B V Karanth fighting for his life

BANGALORE: Theatre stalwart B.V.Karanth -- who lit up the Kannada stage with performances, fascinating directionand mind-numbing melodies -- is in a highly critical state at a private nursinghome here on Wednesday.His doctor, G. Mohan of the Vinayaka Hospital, told that Karanth (74) isvery serious. ``His illness is at a terminal stage. We have told the familymembers that the prognosis is very poor as his blood pressure is at very lowlevels,'''' he explained.Karanth has been on a ventilator in the ICU fromTuesday evening. He was admitted a week ago, after his legs stiffened up and hewas unable to consume even the liquid diet prescribed for him.Karanth wasdiagonised to have prostate cancer and underwent a series of operations inMumbai two years ago. After completing all other methods of control, he tookchemotherapy early last month.``He was fine after that for nearly 12 days.In fact, when (cine-star) Rajkumar came to see him around July 20, he camedownstairs to talk to him,'''' Karanth''s wife Prema stated.But he sufferedfrom severe dehydration, while the food he ate lying down got into his lungs.The first few days at the hospital, the food was pumped out and Karanthrecovered.``His doctor told him he could go around the hospital in a wheelchair. But when we went downstairs, he insisted that he wanted to see sunshine.I was arranging the car, when he started shivering,'''' Prema said.From thenon, it has been downhill for Karanth. He was rushed to the ICU, put on aventilator, while steroids were given to counter the low BP.``The bloodpressure is so low now that we are not able to record it. His situation isfluctuating now,'''' Mohan stated.Theatre friends and personalitiesincluding former Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde rushed to Karanth''s bedside onWednesday. Karanth, with tubes in his mouth and nose, has so far been able tocommunicate only with his eyes.Money problemThe biggest problem forthe Karanths has been finances. Over the last few months, B.V. Karanth''streatment has cost nearly Rs 3 lakh. With Karanth himself not working and Prematoo busy looking after him, the situation is turning difficult.Theatrepersons raised over Rs 1.5 lakh for Karanth, but this has not been enough. Premawrote to the state government requesting payment for a male nurse to helpKarnath during chemotherapy. The reply came on Wednesday that the governmentwill pay Rs 1,000 for a male nurse, as against actual charges of Rs3,000.The government had paid Rs 1.5 lakh earlier towards Karanth''soperations in Mumbai. Prema said she hoped the state would come forward to helpbear the burden this time also.