“It is not treatment at SSSIHMS; it is a Treat!”
A problem that started 15 years back when Jisha was pregnant, in Kerala, was resolved at SSSIHMS in 2011. She has made it her objective to do her bit of service by sending the poor and needy to this temple of healing.
Jisha was five months pregnant with her first child – a daughter – 15 years back when she suddenly developed acute breathlessness. Since she was pregnant too, she was rushed to a nearby hospital, and after thorough investigationsthe doctor informed her that she had a heart ailment. She was put on medication till delivery.
After the delivery much to her relief she did not have any discomfort or breathlessness and was able to do her usual household chores normally and also take care of the baby.Thinking she was fine and thanking God for giving her health back she discontinued her medicines. She was living thus when she became pregnant again. It was then that she again started feeling the same symptoms of discomfort and breathlessness.Soon she was unable to do any work without getting tired.She visited the doctor again, who prescribed medicines the first time for her,and consulted him about her recurring condition. He prescribed a set of medicines and advised that she continue her medicines even after delivery.She took the medicines and felt relieved, and soon delivered her second child without any complications.She felt happy and thought she was normal again, and discontinued the medicines yet again.
Five years back she developed severe cough and breathlessness, and had to be rushed to the nearest hospital where she was admitted in the ICU, and was under observation for 48 hours.The hospital had only basic facilities, and none of the state of the art diagnostic or treatment equipment. So, after she was stabilized,she was rushed to a leading tertiary care hospital in Ernakulam for further treatment.There she was examined clinically and, after a battery of tests to assess cardiac functions, was advised to undergo an operation known as ‘balloon valvuloplasty’ (PTMC). Though she was admitted for a week,she was put on medicines for a month and asked to come back after a month since they had their waitlisted patients to complete before they could take her case up. They were also informed that the surgery and hospital stay would cost a few lakhs.
Meanwhile a friend known to her brother advised the family to go to Sri Sathya Sai Hospital in Bengaluru, where they can avail free treatment. She was unable to believe what she heard. She at once decided to travel to Bangalore and visit SSSIHMS. This was in 2011. After all the necessary investigations were carried out she was told that she has to undergo a balloon valvuloplasty or what was medically known as Percutaneous Transluminal Mitral Commissurotomy (PTMC).The patient was immediately admitted and the following day she was operated upon.Her post-operative stay in the hospital was uneventful and she was discharged.
Looking back she says the delay in performing the procedure at the Ernakulam hospital seemed a divine design. “It was a blessing in disguise, or else I would have ended up paying a few lakhs of rupees, which we would have had to borrow or find through other means,” she says.
The family of four has no words to express their gratitude to everyone at SSSIHMS for the excellent service done to one and all who come here without any difference of caste or creed.She says she will do her bit of Seva by spreading the good word around to the poor and needy, to come and avail of the opportunity to get treated at SSSIHMS.
As she puts it: “It’s not treatment at SSSIHMS but a treat…”
(As told to and written by Mrs. Sheela Sai Prasaad)
Note to the reader:
Rheumatic heart disease is one of the common problems that afflict the poor in the society and women are especially vulnerable. One of the organs that would be affected would be heart.
