Penned in real time, from the hospital bed while battling for life, on a Samsung Galaxy smartphone's 4x2 inch keypad, the only device allowed to the patient in her supersanitized recuperating room, this book follows a hybrid format of medico-psycho thriller, interspersed with SMS chats, transcripts of medical records, and other workings of an addled mind overcome by sickness, yet determined to pull through
It is a first-hand account of a liver transplant recipient's journey in India, chronicled from the patient's perspective in vivid detail as a series of dramatic events unfold in her life, completing the cycle from sickness to health, despair to hope.
It also tells the story of a single mom and breadwinner of the family, her strong bonding with her adoptive daughter, and her family and friends' support.
The author hopes that this book will give courage and direction to other patients whose lives are hanging by a thread, patients awaiting a life-saving cadaveric organ donation.
Radhika Sachdev is an independent journalist who has held senior editorial positions with leading news banners – the Times of India, Hindustan Times, Indian Express, Financial World, and The Pioneer. Presently, she runs her own advertising outfit, Write Solutions.
I have never written a “Foreword” for a patient's book before; my area of expertise is liver transplants, so please bear with me on this one.
Radhika Sachdev is one of my favourite patients simply because, right from the onset, she reposed full confidence in our liver transplant team, which in my view is one of the important conditions for surviving any challenge in life, not just medical. Second, we all witnessed her determination and this very strong desire to live for her daughter. Eventually, both factors motivated her to sail through.
When she came to us, Radhika had tumour in her liver with cirrhosis, which resulted in swelling on her feet, blackish discoloration of face, jaundice, and generalised weakness, besides early signs of breast cancer.
We were faced with a dilemma: should we accept her as a patient and do the transplant on her or not? Most transplant units anywhere in the world would have declined to do the procedure because of this dual set of problems. Her Mumbai doctor asked me to handle her case. I've always enjoyed medical challenges of all kinds. We evaluated her case for the transplant and as I recall, we could luckily offer her a liver within fifteen days of her registration with our hospital. Prior to calling her, I again had a brainstorming session with my transplant team and their response was mixed. But I stood my ground and finally we decided to go by our gut feeling. In cases like these, there is always this Damocles' sword hanging over our heads, but that's an occupational hazard we face in our doctors' career.
Following detailed patient counselling done in the presence of Radhika's family, a written and video consent and other relevant documentation completed, we finally wheeled her into the Operation Theatre (OT).
I've always believed that a doctor is a connection between GOD and the patient. You cannot, as a doctor, decide who is going to live or for how long. You just have to give the best possible treatment under a given set of circumstances and that's exactly what we wanted to do in Radhika's case.
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