Features | Sundayobserver.lk

Krishnakumar Kajenthini moved around steadily. Her smile was contagious and her beauty was re-merging though she was yet pale. Completely recovered from the three-hour long surgery she was breathing normally. The black pottu on her forehead and the floral frock she was wearing enhanced her beauty.

After a two-week stay in hospital, she was busy getting ready to leave Room 625 to go to Erlalai, Kadduvan in Jaffna by the time Sunday Observer visited her. In a family of two girls and two boys, Kajenthini's parents felt something was wrong with her as she was always involved in painting. Steeped in poverty, she had to drop her dream of becoming a nurse as she was asked by the school authorities to stop schooling as her illness got worse when she cycled to school.

Knowing that her heart beat sounded different, she continued to attend school despite warnings from her teachers.

But the illness got worse and she began getting dizzy after each ride from home to school. The new symptoms forced her to stop schooling and she was confined to her room.

After the medical check-up at the Jaffna General Hospital doctors referred Kajenthini to Colombo to undergo valve replacement. She was immediately airlifted in 2009 and underwent the operation.

But the future in store for her was not so good as she was suffering from a heart ailment since she was 14 years. Unfortunately, after a few months of the operation she fell ill again.

"When she got very ill we were helpless. We only could take her to the government hospital three times a week and also to the doctor nearby her mother said.

"Nan Namibinen Ganesha peruman enadu makaalai kappattruwar endru (I believed that God Ganesha will save my daughter) 48-year-old Udayakumari who is an ardent devotee of God Ganesha said.

Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon Dr. Vivek Guptha said her case was a catheter procedure where her valve was shrunk. Previously a balloon catheter was inserted but the valve had a severe leak. Because of the long waiting list in government hospitals she had no chance. She couldn’t walk a few steps and she began to pant when she came to me at the medical camp.

She was a patient with rheumatic heart disease and had a narrow micro valve. Normally the lungs would get filled with water and she would cough out blood. I can’t say how long she woulld have survived but maybe suddenly she would have collapsed.

These patients need surgery as soon as possible and I recommended immediate surgery for her but her mother said they did not have the money.

It was a micro valve replacement operation which lasted four hours and within two hours of the surgery she asked for water. On the second day she was walking around the ward. In the cardiac camp in Jaffna, we examined over 550 patients. Heart disease is the number one killer worldwide and even in Sri Lanka.

The intention of this camp was to identify risk factors concerning heart disease and educate them on how to avoid them by having life style changes.

The initial medical check-up showed she needed two valve replacements but later it was found that one surgery was enough. When she walked into the camp she was small for her age. In these areas due to the low socio-economic situation, a majority of the people suffer from heart valve problems. The major cause in some of the cases are untreated sore throat, which will later develop into rheumatic fever and lead to rheumatic heart disease.

This will trigger other heart issues.

The drugs prescribed kept her alive while her body was getting weaker daily, making her a walking skeleton with breathing difficulties. Her family had run out of options for Kajenthini.

Kajenthini's father dies

The biggest blow to the family was the death of Kajenthini's father, who had suddenly collapsed barely two months ago, while he was returning from the hospital after taking treatment for a minor surgery, he had died.

Being a housewife, Udayakumari had no other option other than to pawn all her jewellery and to sell the valuables to feed the family, where Kajenthini was sick and her two sons aged seven and nine, after the untimely death of her husband who fed them with his meagre earnings as a labourer.

She had to spent Rs. 1000 each month on Kajenthini's drugs and she couldn't afford to buy milk powder prescribed by the doctors for her daughter. Though the family got the news about a medical camp organised by the Army, they didn't bother much about it as no one told them the teenager could be cured.

"According to tradition no outsiders are welcomed home after a funeral. Due to this the soldiers, who went door-to-door inviting people to have check-ups for heart ailments, didn't come to our house but asked our neighbour to inform us to bring Kajenthini to the camp", Udayakumari said.

Kajenthini, was examined by Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon of Asiri Heart Care Centre, which held the free medical camp.

The extra sound that came through the Stethoscope endorsed the experienced cardiac surgeon's fears about the functioning of the heart of the 20-year-old.

"A Blood leakage", he wrote on her diagnosis card and his recommendation for an immediate micro valve replacement brought tears to the eyes of the mother and daughter, who had dropped faith in life due to eternal poverty.

Simply saying " No money", the two vanished into the crowd. But the image of the innocent girl whose eyes were full of life life caught Dr. Guptha's heart.

While he was busy with the next patient, he instructed Jessie Mendis, the Cardiac Coordinator of Asiri Surgical Hospital, to give some money to them. She, ran behind them and gave them Rs. 1,000. They bought a tin of Sustagen for her daughter. This purchase was after several months.

Specialist doctors

Following a request of the Civil Affairs office of the 511 Brigade of Atchevelu, under the guidance of Special Forces (SF) Commander, Jaffna Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe, a team of specialist doctors from the Hospital held the free medical camp at the Kopay Navalar School.

Volunteered

Five cardiologists and physicians of Asiri Hospital volunteered to educate the people on maintaining good health to avoid risk factors leading to heart disease. Among over 560 civilians diagnosed, many were issued medicine for their illnesses while several others were refered to hospital clinics with necessary medical treatment.

Kajenthini was among those whom the hospital staff couldn't just ignore after giving medical advice. Dr. Guptha, was determined to perform the surgery free of charge.

He consulted the Clinical Director of Asiri Heart Care Centre, Dr. Anil Perera and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Manjula Karunarathne who in one voice agreed to waive off hospital charges.

The cost of the surgery amounted to Rs. 800,000 and they needed only half of the total amount to kick off their mission - saving another life.

Mission

They sought the help of the Army to fill the void. The requirement was informed to the 511 Brigade Commander Col. Wijendra Gunatilake, who said " Okay I will send my boys door-to-door to collect the money".The mission began. Maj. Gen. Hathurusingha directed to begin the fund raising campaign 'Saving Kajenthini'. While the soldiers were going from house to house to save the life of Kajenthini, Jaffna-born engineer, Kirubananthan who came to know about the mission through the SF Headquaters donated Rs. 400,000.

Airlifted

The patient was airlifted to Colombo and on March 30 she underwent surgery. " I was a bit scared in the helicopter but the soldiers who accompanied us gave me the confidence.

I thought I would die soon and bore all the pains. I never thought I would be treated like this at the hospital", Kajenthini said."

We should appreciate the support given by the Army in Jaffna and other parts of the country.

We had free medical clinics in Kandy, Matara, Kalutara and Jaffna, but in Jaffna we were fortunate as the Army helped us a lot.

It is amazing to see the relationship between civilians and soldiers, who help them in their day-to-day lives", Dr. Anil Perera said.

Jessie who co-ordinated the mission to save the girl's life, appreciated the Army's support said the hospital was now negotiating with the pharmaceutical company to sponsor her medicine. " She has to be on strong drugs. We are giving her the necessary drugs for some time", she said.

She said Col. Wijendra was the man who co-ordinated the mission. " We informed Col. Wijendra about Kajenthini's critical condition and he requested me to give him an hour to plan how the Army was going to collect the rest of the money.

He returned with the good news saying he will send his boys from door-to-door to save the girl's life. We were encouraged by his words and we knew we could accomplish the mission", Jessie explained.

It is noteworthy that soldiers of the 511 Brigade had donated the required amount of B + blood prior to and after Kajenthini's surgery and the 3rd Battalion (Volunteer) Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment (3 (V) VIR) serving in Urelu under the 511 Brigade was taking care of her family until her mother returned.

"People in Jaffna love the soldiers. They look after us more than they look after the people in the South. The Army could have easily avoided her as outsiders were not allowed after a funeral but they supported us until my daughter was cured" Udayakumari, who prayed and begged to save her daughter said.

Ganesha peruman mattumallai ranuwamum enadu magalai udaviyadu ( Now I feel that not only God Ganesha but the Army helped to save her life) her mother filled with emotion said.

Brimming with hope

The girl, who had lost all dreams of a healthy and bright future, is brimming with new hope. While her mother refused to send her for a job abroad, her dream was to go to the Middle East mainly to build her tiny house with a room and a small place to cook.

Determined

"When I recover I will work in a textile shop as a sales girl but one day I will go abroad", she was now determined to fulfill her dream.Kajenthini slowly touches the tiny gold ring on her middle finger of the left hand. "It was given by my fiance Dushanthan", she said shyly. A mason by profession, she said, he is waiting to welcome her in her home town.

"Saththirasikichchin piraku enakku migavum nallam. Ippai enakku nandraga muchchedukka mudiyum ( After the operation I can breath well", the girl giggled.

(Today in the morning Kajenthini, who was airlifted on Saturday to Jaffna, will be handed over to her family in Erlalai after a welcome ceremony organised by the Army)