Nkeng Peh is a perfect illustration of the Chinese proverb “you can’t look at the stars if you have a stone in your shoe.” In other words, if you’re in pain, it’s tough to see the good things in life.
For Nkeng Peh, that stone in his shoe happened to be a rod; one he had obtained in an unfortunate accident. But that was until he came to Artemis Hospital, where, after a long series of stops and starts, the "stone" was finally removed, and he was able to walk pain-free and look gratefully at the stars again. We sat down with Nkeng and discussed his treatment and his overall experience in India.
Please tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Nkeng Peh, I am 23 years old and I come from Cameroon. I arrived in India on 16 April to have a surgery on my right foot.
How did your foot get injured?
It was a car accident that I had encountered about 9 months ago. In the accident, I suffered a complete compound fracture of the right tibia and fibula (both bones of my lower leg). Apparently, all my weight came to bear on that leg, which was locked against the brake pedal.
What happened subsequently?
I was quickly taken to a local emergency centre. After giving me pain medications, the doctors took lots of X-rays to see the extent of the damage. The accident had badly ruptured my foot and I was told that I needed surgery immediately. During the course of the next few hours, the doctors inserted a titanium rod into my weight-bearing tibia. Five screws were used to secure it in place.
How was the rehabilitation until then?
Rehabilitation had been extremely slow. There is very little movement in my foot and I needed help moving around. It took a lot of determination to move around as the pain in my foot was too much to bear. However, today I am much more confident about getting the required rehabilitation.
How did it feel arriving in India?
I was very anxious at first. I needed support as I couldn’t walk, however, I had my family with me who supported me through this journey. I am very grateful to them. I would also thank Vaidam’s patient representative Shashank who help us out, especially during the initial days, when we didn’t know where to go and who to meet.
You choose to get treated at Artemis Hospital, why did you choose this hospital?
This decision was made by my family. When we first got in touch with Vaidam, we were shown the list of top orthopedics hospitals in India where we could get the surgery done. Eventually, we decided to go with Artemis hospital. Their reviews online were excellent and they also came highly recommended by doctors in my home country.
You were lucky, you got two specialist orthopaedic surgeons, Dr. Solanki and Dr. IPS Oberoi?
Yes, I must say that both of my doctors were very good and are the best orthopedic doctors in India. At no point did they give me the sense that they were not sure about my procedure. After my first few meetings, I was sure that I was in good hands. The day before the procedure, Dr. Solanki explained the postoperative symptoms and everything I would have to undergo towards rehabilitation. This gesture was very reassuring.
How do you feel today?
I still have a long way to go before I can walk completely without any support; however, a lot of the pain has subsided. During the next few months, I will be undergoing intensive therapy to regain my earlier mobility. I feel determined to make it through and get back to living.
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