Mumbai: Mystery samaritan saves the day for 75-year-old

Mumbai News, 55-year-old Colaba resident, employee's surgery, arthritis, Shivmurat Trilobhkashyap, carpenter, rare defect, successful surgery, anonymous helper, Good Samaritan, Mumbai

In today's fast-paced world where man has increasingly become self-centered in the pursuit of material comfort, rarely do we come across good Samaritans who take the time and effort to help the needy. Shivmurat Trilobhkashyap (75), who was unable to walk for the past 15 years, got a new lease of life, thanks to one such anonymous well-wisher.

Shivmurat Trilobhkashyap underwent a five-hour-long operation at Nanavati Hospital, which involved three surgical techniques. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The septuagenarian suffered from Synovial Osteochondromatosis - a condition that leads to the internal degradation of the knee bone and formation of other small bones on the sides. This led to gradual deformity of his knees. Before being rendered completely immobile, the carpenter, who polished furniture, walked with the help of a long stick.

"I wasn't aware that my condition would become so serious," said the Khar resident. After visiting numerous hospitals, he finally met Dr Farhad Taraporewala at Breach Candy Hospital who forwarded the case to Dr Pradeep Bhosale, director of Arthritis and joint replacement surgery at Nanavati Hospital. "I suggested an immediate operation. This was a rare condition. One out of 10 lakh people suffer from this," said Dr Bhosale.

Shivmurat Trilobhkashyap with Dr Pradeep Bhonsle. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

But it was impossible for Trilobhkashyap to bear the cost of the surgery. When he had given up hope, a well-wisher, who was his one-time employer, stepped in and donated about R5.5 lakh. R4.25 lakh was used for the implant surgery that was conducted on January 23 while the rest will be given to him for his rehabilitation post recovery. The good Samaritan who resides at Colaba told sunday mid-day on condition of anonymity, "My sister too had been bedridden due to severe arthritis. My heart went out to this old man who is a thorough professional in his work. I did this in memory of my late sister."

What was the surgery about?
Dr Bhosale conducted a five-hour-long operation at Nanavati Hospital that involved three different surgical techniques. The first included balancing the soft tissues on both sides of the bone. The second involved a prosthesis implant with the insertion of an extra rod. While in the third, the bone was reconstructed with the help of ‘bone graft' - which involved filling up the gaps with an additional bone. "It was essential to complete all the three surgical techniques accurately to ensure that Trilobhkashyap could start walking again," he said.

When quizzed about the support of his one-time employer, Trilobhkashyap, who will be discharged in a day or two, said, "I'm grateful to her and Dr Bhosale who gave me a new lease of life. I'm glad that I'm now able to walk without any support."