Vivek Bhandari's Battle with Rare Spinal Cord Disease and Financial Strain

Kathmandu. Time, luck, and willpower. These three things hold special meaning in every ups and downs and climbs and descents of life. In the life of Vivek Bhandari of Rautahat Chandrapur, these three things have both supported him and left him at different turns. When time supported him, luck became distant, and when both time and luck were gone, willpower stood as the strongest pillar. In his current situation, willpower is his closest companion.

Vivek, 40, needs to be recapped from four years ago. After a long time in the teaching profession, not achieving the desired financial progress, a few months after marriage, he left his wife Shashi Rajbhandari in Kathmandu and headed to the UAE. His wife was teaching at the primary level in a private school in Kathmandu. Vivek, who was earning a decent income in the UAE, found work difficult when the COVID pandemic spread globally. He returned to Nepal. However, a few months after returning to Nepal, while staying at home, his legs stopped moving, and his back started to hurt unbearably.

He got checked by doctors - they said 'nerves are compressed in a dozen places'. Vivek was shocked, how did such a disease occur without any accident or incident? The doctors also didn't have an answer to the question, but this was the reality. According to doctors, Vivek had a rare health problem.

What was not to happen, has happened. Now, the only option was to move forward with treatment. He consulted with senior neurosurgeons and orthopedic specialists in Nepal. All advised surgery. But he chose India for surgery and underwent spinal surgery in Delhi. The surgery was completed in about 6 hours, and it took a few hours to regain consciousness. After the surgery, his physical condition became more critical. He could neither get up nor walk. Without the support of his wife, father, and mother, he became unable to do anything. At that time, he thought - will I die now?

But as they say, as long as there is breath, there is hope, and as long as there is courage, the impossible can become possible. Vivek strengthened his morale. 'I had cried enough, tears had already flowed from my eyes. But I must get well, I must live for one of the two children of the family, for my mother, father, wife, and sister, this came from the bottom of my heart. I strengthened my own morale,' Vivek said emotionally to RatoPati, 'My wife's role in this is beyond words.'

After the operation in Allahabad, India, the doctors advised him - 'You can recover with therapy for three-four years.' The doctors gave him hope, his morale was also increasing, but the treatment cost was very frightening. Vivek, from a lower-middle-class family, had already spent 60 lakh rupees on treatment. Therapy cost about 2 lakh Nepali rupees per month. How to arrange such expenses, he saw no way. The first phase of treatment had already been spent by borrowing from family and mortgaging the house. Then, with no other option, the only way was to appeal for help publicly.

Then, he continuously appealed for help with treatment through social media. Some national media outlets wrote news about his health condition. Somehow, he managed to gather some funds to continue his treatment process in Delhi. After that, Vivek, along with his wife Shashi, rented a small room in Delhi and departed from Nepal for the second time for treatment.

It seems Vivek's morale must be admired; it is inspiring for others. With treatment and therapy for the last two years, Vivek has started to recover. Previously unable to stand without a walker, he can now walk a few meters with the support of crutches. His body, which previously looked like just skin and bones, is now gaining muscle. However, a storm of doubt still rages within his mind - 'Will I be able to recover completely? When will I be able to thank all the people who have helped me by recovering? And then be able to live a happy life ahead and repay their kindness.'

His physical appearance has changed somewhat, his courage and morale have increased, but the situation for Vivek and his wife Shashi is the same as two years ago. Doctors have said that the path to treatment is still long. Recently, when he came to Nepal, he also consulted with senior neurologists and nerve specialists in Nepal, and the advice was that the treatment process needs to continue for another 2-3 years. This means that if going through therapy, he needs to be prepared to bear the expenses for another three years.

Doctors have also suggested the path of another surgery. But whichever method is adopted, the cost will be very high. According to Vivek, more than one and a half crore rupees have been spent during this four-year treatment period. For another 2-3 years of therapy, a large sum of money needs to be raised at a minimum of one lakh per month. The government provides six thousand per month, which is like a drop in the ocean for him.

'I have no option but to request kind-hearted people. I want to recover and become the support and hope for my family; I have come this far with your support and cooperation,' Vivek requests with tears in his eyes, 'I want to recover and become the support and hope for my family. I cannot say how I will repay your kindness, but I will always try to repay it.'

Indeed, for the first phase of treatment, he had to spend all his assets. To have come this far is due to the support and cooperation of relatives, friends, and kind-hearted people.

'I am compelled to seek your strong support on this difficult journey. I expect your invaluable help. I humbly request you to provide any possible assistance to the account number 20015243402269 in the name of my wife Sashita Raj Bhandari at Nepal ACI Bank, Hetauda branch. I don't know how or when I will be able to repay this kindness,' he says with tearful eyes.

Vivek, who was very enthusiastic about football, is watching World Cup matches as long as his body allows. A fan of Spain, France, and Argentina, he used to teach students at school and also coach football. 'I have a lot of interest in football; I wish to play football with my students again when I recover,' he says amidst the World Cup atmosphere.

According to doctors, the disease Vivek has is a rare disease related to the spinal cord. His nerves are compressed simultaneously in his back, neck, and legs. Compression of nerves in many places makes it difficult to keep the body stable. Vivek's dedication to treatment and high morale are improving significantly, but how to bear the treatment cost? He is worried about this.

Video/Photo: MANOJ KHADKA/RATOPATI