-spinal problem corrected for $3.5M
By Zoisa Fraser
After nearly four years of being unable to walk, Essequibo resident, 66-year-old Mohammed Khan now has a bright ray of hope following a successful surgery in India last month.
While it is still a bit too early to confidently say that he will be able to use his legs fully, there is some amount of mobility in his legs. Three days after the surgery, during a physiotherapy session, Khan was able to stand on both legs with the aid of a walker for about 30 minutes. This is something that he never thought he would be able to do again.
Since his return to his Cotton Field home, Khan is now able to move the muscles in his foot with ease and without pain. Though he is still confined to a wheelchair, he can now move from it to his bed and even look after himself in the bathroom on his own.
On July 20, 2004 while on his way to visit a seed plot at Devonshire Castle, a dog ventured into the path of the motorcycle he was riding and in taking evasive action he fell and sustained serious back injuries.
Khan who at the time was employed at the Rice Producers Association (RPA) was diagnosed with an injury to the T-8 vertebra of his spine and was paralyzed from the waist down.
After years of running around and lots of promises he was finally granted his heart’s desire in January to have that important surgery to ensure that he had a clear shot at walking again.
Speaking to Stabroek News recently via telephone, an excited Khan said that during the surgery which was done at the Ruby Hall Clinic, his spine was fixed and a piece of bone had to be removed. He explained that the bone was contributing greatly to his ailment as it was pressing against the spinal cord.
According to Khan he was hospitalized for fifteen days and the doctors have given him six months to fully recuperate.
The cost of accommodation for himself and wife, physiotherapy, the surgery, meals and medication amounted to approximately $3.5M. The return trip to India for himself and wife cost US$8,000.
Khan told this newspaper that during his first physiotherapy session, three days after the surgery, he managed to stand on his legs, a positive step for him.
For the remainder of his stay, different types of equipment and other forms of physiotherapy were used to exercise the muscles in his legs.
He said that his physiotherapy has not stopped as he is currently doing private sessions at his home.
“Since the surgery I have had great relief. I can move my legs and there is no pain in my body. I can now sleep on my belly. Before I had to sleep on my side all the time.” he said, adding that he can go on and come off his wheelchair unaided.
With relief in his voice, Khan said that he can even take a shower by himself as he can stand on his legs comfortably for about half an hour.
“I am confident that I will be able to walk again because of the improvements that I have seen so far. The doctors, who are all very young people even told me that I have a 100% chance of walking again but they said that I should not do any strenuous exercise but rather allow my body to heal internally at its own pace”, he added.
Khan said that he is excited about the prospect of walking again stressing that he has been confined to a wheelchair for nearly four years. He said that following the surgery he has also found that he can sit up for longer periods and relax without a hassle.
Speaking about his time in India, Khan said that he was given the highest quality of medical care he has ever received and feels lucky to have benefited from advanced technology.
He thanked Bibi Seeraj from the Ministry of Health, Fazeel Ferouz from the CIOG, the members of the New York, Lima/Coffee Grove, North American Association, Dr. Narine out of New York and Tony Yassin from the Guyana Medical Watch team for all the help and support they have given him to ensure that the surgery was done.
Also coming in for high praise were Khan’s two sons who sacrificed a lot by contributing the greater part of the surgery expenses and the RPA for sponsoring the plane tickets. Khan said that those persons along with several others have now given him a second chance at walking again.
This newspaper first highlighted Khan’s case last June. On that occasion the man had voiced his frustrations over the many broken promises that were being made.
Shortly after his condition was highlighted, with the assistance of the CIOG, Khan’s MRI scan done in 2005 and his medical reports were sent to India for evaluation.
