Going under the knife!!!!

Once Pushpa Bopaiah told us about Dr. Sharan, we read up all about him. He was writing a column in Times of India, and that is how I was familiar with his name and we decided to take an appointment with him and see how it would go.


http://www.deepaksharan.com/

http://www.recoup.in/

We met Dr. Sharan and he examined Yatish and went about quietly taking his pictures. He is a man of few words and goes about his work with a no nonsense attitude. Even to ask him an extra question seems like an intrusion in his work. So here I was, sitting in front of the doctor all confused and anxious in anticipation of what he would say and he was all cool and composed, calmly jotting down Yatish’s condition. He said that there was a contracture in his hip and we had to take an X-ray to confirm this. He also noted down the areas where surgery would be needed to release the spasticity. Once the X-ray results were out, it confirmed his diagnosis. Spasticity involving the hip muscles, mostly in the groin, can cause the hips to gradually come out of their sockets. This can be a painless process, but can result in a severe deformity of the entire hip joint and eventually cause a great deal of pain.



Before the whole thing could sink in, we had already decided on the surgery dates. Many a times, in these kinds of situations, we have to make decisions without really knowing the final outcome. Whatever improvement it brings and if it means a step forward, it is good enough. This is the only mindset you can have, especially when dealing with a disability like Yatish’s.

Within a month of meeting Dr.Sharan, we were in the hospital, waiting for Yatish’s turn for surgery. He was to undergo a surgery called SEMLARASS (Single Event Multi-level Lever Arm Restoration and Anti Spasticity Surgery). Two types of surgeries were to be performed on him, one was the soft tissue surgery to release his spasticity and the other was the osteotomy to correct the bone deformity which was developing in his hips.

http://www.recoup.in/jcms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=109&Itemid=226

I had no experience to fall back on as nobody among my near and dear ones had undergone any major surgeries. It was quite unnerving and at the same time, there was hope and anticipation that, the surgery might help him, to get some motor control.

We were advised not to feed Yatish since midnight as the surgery was scheduled next morning and he was to be administered anaesthesia. The pre- surgery, surgery and post surgery lasted for about 4 hours and perhaps it was the longest 4 hours of my life. Once he was out of the OT, both his legs and his hand were covered in plaster. He almost weighed 30 kilos.

His legs and hands were to be plastered for 6 weeks and those 6 weeks tested me both mentally and physically to my limits. It was physically exhausting and emotionally draining experience. I had to find ways to work around his plastered body and also keep his spirits up, because for 6 weeks he had to sleep in one place and in one position and also bear the pain.

God! No child should ever undergo any kind of surgery! It is just not fair!!!

PS: Sorry I had to remove the previous surgery picture, because it seemed quite graphic...