While I have been unable to access the internet, life has been full and miraculous.
I am absolutely fine! The incision has healed perfectly. My bones are fusing into the porous portions of the ball and socket that now bear my weight with the help of hand-held crutches.
I am amazed at the smooth precision of this process carried out with enormous human kindness, expertise, and humility by dozens of skilled team members. I will give you more details later.
But something more urgent has been unfolding.
An hour before we were due to leave Apollo Hospital, we were asked if we would like to meet a team of Canadians who have been investigating medical tourism in India.
Vijay Bose, the surgeon who operated on me dislikes the crass commercialism of this term, “medical tourism.” He insists: “It’s medical care, plain and simple.”
Nevertheless, here’s what the Canadians tell us:
“We are so impressed with the 99.2% success rate in India and that their infection rate in these Indian hospitals is only .003% because they sterilize everything. In the USA and Canada, people are being overexposed to antibiotics, which now has created these “superbugs,” highly resistant to antibiotics. So you go into hospital with one thing, and there you pick up a superbug and must stay a long time. In Canada we have had to close hospitals because of it. But in India this doesn't happen.”
He mentions that North Americans are now flying to India for cancer treatments, heart surgery, and even kidney transplants. His words reminds me of our friend, who urgently needs a kidney transplant. A long line of friends want to donate that kidney. Each has been slowly studied and rejected with exasperating loss of time and discouraging expense as our friend grows steadily weaker.
“Which hospital are people going to for kidney transplants?” I ask the Canadians.
“Miot Hospital, here in Chennai.” They give me the website at http://www.miothospitals.com
Is this about faith or foolishness? I wonder. Could he even make such a trip?
And what about the ethics? India’s national newspaper, The Hindu, is running a series on unscrupulous, well-connected dealers who entice the poorest of poor with promises of roughly $7,500 for a kidney--a fortune to them!
Then, after taking the kidney, the dealers refuse to pay. The donor not only has been robbed, but often is unable to work like before.
The next morning, I write a message to our friend, which Phil carries off in his cruzer to find a way to send email.
Even if the low infection rate is true, and even if the hospital takes every precaution, would he ever consider buying a kidney from an impoverished stranger?
Phil spent the next inspiring day at a village among Dalit people, formerly called "untouchables"-- impoverished, but getting empowered since the tsunami burst into their lives. Some have personal knowledge of selling kidneys.
That night Maud keeps waking me up:
Maybe the hospital would let him meet his donor!
Maybe we could build a relationship with the donor’s village, so he doesn’t feel like he is just taking advantage of their poverty.
“Adopt a village?!” I exclaim.
Even $10 a month would make a big difference! Think of all his friends who would want to show their gratitude for that kidney. Maybe they could help build a school or dig a well.
First I want to talk with doctors at Apollo whom I have come to trust.
As usual, Maud wants the last word:
Remember! This is not just some sordid business of body parts! she insists.
This is a relationship!
A week later we return to Chennai for my final hospital appointment on January 30th. I explore Maud’s idea and learn that Apollo Hospital will only perform kidney transplants with organs donated by family members. Great controversy swirls around the issue. India's government is investigating and establishing strict regulations.
Still, I like Maud’s idea.
When I reach the hotel, I send an email to Miot Hospital and later receive this response:
From: chief
To: grant275@cox.net
Subject: Regarding your enquiry - Ms. Anne Grant
Dear Ms. Anne Grant,
Greetings from MIOT Hospitals, Chennai.
We perform here related renal transplants only i.e blood-related donors only will be accepted as donors.
We screen the donor including HLA and tissue typing for donors at our centre itself. The receipient's fitness for surgery will be checked by a panel of doctors.
You also need to bring the embassy clearance of your country for donation of the kidney and accepting of the kidney before arriving here. You need to get an affidavit from your country of domicle for the same on the prescribed Indian Government Formats.
The patient will be required to stay in the hospital for 3 weeks. It will cost US $13000 (US $ Thirteen thousand only). This covers room rent, pre-operative investigations (except C T Scan & MRI), medicines, blood, post-operative intensive care, physiotherapy and rehabilitation, including food. (Laundry, telephone and attendant food are extra.)
The patient is most welcome to come to MIOT Hospitals, Chennai.
With best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Prof.Dr.P.V.A.Mohandas
It is good to be on the internet again, where we learn some amazing news. I haven’t time to tell you now, since it is nearly 4 am in Chennai, and we must get ready for the trip home. I will tell you when we get there.
