Kidney transplant donor hospitalised

Nov 05, 2008 News

– “Never thought that I would be back in hospital” – mother

By Latoya Giles

Having donated one of her kidneys to her son, Munesh Mangar, some three months ago, Leelkumarie Mangar is now hospitalised having encountered minor complications after the surgery.
Speaking with Kaieteur News yesterday from her bed in Ward C-2 at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, she candidly noted that she never thought she would have to see a hospital bed again – at least not for any ailment related to the kidney transplant.
And ironically her 19-year-old son, Munesh, to whom she made a huge sacrifice in July by donating one of her kidneys, is now tasked with caring for his mother.
Struggling to sit up in her hospital bed yesterday, the woman sobbed, “I thought that my problems would have been done when I gave my son one of my kidneys, never thinking that I would now have to be hospitalised.”

Leelkumarie Mangar hopes for a full recovery to return to her job

Almost struggling to get the words out, the woman recounted that even though she knew it would have been a tough call for them both because of the extremely technical nature of the surgery and the fact that it was unprecedented in Guyana, she went ahead bravely out of love for her only son.
“I did this for my son because I love him dearly and he deserved a chance at a normal life. However, “life” has a funny way of repeating itself. Who would have thought that I would have been hospitalised and Munesh caring for me?”
The woman said that after the surgery she and her son had many plans, which included her returning to work and her son back to school.
“He bright and he gon make me proud,” the proud mother declared confidently.
Although Munesh has visited his mother every day since she has been hospitalised for over a week, yesterday he was noticeably absent.
When questioned about this, the woman lamented that the constant visitation has taken its toll on the still recovering lad.
“He still is not feeling very strong and having to travel all the way from Lusignan to visit me three times a day has been very, very hard on him.”
A few weeks ago Munesh had to be hospitalised again to remove and re-insert his stent that was put in as part of the life-changing surgery in July.
Leelkumarie said that she hates having to pressure her son to take care of her but she has no one else.
Her only daughter is married and lives with her family at Coldingen.
Leelkumarie has been a single parent for the past few years.
The woman said that she was never given any medication after the surgery.
She explained that a few weeks after the procedure she began to experience crippling pain in the area of the cut which was accompanied by a fever.
During her clinic visits she said that she informed the doctors of what she was experiencing but would be told that “nothing wrong.”
However, last Monday, after she saw “pus” coming from the cut, she knew that something was very wrong. She rushed to the hospital and was admitted.
Yesterday, Leelkumarie complained that she is in constant pain and can’t sit up.
The woman said that she has to lie on her back and it is an enormous struggle to sleep at nights.
Meanwhile, Munesh, speaking to this newspaper via telephone, said that he thought that he would have been back to school by now and never in his wildest dream did he imagine that he would be caring for his mother.
Although it is challenging for him to wake up at 4:00am to cook and clean, Munesh is happy to be able to give back to the person who give him a second chance at life.
With Leelkumarie not being able to return to her means of livelihood at the Mon Repos Market as a vendor, this has taken its toll on the family’s financial resources.
When contacted for a comment , Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy assured that both Leelkumarie and her son are being closely monitored and are receiving the best available health care.
He expressed optimism that the duo will make a full recovery.
Last July 12, Munesh Mangar became the first person to receive a kidney transplant on local shores.
The medical feat was performed by a team of overseas doctors who was ably assisted by local technical support staff.
The life changing intervention gave the young man who had been suffering from renal failure for a number of years, a new lease on life.