Written By: Debjani Arora | Published : August 8, 2018 11:08 AM IST
The Rawat household had to deal with a stroke of bad luck and a crushing news on 5th August 2018 while most of the world was having a cosy time on that Sunday. The lady of the house Jasmeet Kaur Rawat, 42-years-old was found unconscious by her family members at around 4.00 am in the morning. Worried, her family got her to a hospital in Powai to check on her health. Jasmeet remained unconscious throughout. On arrival at the hospital, she was diagnosed with Intracranial bleed with brainstem dysfunction or stroke. A brain stem stroke or dysfunction is a life-threatening condition as it proved to be in Jasmeet Rawat's case.
The brain stem controls all basic activities of the central nervous system: consciousness, blood pressure and breathing, a stroke in the brain stem can interfere with vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat. It also impairs speech and hearing and causes vertigo. Many patients who have experienced a brain stem stroke do survive. However, survival rates are low when the bleeding occurs in certain areas of the brain or if the initial bleed was very large, which probably was the case with Jasmeet who could not survive the stroke.
But her family members made sure that her death didn't go to waste. The GMH received a request call to accept the patient as the relatives wished to donate her organs. The hospital in question did not have the requisite registration for organ retrieval and transplant. ZTCC or the zonal transplant co-ordination centre got involved in identifying the prospective recipients.
With appropriate procedures in place, the doctors and transplant coordinator transferred the critical patient to Godrej Memorial Hospital. The hospital's untiring and highly motivated and committed team worked throughout the night to maintain the organs and to diagnose brain stem death through various repetitive tests. The process was completed within the stipulated time frame and the organs harvested gave life to three patients and hope to three families.
One kidney transplant happened at Godrej Hospital, one kidney was sent to KEM hospital and the liver was transferred to Global Hospital in Parel, Mumbai for a needy patient. Gifting her precious life in the form of her organs was Ms Jasmeet Kaur Rawat wish and her husband Mr Rajesh Singh Rawat did everything he could to fulfil her wish.
Image source: Shutterstock
