Heart Matters: We are merely witnesses – Part 2

Chennai

Ahalya was working as a teacher in Seetha Kinston School, Kilpauk when she came to Dr. Cherian’s office one day accompanied by the school’s Correspondent. She was 7 months pregnant and had a block in her main aortic valve (between the ventricle and aorta). Oxygenated blood travels from the left ventricle through the aorta to the whole body and the aortic valve regulates the blood flow. In a pregnant woman this valve becomes even more critical. The lungs of the foetus are not functional and the mother’s blood has to supply the foetus with oxygen. With the growth of the baby, the circulation load is increased manifold as the increased volume has to pass through a limited orificeToday, technology has improved tremendously. Foetal Echo Cardiogram helps in the early detection of any abnormality. Problems with the valve and its type can be diagnosed with corrective measures taken in a timely manner. However this technology was not available in 1977.

Ahalya’s heart was labouring under tremendous strain as it was taking the load of her 7 month old foetus. She was unable to lie down and could only sleep in a sitting posture which resulted in very swollen legs. Valve replacements were a high risk then and were not performed in many hospitals. Her husband, an advocate, understood this problem.

In spite of the grave situation, Ahalya always found something to laugh about. She was always in good spirits, making fun of her own inabilities. She was surrounded by positive energy even though she knew about the risk involved in the surgery which could not be avoided.

Open heart surgery in those days involved a very primitive technology called Primtor.  There was also no proper oxygenator available.  However, with no other alternatives available, a day was fixed for the surgery and everyone was as ready as they could be under the circumstances.  

Dr. Cherian recalled, “I started the surgery with the plan to replace the valve.  However, I was happy that I could in fact repair the heart with just 3 incisions.  But when we took her off the Heart Lung Machine by removing the pipes, the tissues started falling apart as they were very fragile and weak and started bleeding profusely. With the help of a colleague of mine from Railway Hospital (who is a senior surgeon today), we tried our best to arrest the bleeding but she passed away. We could not save both the mother and the childTwo days after her demise, I received an inland letter (those days we used to get blue colour inland letters) from Ahalya. I was shocked to see her handwriting but  I was curious to read it too. Ahalya had written‘My dear Doctor, I know that I will not survive. I also know that you will do your best to save me and my baby.  Thank you for taking all the trouble.  Please do me another favour.  Please persuade my husband to marry once again and keep my name to his daughter. I will be re-born to him to continue my half–way life with him but in a different path – AhalyaI stood there frozen for a while.  In my life, I have seen several lives and deaths.  But I will always remember Ahalya whenever I perform a valve replacement. How did she know that she was going to die? Something touched my heart. Hindu Mythology has to be right. There has to be re-birth. At least for great souls like Ahalya.”

The writer is Director of X Factor Group of companies