Eman’s sister coached her to be hostile towards us: Mumbai hospital staff

Thirty-six year old Egyptian, Eman Ahmed, who will soon take a flight to Abu Dhabi for further weight-loss treatment, has left her caregivers and nurses in the city with mixed emotions.

Ahmed, who supposedly weighed 500kg before her bariatric surgery, was all smiles when she arrived in Mumbai on February 11. Nearly three months later, she no longer greets her nurses with a smile.

“She used to give us flying kisses and wish us good morning, but not anymore,” said Tasneem Fidvi, head of administration

Eman’s caregivers said that her sister, Shaimaa Selim, ‘coached’ Eman to be hostile towards the hospital staff.

Dr Sameer Al Ghamdi, a fellow in Dr Muffazal Lakhdawala’s team who understands Arabic, said Selim ‘believed’ that her sister would have started walking after her surgery in Mumbai. “She is upset that once Eman returns to Egypt, nobody will help her. Selim has asked Eman not talk or smile at the hospital staff,” he said.

EMAN’S INCREDIBLE WEIGHT-LOSS

Preparations underway to fly Eman to Abu Dhabi Medical experts from Abu Dhabi-based VPS Healthcare are looking for a chartered aircraft to take Egyptian Eman Ahmed — formerly the world’s heaviest woman at 504kg —from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi for rehabilitation. A doctor said that a special hydraulic stretcher is being brought from Italy and VPS is looking for an ambulance that can take her to the airport.

How spat between Shaimaa and Saifee Hospital unfolded

• After Egyptian Eman Ahmed lost 242kg, doctors discuss with her sister Shaimaa the possibility to discharge her. But Shaimaa refused to agree to the discharge. Doctors claim Shaimaa wanted them to treat Eman until she is able to stand and walk.
• He said that chances of Eman walking are difficult but not impossible.
• As doctors waited for Eman’s weight to fall to 200kg, Shaimaa allegedly forced them get Eman’s CT scan done immediately. The doctors told her about the unavailability of a machine in which Eman can fit in.
• Shaimaa released a video on social media, accusing doctors of Saifee Hospital of lying about Eman’s weight loss. She claimed that Eman suffered three strokes, was not able to talk and has pale blue skin. She further accused the doctors of medical negligence and said that she doesn’t trust them anymore.
• Dr Aprna Govil Bhaskar, section head of bariatric surgery at the hospital quit from the team along with a few other doctors. She called the incident disheartening and unfortunate. Dr Lakdawala said he would continue to treat Eman.
• Saifee Hospital released images of Eman being weighed at 176.6kg. They performed a CT scan which showed no signs of stroke after her admission in Saifee and a video of Eman performing physiological tasks.
• VPS Healthcare, a multi-specialty hospital in Abu Dhabi came forward, on Shaimaa’s request to continue Eman’s treatment. Shaimaa said she did not trust Indian or Egyptian doctors and would opt for treatment by the Dubai hospital.
• Shaimaa allegedly fed Eman water against the doctors’ instructions, and manhandled nurses. Saifee Hospital authorities informed local police station about the incident.

"Our primary goal was to make Eman sit and we had told the family that she will have to return to Egypt after losing weight and visit Mumbai for physiotherapy sessions and medical intervention"
-DR MUFFAZZAL LAKDAWALA, Saifee Hospital

“For the past one week, Eman has been unresponsive. She does not wish anyone and does not follow instructions during physiotherapy sessions,” said Shirley Koshy, nurse in-charge, whose only job for the past three months was to take care of Eman at Saifee Hospital. She says she hasn’t visited her ailing mother in Kerala who is undergoing chemotherapy, just to take care of Eman.

“Earlier, we used to play Arabic music for her and she used to smile and shake her body like she was dancing,” she added Koshy.

Eman’s caregivers talked about how two weeks ahead of her arrival, preparations were in full swing. “We had two full-time nurses, a resident doctor and a security guard just dedicated to her. When she arrived, she wanted to have chicken sandwiches and custard, which we had prepared for her,” said Carlyne Remedios, head of nutrition.

The team added that they also took special care of Selim, who has accused doctors at Saifee Hospital of lying to the world about Eman’s weight loss. “When Shaima arrived, she wanted to go out to restaurants. We ordered food for her. We also took her out shopping whenever she wanted to, and now she says we didn’t take care of them. Isn’t she being ungrateful?” said. When HT reached out to Selim, she said she didn’t want to talk to the media.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Shaina NC, on Saturday came out in full support of doctors at Saifee Hospital. She said, a progress report of Eman’s journey will be submitted to the chief minister. “What doctors here did was a gesture of goodwill and her sister (Shaimaa) is assassinating the characters of the doctors and spoiling their reputation,” she said.

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Preparations underway to fly Eman to Abu Dhabi on Sunday

First Published: Apr 30, 2017 00:45 IST