A new heart beats in happiness in a humble home
One year ago 37-year-old Pushpa Kumari made medical history as the recipient of a trailblazing heart transplant. Kumudini Hettiarachchi reports on a heartfelt saga
There is quiet rejoicing by Thaththa, Amma and Duwa in a humble home in Dolahela, Kaluarachchigama, Hidogama about 10 kilometres from Anuradhapura town.
Many are the bodhi poojas already held but more will be offered at the Uda Maluwa of the Sri Maha Bodhi, while Thaththa and two other relatives headed for Pilimatalawa, Kandy, yesterday to be part of an alms-giving.
July 7 (yesterday) was a mix of sadness and happiness – for the Amma of one family a fresh lease of life, but for another family sorrow over the death of their Putha but also strength from knowing that his heart continues to beat on.
For Sri Lanka, it is the first anniversary of the trailblazing heart transplant performed by a powerful team of more than 20 consultants, both Cardiothoracic Surgeons and Anaesthetists, from six hospitals across the country, along with 30 junior doctors, perfusionists and nursing staff at the Kandy Teaching Hospital.
It was Pushpa Kumari, now 38, from Dolahela a victim of end-stage heart failure who underwent the marathon surgery on the night of July 7, last year, while her husband H.A. Wijaya Kumarasiri paced up and down awaiting news of his beloved ‘Sudu’. The heart was from brain-dead 21-year-old Pradeep Kumara, fondly called Sampath from Pilimatalawa who was a motorcycle accident victim.
“Den, tika tika kema uyagannawa. Eeye, ada thama patan gaththe,” says Pushpa when we contact her on the phone on Tuesday night, explaining that it is from yesterday and today that she has started a little cooking at home.
Earlier, each and every household chore, cleaning and cooking, while earning something as a mason to keep the home fires burning was willingly handled by Kumarasiri. He also acted as both father and mother to their 13-year-old daughter Dinithi Imalsha, while often rushing up to Kandy to be with his Sudu, keeping his mother-in-law as chaperone back home.
It had been love at first sight when Kumarasiri met Sudu in Maharagama in early 2000. He was from Akuressa in the south and she from Dolahela, but their paths crossed in Maharagama when she was working there in a garment factory and he was in the same area as a mason.
They married in 2002 and their family life was contented for they had a beautiful daughter. However, serious illness was lurking round the corner for Pushpa, with the initial signs being feeling faint and dizzy, with episodes of vomiting.
Visits to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital began then, with the doctors gently telling them that her herda vasthuwa sawuththu wela (heart was affected). Later, they directed her to the Kandy Hospital.
The saga of illness before the heart transplant has been long and traumatic.
Two months she was at the Kandy Hospital, preceding the transplant and post-transplant too was another long stay to ensure that she would not become a victim of an infection. She was given a room in a place where cancer patients were recuperating, so that she could recover fully before heading for home in Dolahela.
“Nearly a year I was away from home,” says Pushpa, adding with emotion that Kumarasiri and her mother took turns to be with her.
Pushpa went back home to a joyous reunion with her daughter and other relatives on April 12 – the day of the Aluth Avurudda, after offering thanks at the Dalada Maligawa, to which Kumarasiri had gone many a time when she was in hospital to place vows for her recovery.
Of course, there was no feasting on kevum and kokis for her, only the joy of being with her family in her own home after so long.
Pushpa is following the advice of the doctors to the letter – to keep away from oily and fatty food and not to eat food from outside but always from home, to safeguard the precious new heart she has had the good fortune to get.
The Kandy Hospital team which performed the heart transplant comprised Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeons Dr. Anil Abeywickrama, Dr. K. Gnanakanthan and Dr. Muditha Lansakara; Consultant Cardiac Anaesthetists Dr. Jagathi Perera, Dr. Aruni Jayasekera and Dr. Priyantha Dissanayake, junior doctors, nurses and perfusionists
The pre-op and post-op management of the patient was handled by Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist Dr. Sunethra Irugalbandara of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Hospital and Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Roshan Paranamana of the Anuradhapura Hospital.
Meanwhile, those who had extended immense support for the transplant were Consultant Cardiologist Dr. Ajith Kularatne, Consultant Haematologist Dr. Sunethra B. Athauda, Consultant Histopathologist Dr. Palitha Ratnayake, Consultant Virologist Dr. Rohitha Muthugala, Consultant Microbiologist Dr. Mahen Kothalawela, Consultant in Transfusion Medicine Dr. Dharma Samarakoon and Consultant Judicial Medical Officer Dr. M. Sivasubramaniam.
Showering blessings on the team which has given Pushpa a new heart through the transplant, Kumarasiri says that many others also dug deep into their pockets and helped them to improve their humble half-built home.
As Thaththa, Amma and Duwa set about preparing their dinner of rice and soya meat, the night of our interview, it is Pushpa who says: “Den hondatama hondai. Harima pudumai.” (I am very well now and very surprised.)