L I V E R TR A N S P L A N T –
A D A D D Y D A UG H TE R
The Challenge
I was your ordinary John Doe enjoying life with
whatever I had. A Loving Family - A fantastic
job, A prestigious Senior Management position,
International travel.
Socializing… Partying hard… Dancing harder
was my lifeline.
Two years back I started to experience
abdominal pain and discomfort, I consulted
with my family doctor who after some general
medication, later admitted me into a hospital.
From a series of tests, it was concluded, I was
suffering from Hepatitis. A high LFT count and
a swelling of the liver. From there, I recovered
and was discharged quickly. But equally quick
I began experiencing a strange collection of
symptoms - Fever, Dark urine, Low appetite,
Lack of energy, Joint pains and Swelling of the
Legs.
Over the next few months, my energy was
sapping, I had to give up my job. What was
once my lifeline had now began to dwindle. As
a last straw, we decided to go for one more
round of tests and it was revealed I was
suffering from Liver Cirrhosis with more than
70% of my liver already damaged. The
Hepatitis had been quietly destroying my liver.
With no recourse, I was recommended to a Dr.
Bipin Vibhute at the Sahyadri Hospital for a
liver transplant. With all of our savings and
social security drained out by now; panic
engulfed my entire family. We knew it was a
choice - a gamble that would involve a large
sum of money and attached the high risk of
death. Over and above that… Dr. Bipin -
WHO??? Sayadri Hospital – Eh!!! - We had not
heard of either. My wife and daughter quickly
scrambled on social media and friends and
were back with all positive reviews.
It was time we made our first appointment to
see, meet and believe.
STORY
The Path to the Liver Transplant
We had an appointment at 1600hrs and were
there well before time, however had to sit in
waiting until about 1700hrs. In the family
huddle outside, my wife found the wait
‘annoying’, while I felt it ‘reassuring’. I knew in
one of those cabins is a doctor who talks to a
patient and not the clock on the wall. I could
sense that I would get the same amount of time
to clarify all doubts and understand a
procedure of something we had no clue of.
That is exactly what happened.
Before we met, I had a mind map of an old
doctor all grey who while looking at the clock
with a poker face would start of the
conversation with ‚ Good Evening have a seat
whats your complaint‛ I was surprised to see a
handsome young doctor who with a smile on
his face simply said ‚Hi‛
During the entire consultation, faced with a
barrage of questions from my ignorant family,
Dr. Bipin sat there answering the questions
patiently. I found myself in the midst of a
person driven by values of humbleness and yet
uprightness - a quality rarely found together.
By the time we left, we were convinced of the
doctor and hospital care. It was now a wait and
watch game for fundraising and the entry of
my life saving hero – A cadaver whose liver
could replace mine. Over the next few weeks,
Dr. Bipin and his team ran some more tests and
then on the list for a liver transplant put my
name.
As days and weeks went by, we met with the
entire team of doctors that would be associated
with my transplant. My family who was a
bundle of nerves initially, felt extremely
comforted by the doctors. Often during
waiting, we played a game of nickname the doc
– There was ‚Big B‛ Bipin, ‚Hasmukh Bhai‛
Shah, ‚Mysterious‛ Manish, ‚Hollywood
Hunk‛ Anirudh ‚Smokin Daddy‛ Manoj, ‚CT
Scan‛ Chetan… and the list went on. I even
had one of my own given by the nursing team –
‚AK47‛ … So much was the bonding created.
Interacting with the team, each specializing in
his own field. I got the vibe that this was a
group of experts who stood tall on the
shoulders of their mentors; their gurus from
whom they would have learnt their skill and
went on to master it.
I have to congratulate Dr. Bipin for putting
such a great team together, that makes a patient
feel positive and comforted before the surgery.
The entire team was young at heart and
camouflaged the routine stress of a being a
doctor and a human, with their little banter,
jibes and jokes. This sure was a breath of fresh
air coming after the grim places and faces I had
experienced before. Tomorrows genre of
doctors. As mentors, they will ignite and
inspire the same spark in the next genre of
doctors to come.
As days and weeks went by, my discomfort
grew. The swelling and pain in the legs too was
immense, and a walk to the toilet felt like a
cross country marathon. Soon I was barely
capable of getting myself in and out of bed on
my own. Further investigations by the team of
doctors revealed that I was also suffering from
damage to both my hips which needed a Total
Hip Replacement done. The doctors had gone
out of their way to diagnose this other problem
I was faced with.
THE RE AL HERO
On one meeting with Dr. Vibhute, he was
upright and didn’t pull any punches. He was
worried I would have major problems from a
diseased liver and the hip situation could not
be attended until the liver transplant.
Something needed to be done and done fast. I
was afraid of not having my earlier normal life
again. I was afraid I was going to die. The wait
for a liver cadaver can take months or even
years. However, a living donor transplant
offers hope to patients on the waiting list by
allowing them to receive a transplant sooner. A
living donor is safer.
We were given information about the living
donor program, and that’s when my daughter
only of 21 years, stood up and decided she
would go and get tested. It never was part of
my plan to have to ask anyone to make such a
sacrifice. I said no. I couldn’t imagine asking a
family member to go through surgery and
recovery for me. In fact, I was hesitant to search
for a living donor at all.
Dr. Vibhute, sat down the entire family and
explained the entire process, risks and benefits
involved. I was not convinced yet for having
my daughter do this to save my life.. It was my
wife who really encouraged me to pursue the
living donor. Even before we approached
anyone else, my daughter volunteered to be
evaluated first. She reassured me and said
‚Dad don’t worry; I have total confidence in
Dr. Vibhute, he will give you back to us…and
we need you‛ ‚As for me, I will be normal
before you, and the scar, I will hide it later with
a nice tattoo.‛ She did not mean the last bit, but
it echoed a laugh in the room and I agreed.
THE SOLUTION
My daughter went through the extensive
evaluation process and found out she was a
suitable donor. There wasn’t a doubt in her
mind that she would donate a portion of her
liver to her dad. Even to date, when others ask,
she firmly replies ‚I just felt like, this is it. It’s
either this or he dies. There was no other option
at that point.‛ Others raised concerns of her
finding a suitable boy because of the scare – We
have only one answer ‚Such a man is not MAN
enough anyways‛
The evening before Jul. 2, 2019, we arrived at
the hospital for our living-donor liver
transplant. The entire family sat silently with us
in the waiting room, anxiously preparing
themselves for hours of waiting. It was a long
night. In the wee hours of the morning, my
daughter and I said our goodbyes just before
the surgery. But I think it was harder on
everybody else around us.
college students, helping them get through
their academics and prepare them for the
corporate world. Socializing is back but with
restrictions. Its usually with the family and
dancing with my hero – my daughter.

Before the anesthesia, I passed a glance around

the operation room and noticed the full team
there. I sighed, shut my eyes and surrendered
myself to the able hands of the doctors.

That day, we underwent a successful
transplant.
THE RESULTS
Post-op, I was kept in an ICU separate from my
daughter to avoid infections. When I came to
my senses, the Nursing staff were a delight to
have around. They had a bigger challenge at
hand. Unlike the known killer Liver Cirrhosis,
they now had to keep me safe from any
unknown unseen predators – Infection. They
fought, wearing an assuring smile at all times.
The doctor would visit me each day and
explain my progress. Sunday visit was the
best, when they were in a completely different
avatar. The doctors white coats made room for
Tee’s and Jeans. Strangely, leaving some fond
memories behind I was discharged on
Monday, just 5 days after surgery.
Today as I write, its been a little over two
months since my discharge. I’m not tired any
more. The swelling on my legs have gone, I
have a lot more energy. Like all transplant
patients, I am and will be on antirejection drugs
for the rest of my life. I continue to go to
the Center for Liver Transplant, periodically.
Even when I am not there physically, I have the
presence of Dr. Vibhute and his team virtually
24*7 and to this day they have not missed a
single date to check on me and update any
change in medications and progress.
Back home, the family bond is closer and we
are now a family that prays together and stays
together. The Sayadhri team is still a part of our
dinner table conversations, and we thank God
each day for guiding us to them.
IN CONCLUSION
Post an organ transplant, many have the
misconception of the recipient and/or the donor
being disabled. But that is not true. Post op care
from doctors and my ‚impossible is nothing‛
attitude, I consider myself only differently
abled. All of this is restrictive, and I may not be
a 100% and still have the hip replacements to be
done. But overall, life is good. I am grateful to
the entire Liver transplant team for Inspiring,
Nurturing and Caring for me.
My experience overcame my fears & I
encourage people suffering to have it. And to
the fortunate healthy, I Champion the
message…
“Its only Our Souls,
That GOD needs in heaven.
The rest can be reincarnated into a new body”
BE A DONOR SAVE A LIFE

The doctors at Sahyadri, not only gave me a

new life, but transformed my life. I am now
more spiritual and less materialistic in my
approach. To show my gratitude for what the
doctors did for me, I decided to touch other’s
lives in return. I moved on to find work that is
more soulfully rewarding and meaningful. I
started a new business venture mentoring