Nigerian woman walks after 11 years after surgery in India

New Delhi: A 65-year old Nigerian woman suffering severe rheumatoid arthritis, who hadn't walked for 11 years, is now walking again. She was treated in India and believe it or not, she will be going home with five metallic implants. It's like a second life for 65-year old Margaret to be able to stand up and walk on her own after being bedridden for 11 years.

"My fingers were so swollen, I could not even brush my teeth, my grand daughter used to help me. I couldn't stand up, couldn't walk. I couldn't go to the church. My daughter used to help me wash. My cook would feed me. And I was in great pain. I used to cry day and night," Margaret said.

A year ago, she flew down to India with her son where doctors at a private hospital in the capital performed three separate types of surgeries on her.

First, both her knee joints, which were almost worn down due to rheumatoid arthritis, had to be replaced with metallic implants. Next, she had spinal surgery to help ease the pain and correct the stoop in her back, so she could stand again. And finally, both her hip joints needed to be replaced with metallic implants.
In total, Margaret now has five metallic implants in her body.

Orthopedic surgeon Dr Yash Gulati said, "She has metal joints in her hips, metal joints in her knees, metal screws in her spine, metal all over. She was over weight, had soft bones but despite all challenges, she did well."

The surgeries cost about Rs 14 lakh in total, but Margaret has no complaints.

She said, "I was dead then, I am alive now. I want to go back to the church and I want to run my business again, be with my sons and daughters, play with my grandchildren."

After regular physiotherapy for the next few weeks, Margaret would be able to fly home to a new life.

As reported in: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/nigerian-walks-after-11-years-after-surgery-in-india/181674-17.html