning of an arduous recovery. My nervous system had sustained immense trauma, leading to a diagnosis of Diabetic Lumbar Radiculoplexus Neuropathy (DLRPN). I was left completely paralyzed in my legs and enduring excruciating, relentless pain.
During this critical phase, I was placed under the care of the esteemed neurologist Dr. Mukul Varma at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. He became a crucial guide through the darkest days of my paralysis. Under his meticulous medical management and unwavering encouragement, I transitioned from complete immobility to walking independently once more. I am equally grateful to Dr. Seema Grover, a renowned physiotherapist at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, whose dedicated rehabilitation efforts were instrumental in restoring my strength.
Furthermore, I owe a profound debt of gratitude to Dr. Saurabh Kapoor, Senior Consultant and Minimally Invasive Spine Surgeon at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. Navigating the complex and often uncertain landscape of my medical condition was daunting, but his comprehensive guidance, clinical wisdom, and profound expertise provided the clarity I desperately needed. He acted as a true compass, illuminating the path toward a recovery that had once seemed entirely out of reach.
Held by Faith, Healed by Humanity
As I celebrate this milestone, I pour out my absolute, humble gratitude to Almighty God and my late parents. The grace of the Almighty and their blessings sustained me when I had absolutely nothing left to give. And then, there are not enough words in any language to express my gratitude to Dr. Neeraj Gupta Sir. To me, he is the second god of my life. To Dr. Gupta and his extraordinary team at ISIC: Thank you for stepping into the absolute worst chapter of my life and refusing to let it be my last. You fought the darkness alongside me, and I owe you my future. And to my family, who held the line right beside me through the absolute worst of it, carrying me until I could stand on my own again, my lifelong gratitude and profound respect will remain with you always.
To anyone reading this who feels trapped in their own cycle of medical despair, pain, and frustration: Please, do not give up. The night truly is darkest just before dawn. Keep fighting, keep seeking the right hands to heal you, and believe with everything you have that a second chance is possible.
I am still fighting. I am still healing. But today, I am alive, and for the first time in a very long time, my heart is full of joy.
This pulse of life is more than recovery; it is Sukanta Kundu’s rebirth. Out of the silence of suffering, a new song has begun, proving that even the most broken spirit can rise again.
