mid-day reporter recounts her journey with Eman Ahmed all the way

Room 701, where Eman spent her days during treatment, has been locked after her departure. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Eman Ahmed, perhaps the most celebrated patient in the world, who just two months back held the title of the world's heaviest woman, left Mumbai yesterday after 82 days in Saifee Hospital. It was anyway going to be tough for the hospital staffers to say goodbye to her; the fact that they had to in such a hurried and abrupt manner made it worse for them.

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Not a single eye was dry in room 701, as her nurses and caretakers hugged her one last time. And honestly, it wasn't easy for me either, saying goodbye. Yes, I know, I am just a messenger, whose job is to report facts. As taught in journalism colleges a reporter should never develop any attachment with her stories. But in this case, I am making an exception, because it wasn't just a one-day story for me. Since December 7, when mid-day broke the news that Eman would come here for treatment, it gained the attention of the international media. And thus began my roller-coaster ride.

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Calling Cairo for Shaimaa
When newspapers across the world were following the story, I was hunting down Shaimaa for an interview. I couldn't find her on any social media platform, and Dr Muffazal Lakdawala, Eman's treating doctor, wasn't ready to share her contact details either, due to doctor-patient confidentiality.

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So, I started getting in touch with all my contacts, and finally, a well-known bariatric surgeon in Gujarat helped me out with the number of a surgeon in Cairo. And then, from one source to another, I kept calling up several surgeons in Egypt.

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Proof of that is the Rs 4,000 phone bill I paid that month, courtesy the numerous ISD calls! The language barrier was the most challenging aspect, as most people in Egypt I got in touch with only spoke Arabic. At times, I would be on my computer, furiously typing my questions on Google Translate, and then asking them out loud into the phone in my Bengali accent, making my colleagues laugh their hearts out. In the end, it all paid off, as finally, after a few days, I got mail! - an email with Shaimaa's number in it, sent by one of the several reporters I had contacted. And that was my day to shout my heart out.

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28 hours and standing
On December 13, I spoke to Shaimaa. The next day, mid-day published the interview, her first in India. Never did I think that the story would become so big and become such an important part of my career.

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Gradually, Shaimaa started trusting me, and I continued with my Arabic translations, which I would send her to make it easier for her to understand me. In the meantime, it came out that Saifee Hospital, at a cost of R2 crore, had constructed a special OT for Eman without taking permission from the BMC. We ran the story, and the hospital had to pull it down after the BMC sent them a notice.

Also read - Interview: Dr Muffazal Lakdawala opens up about Eman Ahmed's surgery, her family's allegations

But even though Eman's special room was no longer standing, like crores of Mumbaikars, and Indians, I, too, was waiting for her to arrive. And she did on February 11. That day, along with several other reporters, I ran behind her truck for a glimpse. And that was also the day when I set a record of my own - working non-stop for almost 28 hours with no sleep. I still remember Dr Lakdawala looking at me and addressing me in front of all other mediapersons, saying, "Rupsa, take a break and sleep."

Also read - Mumbai: We did not want her to go this way, say Eman Ahmed's nurses at Saifee Hospital

Breaking news on flight
On March 9, I had an early morning flight home to Kolkata, but just a few minutes past midnight, I got to know that Eman had undergone her first bariatric surgery. I had to file the story for the evening edition before boarding my flight at 6.30 am. There I was, typing away on my phone, begging the airhostess to just give me a few minutes, as she impatiently huffed and puffed around, not to mention the dirty looks fellow passengers kept throwing at me. It was a miracle I wasn't deplaned!

The fact that my parents, whenever they call, first ask me about Eman, and then, how I am doing is testament to how obsessively I have stalked her and everything and everyone related to her.

Of jokes, music and celebrations
We broke several stories on Eman, which were picked up by media outlets across the country. Our senior photographer, Pradeep Dhivar, also managed to get the first exclusive photograph of Eman in her special room at Saifee Hospital. It earned him a flying kiss, from none other than Eman herself.

Like crores of people across the world, we, reporters, who had been covering the story, prayed for her health. We laughed with her whenever she felt strong enough to crack jokes, celebrated when she jigged to Arabic music on her bed, and punched the air in triumph when she lost those hundreds of kilos.

So invested in this woman and her story we were, it, therefore, saddened us when things turned ugly after Shaimaa made allegations against Saifee Hospital and decided to take Eman to Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi for further treatment.

I am not a medical specialist, so I won't comment on the controversy. The fact remains that she's gone, but not without leaving us with tons of memories and her smiling face. Here's wishing you the best, Eman. Do visit us again after you recover fully. We will be waiting for you.