Mumbai: Himmat displays courage to battle deadly ailments

Suffering from obesity, polio, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and sleep apnoea for several years, the 62- year-old, Himmat Lal Shah, always believed that “life must be lived well and must be enjoyed to the fullest.” His alacrity for life and the medical treatment provided by the Saifee, Apollo Spectra and Namaha Hospitals gave Himmat a new lease of life, who once weighed 150 kg.

The team headed by Dr Aparna Govil Bhasker, laparoscopic and bariatric surgeon at Saifee, Apollo Spectra and Namaha Hospitals, successfully treated Himmat who was stricken with polio at the age of six months, which adversely affected his mobility. In 2015, he had a fall, which led to a fracture of the right leg. He underwent a surgery and a rod had to be implanted in the leg.

Three years later, he had another fall after which he could not walk at all. Lack of mobility eventually led to a lot of weight gain and he would get breathless even with mild exertion. Later, he also developed sleep apnoea.

Upon insistence from his wife, who was also operated for bariatric surgery under Dr Bhasker’s care, Himmat agreed to go under scissors.

“On arrival, he weighed 150 kg and could even stand on his feet. After all tests were done, he underwent bariatric surgery in September, 2020. In the last one and a half years, he has lost 45 kg of weight. Sleep apnoea has disappeared and most importantly he can stand on his feet," Dr Bhasker said.