India News | Delhi's First Hand Transplant Patient 'can't Wait to Begin Second Chance in Life'
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. Raj Kumar, who had lost his upper limbs in a train accident in 2020, had never heard of a hand transplant. But two years later, he is the first patient in Delhi to have undergone a bilateral hand transplant and witness the "miracle" first-hand.
New Delhi, Mar 6 (PTI) Raj Kumar, who had lost his upper limbs in a train accident in 2020, had never heard of a hand transplant. But two years later, he is the first patient in Delhi to have undergone a bilateral hand transplant and witness the "miracle" first-hand.
Before undergoing the surgery, Kumar was told that it was being done for the first time in the national capital and the risks involved were explained to him.
But the motivation to resume a normal life kept him going.
"I did not want to be dependent on anyone. I knew that it would be a huge risk but I wanted to live a normal life again," he told PTI over phone.
As he inches towards recovery – his nails have started growing, he has started moving his elbow, with a few months still remaining before he can feel sensation or move his wrists – Kumar said the doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital are no less than God for him.
"I had only heard that doctors are the second face of God but now I have actually experienced it. After losing my hands in the 2020 accident, I had lost all hope but I have got a second shot at life and I cannot wait to enter this second phase," Kumar said.
Kumar worked as a painter and was the sole breadwinner of his family when he lost his hand in an accident. "I have two children -- a son and daughter and my wife. I was going somewhere for some work and I had to cross the railway line on my bicycle.
"I was limping due to a leg injury. I slipped on the tracks and my bicycle got stuck. I was trying to pull my bicycle with my hands when I was run over," he recalled.
He was initially sent to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital and was then shifted to Safdarjung Hospital. He was discharged from hospital after a month but nobody mentioned the possibility of a bilateral hand transplant, Kumar said.
"During this period I was unable to work and my son stepped up to take the family responsibilities. He works in a firm in Gurugram and was shouldering the family responsibilities while my wife was an able support during the difficult time when I had lost hope," he said.
In a change of fortunes, he was informed last year that he would be undergoing a bilateral hand transplant and that a donor was identified for it.
"I am thankful to everyone, from the donor and to their entire family. I am grateful to the entire hospital staff and doctors because I got a second chance in life. I never thought that a miracle like this would happen," he said.
According to a doctor who treated him, the patient will be on immunosuppressants throughout his life.
"His immunity is slightly low. So he has to take care that he does not catch any infection. He will be on anti-rejection medication for a lifetime now, which also includes immunosuppression medication given for liver or kidney transplants. It happened for the first time and we are very happy now," the doctor told PTI.
The doctor said the patient's nails were trimmed on Wednesday.
"Sensation is returning, but it takes some time for the nerves to reconnect. He has started moving his elbow but moving his hand and wrists will take some time.
"He will also take some time, at least six to seven months to start experiencing sensations like pain, heat, etc. He will have to take precautions to not touch anything that is too hot or too cold," he added.
The doctor stressed that Kumar will have to ensure that he remains clean and wears a mask.
As for the surgery marks, the doctor said they are not very noticeable and with time, they will also become less visible.
"After some time, even hair will grow on his hands despite him receiving a woman's hands," the doctor added.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)