‘Grounded’ pilot’s letter sparks recovery hope
Initial prognosis was not positive
WHEN the sister of “grounded” Durban pilot Kershan Naidoo received a note that read, “Welcome home, Lee, love K”, it brought back memories of the “old Kersh”.
Lee Naidoo, the youngest of Kershan’s three sisters, said she teased him when she was given the simple but meaningful note.
“Kersh always had a very unique way of writing and I teased him when I saw the letter, just to remind him that he’s still the same Kersh to me.”
She was given the note during her recent visit to Durban when she was on a break from her studies.
She said Naidoo’s writing resembled that of a 4-year-old, but it marked a significant turning point in his recovery.
Two years ago, Naidoo – who was involved with flying UN peacekeeping forces throughout sub-Saharan Africa – broke his arm when he fell off a chair during a rest-break at a French military base.
It was a routine procedure, yet, before the operation began, Naidoo’s brain was starved of oxygen for several minutes while under anaesthetic.
When his sisters called to check up on him three hours later, they were informed he was in ICU and in a critical condition.
The family said they were not contacted by the hospital when this incident happened.
The prognosis was not positive as they were told Naidoo could remain in a vegetative state.
His family, though devastated, worked together to care for him.
Naidoo has since shown remarkable progress and can now sit on his own, stand and walk with the help of a live-in nurse, Happiness Mlitwa.
“He has put on weight and is much stronger. He can also eat by himself, hold a pen and is able to communicate with us.”
His sister said he could remember the past, but could not seem to recall recent memories.
“It’s hard to see him like this because there’s a lot of the old Kersh that we have lost and it grieves us. But he’s always been my big brother and my hero in many ways. He still is.”
Naidoo lives with his parents, Saro and Ganes, in Port Shepstone and attends weekly occupational and speech therapy as well as physiotherapy.
“He also receives botox injections in the muscles around his elbow and wrist area once in six months to loosen the muscles.”
Naidoo has to wear splints on his arms and wrists to help straighten them.
His monthly treatment and medication costs between R35 000 and R40 000 and the expense is shared among his sisters, one of whom is a student.
Due to the nature of his job and being based outside SA, he did not have medical aid and his medical bills sky-rocketed to almost R2.4 million.
Funds raised via the Facebook page Kershan’s Wings assists with the expenses.
The family, represented by attorney Bhavna Quarsingh, are pursing legal action against the hospital and the anaesthetist.