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(10 floors) became my primary mode of
exercise… I remember climbing them three
to four times a day.
We had repeated meetings with the
physicians and surgeons, explaining the
finer points of the procedure— the time it
would take, details like the percentage of
liver resected, the recovery time.
Then, of course, is the other part… all
the legal formalities. There was a lot of
paperwork to be done, permissions, consent My surgery lasted around 12 hours (Representative
from the families of the donor and recipient, photograph)
recorded on video. Our family members I regained consciousness when they
were on their toes, trying to, and finally wheeled me out of the operation theatre, to
succeeding, in getting all the paperwork in see my family and close friends all there. I
order. was told, later, that they all had been there
After the grueling two weeks, we repeated all through the surgery.
an MRI to check the LAI (liver attenuation The first night post-surgery was painful
index), one of the parameters to check fatty and had me asking for a painkiller almost
infiltration of the liver, and it was found to every two hours. It became more tolerable
be within normal limits (6). over the next two days. I also had to
By this time, Papa was medically critical, undergo physiotherapy, practise breathing
the pleural effusion requiring tapping exercises, and try walking with a straight
almost daily. His liver function tests back, which was most difficult.
(bilirubin, SGOT/PT,) were all very high. A What made it all worthwhile was seeing
reversed Albumin: Globulin ratio meant he my father, in the opposite room, getting
had oedema in the limbs too. Therefore, the back to his old self… able to consume food
transplant team and physicians decided to without any salt restrictions, no limit to the
go ahead with the surgery immediately. fluids he could take.
I was asked to be NBM (nil by mouth or I got a discharge after eight days. It took
fasting) for 12 hours pre-surgery. Though almost a month to recover… walk properly,
apprehensive, I managed a few hours of breathe without a catch, and eat more than
sleep, before the nurse came to prep me for a few mouthfuls. My father’s recovery
the surgery at 4 am in the morning… it was was quicker, as they say it is always the
a Sunday. I was wheeled in for surgery at case. But we all attended a close relative’s
about six in the morning. wedding at the end of two months post-
I was required to take an epidural surgery.
anesthesia, as well as a general. We had follow up appointments with
The surgery lasted around 12 hours. They the doctors every month. The livers, both
transplanted about 60 % of my liver, as of them, grew to almost their normal size
was explained to us earlier. My gall bladder within three months.
was also resected, as it was anatomically in It’s now almost seven years… my father is
the way of the incision. practising just as before. And so am I.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #27 | SEPTEMBER 2021 29
