"Hearing My Son Begging for Breath Is Maybe the Scariest | Milaap

"Hearing My Son Begging for Breath Is Maybe the Scariest Thing I Have Ever Experienced"


Just before Dussehra, my son fell sick with a fever during a visit to our relatives. At first, we thought it was a simple illness, but within days, his condition spiraled. He couldn’t walk, couldn’t breathe, and was suffocating.

Hearing my son begging for breath is maybe the scariest thing I have ever experienced. The local hospital couldn’t help him, and we rushed him to a bigger hospital in the city, borrowing money just to get there. That was only the beginning of our nightmare.



Once we got there, the doctors diagnosed him with severe respiratory failure and multiple organ infections. They warned us that his treatment would be long and critical. A month went by with him in the hospital, and then his heart and lungs started failing. 

We were told that ECMO, a life-saving treatment, was his only hope. Initially, it seemed to work, but then complications arose. He began bleeding uncontrollably, requiring multiple surgeries. We were then told that injections and further procedures were vital, but they came at an unimaginable cost — ₹7 lakhs a day for ECMO alone.


Every passing day felt like a battle

We prayed for the bleeding to stop, for his organs to heal, and for his little body to recover. His organs were failing him, but we couldn’t fail him. As parents, we did everything we could. We sold gold, took loans, and spent everything we had. But now, we’ve reached the end of our means.


My son has always been a fighter

He loved running, playing sports, and keeping fit. He wanted to join the Indian Army and serve the nation. His determination to make us proud was unmatched. But now, he lies in a hospital bed, unable to breathe on his own, unable to go to school, his dreams slipping further away.

I’ve never seen my son give up on anything. Even now, it feels like I see a flicker of hope in his eyes whenever he manages to open them, but time is not on our side. Without timely treatment, we risk losing him. I cannot imagine a world without him in it.


We’ve already spent over ₹40 lakhs and borrowed heavily from others

My work as a rental cab driver barely earns enough to meet daily needs, let alone afford this life-saving treatment. My wife and I are exhausted, physically and emotionally, but we will not stop fighting for our son.

Please help us save him. He deserves a chance to live, to chase his dreams, and to fulfill his potential. With your support, we can bring our son back to us and give him the life he’s meant to live.

We cannot do this alone. Click here to donate.

CO
Patient Child of Gopala Krishna is 8 years old, living in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
RC
Being treated in Rainbow Children's Hospital, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

Receiving PICU Care treatment for Multiple Organ Failure

Click here to know more about Child of Gopala Krishna
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