A Gift of Life!

Madhu is in the 5^th year of her new life. She had alsmost reached her end because of her failing liver, when on 14^th February 2004, a new liver arrived in Lucknow almost by miracle.

She had been a healthy homemaker and mother till 1994 when she had an attack of jaundice. Unlike the common ones that pass away on their own, this episode, was persistent. One doctor after another and with one herbal tonic to be replaced by another, she finally reached the SGPGI. Tests revealed that her chronic liver ailment was not due to the common infective viruses B or C but due to a rare condition called autoimmune hepatitis, a condition in which the body’s defending cells and immune system start attacking its own organs, in her case, her liver.

Autoimmune hepatitis is somewhat rare: it accounts for 2% of all prolonged cases of hepatitis or liver cirrhosis. It affects women 5 times more often than men, and needs awareness for timely diagnosis. If detected on time, the disease can be controlled with immunosuppressants like corticosteroids.

Madhu had reached us somewhat late and a portion of her liver had already permanently damaged. She was however treated with immunosppressants to preserve the viable portion of her liver. She had her ups and downs, but remnained largely well for almost 8 years. By 2002, her liver had become weak; she had water in her abdomen, swelling of her feet and side effects of the medicines as well. It became obvious that only a liver transplantation could get her back to life and health at that stage.

Her husband, a bank emplyee, tried all he could; he consulted various liver transplant centers in India, offered to donate a part of his own liver and took large loans to provide for the increasing costs of her treatment. Unfortunately he was found to have fatty liver that was unsuiatble for donation, and his abdomen was closed. With that almost all hope diasappeared, as there were no suiatable relative in Madhu’s home who could donate her a part of his liver.

On 13^th March 2004, a man who was on a ventilator in one of the hospitals in Delhi following an accident, was pronounced brain-dead. Under such trying circumstances, his relatives gallantly agreed to his liver being extracted for donation to a needy person. Dr Peush Sahni from AIIMS extracted the liver,  and flew into Lucknow on 14^th morning. Madhu was taken into the operation theatre and Dr Rajan Saxena and Dr Peush transplanted the new liver into Madhu.  That indeed was destiny! The relatives of the donor were magnanimous enough not to seek publicity for saving someone else’s life, and requested anonymity.

Madhu continues to be well 5 years on. Her daughter got married this year.  Madhu and her husband, and 5 more such heroes from Lucknow who have been through liver transplantation, have offered to provide counselling to patients and their relatives facing similar challenges, a service which we plan to provide through the Liver Foundation of UP that kicks off on 19^th of this month.

As published in HT City ( Hindustan Times)