"Can you imagine what it feels like when right in front of your eyes, your son is screaming, “Sister, My stomach is bursting! Please do something! My stomach is bursting from the inside!” My wife and I were standing by his bed side. His eyes were open, but he did not even see us and he was calling out for a nurse. He was torn apart in pain".
Jithin is 12 years old. He is the most hyperactive child you would ever meet. I’d say he has invisible wheels attached to his feet, never stands in a place for more than few minutes. He is always up to something. And that’s how we all knew our son until everything changed a week ago. Now he is in the ICU with Acute Liver Failure. My son will pull through but he needs us to believe in him and he needs a liver transplant as soon as possible.
People in the village of Kanjhikode, Palghat, know me as Chandra, the lorry driver. I am blessed to have a lot of friends in the community to help Jayanthi (wife) and I get through this situation. It happened so suddenly that we are still reeling from the shock.
The night this family will never forget
Last Monday, Jithin went by his routine going out with friends, playing with his brother. He was completely enthusiastic about his vacation. He came home tired, ate chapathi and went to sleep. But he woke up and began vomiting. He did not stop until we rushed him to a government hospital in the wee hours of the morning. The doctor prescribed medication. We were there for fluids and came back home. He was alright for a day, and again the next day the he started vomiting again so much that he got extremely weak and developed a fever. When we rushed him to another hospital, they diagnosed him with jaundice.
“Upon testing his liver, they said he has something more critical, and the hospital is not equipped to deal with it. So we moved him to another facility.”
The worst nightmare- Their son was walking towards death
At this new hospital, he was admitted for 4 days, and there was no improvement. It took us 4 government hospitals and 2 private hospitals to finally figure out that Jithin has an acute liver failure and only a liver transplant can save him.
He does not have time. He is holding onto life by a thread.
Like any other child, Jithin and his older brother Tijin love eating junk food. The family usually goes to the hotel and eat every Sunday. The boys enjoy it. Lately, Jithin refused to take even coffee at the restaurant. The unsespecting family could never have guessed the reason.
"I go to work at 5:45 AM and come back late in the night. I am not around for my boys most of the time, and I wish I was. I could have probably prevented this. Nobody can stop him from racing to an ice cream shop or a masala puri store to buy something to eat. Could it be the food or the water that did this to him?"
Back at a government hospital, when he was diagnosed with jaundice, his stomach was bloated due to fluid accumulation. He was finding it difficult to go to the toilet. His mother would go with him. Once, he asked her,
“Amma, I feel like something is going to happen to me. Like I am going to die. This is going to kill me, isn’t it? It is very painful Amma. Please tell me I’m going to be alright.”
My wife broke down when she told me. For a minute my heart stopped. How do we console a child who says something like this?
Every doctor said the same thing when we asked how the symptoms never showed until now. He was so active that he would have just shrugged off the fatigue and pushed through it. If it was anyone else, we would have succumbed to it long ago. Jithin probably did not realize he was sick. He was always bouncing and never let anything stop him, until the symptoms got the better of him.
He is in so much pain, much more than what a 12-year-old could tolerate
Every day the complications are increasing. Sometimes he does not tell us, sometimes he is not conscious of what is happening to him. He was in the ICU for the longest days. My wife is a match. All tests are done. We are just short of funds, and if it is an emergency we cannot lose our son because we do not have the money.
"My friends have been my pillar of strength until now. They have sent me every rupee necessary to keep my son alive. Whatever they earn even if it is Rs. 10 or Rs. 20, they pool it together, talk to someone at the bus stand, taxi stand or a passing lorry to come deliver it to us in Kochi. Last night, after a terrible complication, I had a large bill to pay. They immediately got some money ready and sent it through a passing vehicle this morning. I do not know what I would have done without them."
His parents appeal for help
Jithin is in a limbo right now. We are doing our best to keep our child alive. When the moment comes, we need your help to make sure he gets his liver transplant. It is the only thing that can help him survive. The cost is estimated between Rs. 16-18 Lakhs. We cannot afford this, and we need your help.
How you can help
Jithin is just 12 years old. He is a boy who can do wonders with the kind of talent he has. He never shows any weakness. Our support will save him.
Supporting Documents
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 Jithin
Click here to save Jithin
