This Retired Government Employee Is Struggling To Save His Wife

Story

Nagraj was a retired hawaldar and he is faced with the task of providing for his wife's expensive treatment. His wife Jayanthi has a rare blood-disorder that is destroying her blood cells. Nagraj has no source of income other than his pension which is barely sufficient. To live, Jayanthi needs a bone-marrow transplant and it is an amount Nagraj is struggling to put together.

In her fifties, Jayanthi has a lot to look forward to

Jayanthi lost her mother at the young age of 5. She was brought up by her much older brothers and married off young to Nagraj who then 'sepoy' in the excise department. She studied only till class 10 and for a long time wondered how life might have been, if she had got an education.

Now, Jayanthi is at that point in her life where things are finally looking up. Her son just got a job and her daughter is happily married. It is time for her to get her son married too. But her joy at looking forward to her golden years has turned into a disappointment.

A regular checkup threw up some very disturbing results. Her blood test showed very low platelet count. “The doctors thought that she had an infection and gave her antibiotics for six months. Her persistent cough went away, but her blood counts still showed a deficiency of platelets and red-blood cells,” Nagraj says.

Nagraj was told that Jayanthi had PNH – a condition he had never heard of before. He was told that her body was destroying her blood cells and would continue to do so, making her very sick. She needed immediate bone-marrow transplant so her body could produce normal blood cells again.
Nagraj and Jayanthi playing with their grandchild

But the procedure costs a whopping 15 lakhs – an amount far beyond Nagraj's means. Even if he withdraws all his pension, he will still be far from having enough to get Jayanthi better. In his sixties, he is faced with a very tough prospect – losing his partner of over 30 years because there is no money.

Jayanthi is inconsolable at having fallen sick

Nagraj is very careful what he says around Jayanthi. “She is feeling very sad. Yes, it is her health that is suffering – she has fever, diarrhoea and body pain. But she is depressed that at this age something as simple as taking a bath has become so difficult for her,” he says.

Nagraj does not discuss her health with her. He tries to keep her mind on more pleasant things hoping that it will make her feel better when she is on the brink of losing hope. Already he has spent over 10 lakhs on her treatment by heavily borrowing from everyone he knows.

After retirement, Nagraj and Jayanthi were looking forward to their sunset years, but instead are struggling to raise money for medical expenses. They have not recourse and desperately need funds before Jayanthi's health deteriorates so much that she cannot recover. Contribute now and help Nagraj save Jayanthi.Jayanthi and Nagraj in the hospital

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