Having suffered from joint pains for over five years, 59-year-old Nelson Osman traveled to India for an appointment with an Orthopaedic surgeon at Apollo. However, later tests revealed that Nelson was suffering from cancer. Not diagnosed up-till now, Nelson returned to his country determined to return to complete his treatment. We spoke to the Nelson about his journey and the ups and downs that he has encountered along the way.
Please tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Nelson Osman and I am 59 years old. I come from Mozambique and I am here for a hip replacement surgery at Apollo Hospital.
When did this problem begin?
I started having arthritis pain in my knees in 2011. I noticed the arthritis pain in my hip in 2014. In 2016, I did some physical therapy for my knee and hip pain. In 2017, I had two steroid injections, seven months apart, in my hip for the pain.
The physical therapy and steroid injections relieved my pain for a short time but not long term. My left hip was full of arthritis and it was bone on bone. The only real solution to get rid of the hip pain and lead a normal life was to have my left hip replaced.
What solutions were you able to find?
A couple of my friends had their hips replaced several years ago at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in New Delhi. They recommended that when I needed surgery to consider traveling here.
We, therefore, decided to get treatment in New Delhi with one of the best cancer hospital in India. I think about 2 weeks earlier we began searching online for options. We found Vaidam.com and were pleased to see the various patients who had arrived at Apollo Indraprastha for similar procedures. I think this gave us a sense of confidence.
How were you contacted by Vaidam?
My family reached out online, I think it was on Facebook. We got a response immediately so we simply followed the directions that were given to us. We were requested to send our medical reports from Mozambique and then waited to hear back from them.
How soon were you contacted?
We were contacted the very next day by a very friendly lady. She assured us that she would take care of all the necessary appointments at Apollo and help out if we needed any assistance with our visas and all.
Were you anxious knowing that you were soon going to be traveling to a foreign country?
Yes and no. This is my first time in India, so I was a bit apprehensive. However, our case manager made us feel at ease. We were assured that everything would be taken care of in India. I initially was not sure but I was proven wrong after having stayed in India for one month.
How did your treatment go?
It has been good, but we had a few surprises along the way. My initial tests showed that I was suffering from cancer. This was a big surprise for me. Dr. Manish Singhal, one of the top cancer specialist doctors in India, explained to us that I would have to undergo a few rounds of chemotherapy before they could begin my surgery.
We have decided to return to Mozambique for the time being and will return for the surgery perhaps after a few weeks.
How has your experience been in India?
Overall, it’s been pretty good. We are happy that the doctors were able to catch the real problem. We will definitely be coming back after 3-4 months.
I must say that our case manager Heena Mehta has been very friendly and ready to help out at short notice. The whole experience has been a lot less burdensome thanks to the help we received.
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