The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Lakshmi discharged; progress pleases all

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Sunday, Dec 16, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Lakshmi discharged; progress pleases all

Staff Reporter

She will return to the city next year for further treatment

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

In happy mood: Lakshmi with her father Shambu at Sparsh Hospital in Bangalore on Saturday.

Bangalore: For Lakshmi Tatma, her brother Mithilesh and her parents Shambhu and Poonam it is time to bid goodbye.

“We are really happy with her recovery. It was God’s will that she was born with eight limbs, but now I am confident that she will be able to lead a normal life and do whatever she wants,” said Lakshmi’s father Shambhu.

Lakshmi, the two-year old from Bihar, who was separated from her conjoined parasitic twin in a 27-hour surgery conducted by doctors at Sparsh Hospital on November 6, was discharged from the hospital on Saturday and left for Jodhpur in the evening with her parents after a farewell given by the hospital staff.

According to doctors treating her, Lakshmi has to come back to the hospital for additional reconstructive surgery next year.

“Some time after Holi,” as they put it.

Two more surgeries

“We have been told by the doctors that she needs two more surgeries to set right her club feet and to normalise her urinary and bowel movements. We are leaving for Jodhpur where a charitable organisation has offered to look after her and also to take care of my son’s education. We will be going to our native place in Bihar during “Holi” and then come here for the surgery,” declared Mr. Shambhu.

Her parents and the doctors treating Lakshmi are pleased with the child’s progress.

“All her milestones after birth were delayed because of her condition. After the operation, she has realised that she has only four limbs and she understands this. Just a week ago, Lakshmi was able to roll over, and recently she stood on her hospital bed holding the grills of the window,” said Sharan Patil, chairman of Sparsh Hospital and head of the team of doctors who operated on the child.

Dr. Patil added that all her organs were functioning and all her parameters were within normal limits.

Her surgical wounds had healed and she had undergone physiotherapy to strengthen the child’s legs.

Splints had been applied after the removal of plaster casts.

“We have shown the parents some exercises … to strengthen her legs. She does not need reconstructive surgery immediately and her parents are keen to go home. They will come back after ‘Holi’ and we will assess how many operations she may need,” he added.

Lakshmi’s parents visited a nearby temple earlier in the day and offered prayers.

“We plan to build a temple of Goddess Lakshmi in our village in Bihar as a token of our gratitude for Lakshmi’s recovery,” her father pointed out.

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