At Paras Hospital, accounts of life-saving procedures

Srinagar, Aug 20: In a heart-warming event at Paras Hospital Srinagar today, people having undergone CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery (CVTS) shared their personal journeys of overcoming severe, life-threatening cardiac challenges.

The hospital's and Dr Syed Asrar Qadri’s expertise in handling complex cases was evident through the accounts and experiences of patients, and the positive outlook they had towards a long, healthy life.

A standout story came from Asim Bashir, a 26-year-old from Sopore. He was an active footballer and biker with no prior health issues, until one day in the month of Ramadhan last year. His ordeal began with sudden weakness after Iftari. Sensing it did not feel like the usual feeling of fatigue, he visited a local chemist to check his blood pressure. It was low and continued dropping through the night. The chemist attributed his sudden onset of weakness to fasting. However, his condition worsened over the night and the next morning, and he consulted a physician. The physician asked him to get an ECG done.

Asim had a life-threatening issue in one of his artery and that required immediate attention. Given his young age, most friends and relatives advised him to visit renowned private hospitals outside J&K for the operation. However, one doctor recommended Paras Hospital and Dr. Syed Asrar Ahmed. "From my first meeting, I knew I was in the best hands," Bashir said. He expressed his confidence in the team that successfully treated him.

Another patient, a woman who had shown no prior symptoms of heart disease, shared her inspiring story of survival. She was diagnosed with a 7cm tumor in her heart, was rushed to the hospital with low oxygen saturation. “Within just one hour of arrival, I underwent a complex surgery, that’s was the kind of urgency and the set-up preparedness to handle emergencies,” she told the audience. After her tumor was removed, the subsequent biopsy it was an aggressive carcinoma. She said the follow-up consultations at renowned institutions across country, including the Tata Memorial Institute in Mumbai, showed the precision of the procedure. “Doctors there praised the work, told me to convey their appreciation to the CVTS surgeon at Paras Hospital,” she said.

Another patient, Gulzar Ahmed, described the transformation a surgery made to his life. From a debilitating weakness to a renewed vitality and an outlook to a long life. Before treatment, he said, he was unable to walk even 10 steps without collapsing and could not speak a single sentence without becoming breathless. “My heart was diseased,” he said, emotions filling his voice. He underwent extensive procedures lasting 36 hours. "And you can see the results, I am delivering a speech on my experience," he said. He addressed the audience effortlessly, spoke confidently.

The event highlighted the life-changing impact of timely and expert cardiac interventions at Paras Hospital. Patients appreciated the hospital's team for not only saving lives but also restoring their quality of life. They acknowledged that world-class care is accessible within the J&K.