I am Purvi Shah a full time mom of a wonderful boy named Akshar who is a very special and unique child for us as parents. I want to share my parenting journey with all wonderful parents out there. Although you may think why should we read such stories as we are not going to face something like this? I also wish for all parents that they should never ever get to face such situations in life. But still life is unpredictable and we don’t have any control.
On our 3rd wedding anniversary, I had my last pregnancy scan on 25th may 2013. It was a routine scan and as always I was very happy and normal till the time doctor took more than an hour just for a routine scan. They decided to do C section as according to them child was not getting proper oxygen supply. I was staying at my home town in Gujarat with my parents at that time. We immediately called my husband as who was in Bangalore, he also said that if doctors are recommending then do it immediately. But he will be reaching tomorrow morning as flight was at late night.
I was feeling something weird from inside and was not able to trust doctor. But you don’t have a choice, you have to trust them at that point. Finally the moment came and my son was out. I was not concerned about the Gender but about how is my baby? Doctor said it’s a Boy ! And When I asked how is he? The Doctor said he will be fine soon?
I immediately asked – What? He will be? So now what’s wrong with him?
He said your son has infection on his right leg and needs to admit to different hospital. I did not even got a chance to take him in my arms or feel the motherhood the way a mother expects in her dreams. My son was admitted to different hospital (the so called famous doctors and hospital where I delivered my baby, they never bothered for my son or his recovery once we admitted him to another hospital!). As soon as my husband reached doctors asked him to go for so many tests and reports and finally they came to know that my son had blood clotting in his right leg and because of that blood supply was not there and his leg has started getting dead and ended up having gangrene. Doctors suggested to go for right leg amputation.
Amputation? I was shocked. Just after 3 days of my baby’s birth? My husband wanted to take second opinion and decided to shift our son in Mumbai at KEM hospital and by God’s grace we had best of doctors who tried their best to save my child’s leg and we could save his leg below the knee. Unfortunately we had lost his right leg below the knee and we had to go for amputation and for better hygiene and care doctors suggested us to admit him in Private hospital and we shifted him to Hinduja Hospital where we had his leg amputation surgery when he was just 21 days old.
Those were very disturbing and emotional days for us as parents but we stood together for our son. After 3 days of my C section I traveled by Air from Gujarat to Mumbai with so much pain and hope for a better tomorrow for my child. My husband had to almost quit his job to take care of our son in hospital. But his office, colleagues and management helped him and supported him and so he was able to manage everything. Our son was in hospital for almost 1 and half months. Both my husband my mom were there with us giving strength and hope to each other. My little prince was a fighter from the day one and he gave us the strength and hope to overcome this worst situation of our life. We thank God every day for blessing us with such a wonderful son who taught us to be strong no matter what!!!
During this roller-coaster journey my Husband was always a big support for me and my son. I still remember his words at NICU, “I will take our son back home no matter what !!!!” All family members, friends and colleagues were so supportive that we got a lot of moral and emotional support from all of them. But our journey called life has just started.
We still have a long way to go !!
My son wears an artificial leg called Prosthetic leg. And of course it’s not that easy for him to adopt it but we are trying our best to make him understand and wear it and accept it as his own body part.
Some people advice us to move to USA or Canada so at least my son will get better facilities and opportunities which is not easily available in India.
But for me my son is a hope !!
A hope of a new revolution! A hope of new beginnings!
He is just 4 years old but we have decided to take care of him as normal as other kids even with his prosthetic leg. People do stare and sometimes ask about his leg and we as parents happily explains the situation. “He is not Disabled he is differently abled“. He can swim, he can run, he can do cycling, he can jump. He may be not like other kids but yes he can do everything just like other kids.
My wish is to see my Son participating in para Olympics as a youngest contestant representing India around the world !!!
I wish in India we should also have advertising campaigns for kids with different abilities just to educate people in our society. In our society still people feel shy or feel awkward to talk about disability or other situations. Our society needs education and answers for their questions. Why do we think “what my kid will do if he/she is not just like other kids?” We can think in other way, “yes God has given us different chance to prove our self as parents!!”
Me and my husband have always tried to make him comfortable in all situations if it is at home or outside though he wears an artificial leg we have never considered him as different child. He is normal for us and I wish all people out there in society will also take these situations as normal.
Be helpful and sensitive with people around you who needs some extra care and support from society.
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