Coimbatore: City on Saturday witnessed a rare get-together of liver transplant survivors. Most of them said when they were diagnosed with liver failure they were told their days could be numbered. Yet, they held on to hope and are now on the road to recovery and life after the transplant.Nisha Jaheer, 35, a teacher with a railways school at Perambalur, recalled her ordeal and her husband’s battle with liver failure, which began a little over two years ago. “My husband, who worked in a college laboratory, used to consume alcohol regularly. The ordeal began with him complaining of severe stomach ache. A local hospital said his liver was getting affected. A bout of jaundice later, he began drinking again. One fine day his stomach bloated and became massive in size.”Almost all doctors they visited in Trichy offered to treat Jaheer and slow down the damage, but said they could not operate on him. They said his liver was fully damaged. Jaheer by then began facing urine output issues, bloating became worse and he could not eat due to constipation. “I was watching helplessly his health deteriorate in front of my eyes. In September, he was referred to Gem Hospitals. Doctors said he would die if he did not undergo a transplant,” Nisha said, adding, “They performed the surgery under the comprehensive health insurance scheme and I donated my liver in February.”Nisha said they consider it to be their rebirth. “Our first life was filled with worry, sadness and disappointment. From February, we have begun finding joy, hope and everything seems to be going our way.”Liver transplant surgeon at Gem Hospital, Dr Anand Vijai, who organized the get-together, said he got the idea to have a reunion after a lot of liver failure patients expressed their desire to meet or speak to liver transplant survivors. “Many patients are scared of liver transplant surgery and its survival rate. The meet was to help some patients meet these survivors and their families to get reassured. They need to know it is almost a common procedure now.”

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