"He just stares at us blankly. He understands what we're saying and recognises us, but he can't talk or respond anymore because of all the tubes on his body. I can't bear to see my son like this. I'm waiting for the day he's back to the old Basavaraj that we knew."
Basavaraj (20) has become unrecognizable to his family. He has been in the ICU for nearly 2 months now due to acute kidney injury. If Basavaraj had not been taken to the hospital in time, he wouldn’t have made it. Basavaraj needs to stay in the ICU for one more month to get better, else his kidneys will give up on him. His mother, Saraswathi, is worried every day for his life. Despite her best efforts, Saraswathi is struggling to keep her son in the hospital.
Within a week, Basavaraj’s condition deteriorated rapidly
Two months ago, Basavaraj had severe stomach pain. He initially thought it was food poisoning and continued to go to college, but when the pain didn’t reduce he decided to get it checked.“He had stomach pain for 7 days. No medicines helped him, so I took him for a test in a hospital in the nearby town. They asked us to take him to a bigger hospital to get him the treatment he needs. Even then we didn't think that it would be something so serious. When we took him to Bangalore, they told us that his kidneys were failing. We had to start treatment immediately to save him.”
Basavaraj has acute pancreatitis and acute kidney injury. His pancreas was severely inflamed, and his kidneys abruptly stopped working. Basavaraj is fighting for his life in the ICU now. He had surgery for his pancreas on 22 January and has been on ventilator support since. He needs to stay there for one more month to get the right medical treatment that can save his life.
Saraswathi is the sole breadwinner and can’t even afford food for her family now
Basavaraj is a college going student. His parents were looking forward to him graduating and getting a job soon. They worked very hard to give their three children a decent education. Saraswathi is a vegetable seller in her hometown Kodikal, Karnataka. She goes from one village to another selling vegetables to try and earn enough to feed her family. His father, Shekappa, hasn’t been able to work for a while now due to his diabetes. Saraswathi is the sole breadwinner of the family.
“I barely earn 100 rupees in a day. I’ve been working very hard all these years since my husband can’t work anymore. He tries to go every now and then, but income is not stable. My son’s hospital bills come up to almost 50,000 in a day. We don’t even have money to buy food anymore. The doctor in the hospital has been kind enough to help buy our meals every now and then. I don’t know how I will save my son in these circumstances.”
Basavaraj’s family has no home to go back to anymore
Saraswathi, Shekappa and their two daughters now stay in the hospital now because they have no home to go back to. They have spent 18 lakhs on his treatment already and could only afford it because they sold their home.“I was only thinking about saving my son’s life then. I knew that if we didn’t have the money, he couldn’t be saved. He has made it so far with great difficulty. The doctors have assured us that he can get better with treatment, but his medical bills are only piling up as the days are going by. I can’t go back to work because I have to be here to take care of him. I’m helpless now.”
How You Can Help
Basavaraj needs 28 lakhs to stay in the ICU for one more month. His mother, Saraswathi, has exhausted all the money she had to try and save him. They have even sold their house, but it isn’t enough.Saraswathi now needs your help to save her son. Basavaraj has his whole future ahead of him and continued treatment can give him life again.
Supporting Document
The specifics of this case have been verified by the medical team at the concerned hospital. For any clarification on the treatment or associated costs, contact the campaign organizer or the medical team.
Click here to save Basavaraj.
