Liver, kidney recipient’s kin all praise for PGI docs, donor

Mohit Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 17

The family of 46-year- old man from Pharala village near Phagwara, Naresh Kumar Bitti, who got a new lease of life following a first-ever simultaneous liver and kidney transplant, is full of gratitude for doctors at the PGI, Chandigarh.

The patient, who is currently admitted to Nehru Hospital, is on the road to recovery and by all probabilities, he would be discharged next week. His wife Usha Rani, while sitting on a bench outside his room, prayed and thanked the family from Bihar, who made the supreme sacrifice and donated organs of their young daughter, who was declared brain dead on February 2.

She still shivers recollecting the days when she, along with her two sons, was running from the pillar to post for the treatment of her husband. “The hospital had become a second home to us. I, along with my children, used to sleep on the road outside the PGI,” said Usha Rani.

Naresh, a cable operator, had undergone a bypass surgery two years ago. He was suffering from hepatitis C for a year, leading to liver sorosis.

While his family was planning for a liver transplant, another tragedy struck. The regular pathology tests showed the creatinine level at 10 points.

“We rushed him to a nephrologist who stated that he was suffering from renal failure. We were visiting Jalandhar twice a week for dialysis. I feared losing him,” said Usha Rani.

In the meantime, Usha’s son Sahil got in touch with a private hospital in Ludhiana who told them that they would charge Rs 60 lakh for both kidney and liver transplants. “We were devastated. Even if we had sold our business and property, we could not have arranged that much money,” said Sahil, Naresh’s son. Both transplants at the PGI had cost them Rs 14 lakh.

Arsh, the youngest son of Naresh, shared the plight with a gym instructor of his village. “He suggested us to visit the PGI and look for a transplant. He also told us not be discouraged by the rush at the institute,” said Sahil.

“We faced troubles but never lost hope. Eventually, Prof Arunanshu Behera and the nephrology department came to our rescue. The PGI authorities enrolled him in the list of patient looking for cadaver transplant,” said Usha.

Now it was the race against time. On February 2, while the family was returning from Jalandhar after the dialysis, they received a call from the PGI that a donor was available and both surgeries would be conducted simultaneously.

But there was a hiccup. Since, Naresh had undergone a bypass surgery two years ago, the family was asked to go for cardiology clearance. “We ran from one block to another but managed to get the clearances,” said Usha Rani.