Zabri (Name changed on request), 55, was enjoying his life in Harare, Zimbabwe until 2015 when he seemed to be aging overnight. He started to have difficulty in walking, was prone to falling, became forgetful, and was easily confused. His decline was rapid over a period of six months. He came to rely on a walker and then a wheelchair. This once independent father and elder sibling could no longer take care of himself.
"He was only in his mid-fifties, but it seemed like I was talking to an 80-year-old man," said Madi, 44, a computer network administrator who cut his work schedule and moved in to take care of his elder brother. After a continuous battle with this faceless sickness, Madi feared the worst, ‘what if I didn't find out what was causing all the medical problems.
All he knew was that it was more than just old age catching up with him. Madi took Zabri to South Africa and visited doctor after doctor -- six in a one-year period. Still, five of the doctors could offer no answers or treatments other than attribute it to her age. The sixth doctor, however, a neurologist in Cape Town, recognized his symptoms as normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), an excess build-up of fluid in the brain that affects more than 500,000 people around the world.
The condition can be mistaken for old age, but is also misidentified as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease because the symptoms are so similar. An MRI and other tests confirmed the diagnosis and suggested he would respond to the standard treatment -- shunt surgery. In the procedure, a shunt, a thin, tube-like device, is implanted underneath the scalp where it drains excess fluid from the head to the abdomen where it is absorbed safely into the bloodstream. After implantation, the shunt settings may need to be adjusted periodically because removing too much or too little fluid can be problematic.
Unfortunately for Zabri, the procedure didn’t go off as expected. Three weeks post surgery there were still evident symptoms that remained. Although Zabri was relieved of the consistent pain, he was still stuck to a wheelchair, something that the family was eagerly hoping they would have relinquished by now. Not willing to take any further chances, Madi decided to search elsewhere. He took the help of the internet to find a solution for his brother. This is where he came upon Vaidam.com. “We were desperately looking for options at this time. The Vaidam Health Consultant asked us to send our reports, but after going through so many doctors we had our doubts”, said Madi.
Upon receiving their test reports, the health representative provided Zabri and his family with multiple options for getting the Stent Surgery. “After looking at the options available to us, we decided to go with Max Hospital in Gurgaon. Their online reviews looked very impressive”. The health representative made the necessary appointments with Senior Neurologist Dr Arun Saroha. In the meantime, their Vaidam Case Manager also made the necessary travel arrangements including the Visa documentation.
Zabri, Madi and their sister Laura were all set to arrive in New Delhi on the 4th of May, 2018. Upon arrival they were picked up from the airport by a Vaidam Health Rep and taken to the Park Residency in Gurgaon. Their case manager had recommended this hotel because of the proximity to Max Hospital and the ease of travel to and fro, for Zabri.
After multiple tests, Dr Arun Saroha decided to go ahead with the surgery on the 10th May. Owing to Zabri’s fragile state, the doctor decided to have the Programmable Shunt implanted, which would allow them to painlessly and quickly adjust the settings using a magnetic device held over scalp where the shunt was placed. In the past, changing a shunt setting required additional surgery.
Shortly after surgery, Zabri was thinking more clearly and walking on his own. He gradually made his way out of the wheelchair. "I have my life back," he said. Currently undergoing therapy, Zabri is making significant improvements in overcoming his challenges to impeding mobility. “I'm fortunate to have a family who didn't give up on me and helped me get the right diagnosis and treatment. I would also like to thank Vaidam for helping us when difficult decisions couldn’t be made.”
Send Enquiry