118 days on ECMO, life support; Frontline warrior conquers death to bounce back to life

| 6 min read

• In honor of the frontline warrior’s service to the UAE and his fighting spirit, VPS Healthcare has announced a financial aid of AED 250 thousand, job for his wife, sponsor the education of his child

• The COVID-19 infection had damaged the lungs and other organs of the Indian expat who lay in a semi-conscious state for over six months in the ICU

Abu Dhabi: Arunkumar M Nair, a 38-year-old frontline warrior from India, has done the impossible. He has conquered death. An OT technician who fought the pandemic on the frontlines has made a miraculous comeback in life after contracting COVID-19 that had damaged his lungs and pushed him into an unconscious state for six months. He has finally got discharged from the hospital on Thursday.

In honor of his service to the nation and his fighting spirit, VPS Healthcare presented him with a financial aid of AED 250 thousand. Arun’s Emirati colleagues handed over him the financial assistance at a function organized at Burjeel Hospital on Thursday to celebrate his recovery. The healthcare group will offer a job to his wife and will take up the expense of the education of his child.

In the half-year-long battle against COVID-19 and the critical complications induced by it, Arun breathed and sustained his life with the support of an artificial lung (ECMO machine). During the period, he endured multiple complexities, including a cardiac arrest. He also underwent several procedures, such as tracheostomy and bronchoscopy.

Thank you to God and the doctors

It’s less than a month since Arun moved to a room in Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi. For over five months, he was in the ICU of the hospital on a life-support system.

Tears rolled down his cheeks while Arun recalled what had happened to him. His last memory is he gasping for breath at a quarantine facility and swiftly moved to a hospital. He has no memory of what he had undergone in the past six months. 

“I do not remember anything. I know I had barely escaped from the jaws of death,” said Arun in a trembling voice. 

“Thank you to God for blessing me with a new life. It is the strength of the prayers of my family, friends, and hundreds of others that I am alive today. I do not have words to thank them for their support and care. Also, a million thanks to Dr. Tarig and his team for the exceptional care they have given to me. I now realize that if it were not for their constant efforts, I would not have got a second chance at life. My family and I will always be indebted to Burjeel Hospital and Dr. Tarig for this new life,” added Arun.

Recap; What happened to Arun?

Arun contracted COVID-19 in mid-July 2021 while working as part of the COVID-19 task force at LLH Hospital, Abu Dhabi. He has been working as an OT Technician at the hospital since 2013. 

After testing positive for COVID-19, Arun moved to a quarantine facility as per DOH protocol. However, a few days later, his condition worsened to a state that he had to gasp for breath.

Swiftly shifted to the hospital, a thorough checkup found Arun’s lungs were severely infected. On 31 July 2021, the doctors put him on ECMO support as he could not breathe naturally. He did only come out of it after 118 days.    

Wife and son arrive in Abu Dhabi

Arun showed signs of improvement in the beginning and responded well to medication. But gradually, the progress declined. His condition continued to be critical, and hope began to fade. 

Arun had not communicated that he had tested positive for COVID-19 to his family in India. He had just informed them that he would not make any calls due to a special arrangement in the duty. 

“We did not suspect anything wrong as he was working as part of the COVID-19 task force. But when we received the call from the hospital, we could not believe it,” said his wife, Jenny George, who is also a healthcare worker. 

“I did not know what to do. Arun is the lone breadwinner for the family. The news came as a huge blow for Arun’s parents and me. We were broken and anxiously pushed days praying for his good health and speedy recovery. We did not even have food for several days,” she added. 

The daily updates from the hospital were not comforting. Arun’s condition was deteriorating. “I felt helpless and desperate. Arun was planning to come to India in August for our housewarming. He had not even seen the baby for over a year then. He had last come when the baby was only three months old,” said Jenny. 

“It was a grueling situation for us. But I know I had to do be strong. My brother works here in the UAE. Arun’s friends were also helpful. The management helped me to secure a visa and made arrangements to travel to Abu Dhabi,” she added. 

Endures multiple cardiac arrests

Jenny arrived with two-and-a-half-year-old baby Arjun Arunkumar in Abu Dhabi. VPS Healthcare had arranged accommodation and other facilities for them. 

“Arun was in the ICU. It’s been about a month then. He showed no signs of progress. I spoke with the doctor, who reassured me that they were doing their best. Though I knew he was in a critical condition, I was hopeful. But when I first saw him in the ICU bed with tubes all over his body, I could not believe my eyes. For the first time, I felt like he would not make it,” said Jenny. 

“I was completely broken. But the medical team at Burjeel, VPS management, and Arun’s friends were of great help. They supported me and filled me with positivity,” she added.

On one of those days, Jenny received a panic call from the hospital. “The nurse told me that Arun had suffered a cardiac arrest during a bronchoscopy procedure, and the medical team is trying their best to resuscitate him. She asked me to come quickly to the hospital. I ran with the baby in my hand. There I saw Arun fighting for life. I saw a straight line on the monitor. I became numb. I cannot remember I was crying or not. But then suddenly, Dr. Tarig found a pulse of life, and he got him back.

“Dr. Tarig is God for us. If it had been any other doctor, I do not think Arun would be alive today. We will always be indebted to him and will remember Dr. Tarig, the entire medical team, and the hospital management in our prayers for their sincere efforts in saving the life of Arun,” said Jenny. 

I have not seen a fighter like him: Dr. Tarig

“Arun is a great fighter. I have never seen one like him in my career,” said Dr. Tarig Ali Mohamed Elhassan, Department head of cardiac surgery at Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, who had treated Arun since the beginning. 

According to the doctor, Arun’s condition was critical from day one. “His lungs had failed, and it was beyond repair. He was breathing only with the support of an ECMO machine. And this continued for about 118 days. In a normal case, the recovery would have been impossible. This is why Arun’s recovery is a miracle to all of us. He even endured a cardiac arrest while his body was weak. His fighting spirit is remarkable,” added Tarig, who said he and his team are profoundly happy to witness this rare recovery experience and will cherish this recovery for their lifetime. 

The doctor explained that Arun’s lungs and other organs are functioning perfectly now. However, his body is yet to regain strength. So Arun should continue with regular physiotherapy and rehab. 

“It might take some time for Arun to get back to normal life. Hopefully, he can get back to duty in a month or two. He has achieved the impossible. His grit is astonishing, and he will succeed,” said Dr. Tarig. 

VPS Healthcare and Emirati colleagues announce an aid of Rs. 50 lakh

VPS Healthcare Chairman and Managing Director, Dr. Shamsheer Vayalil has announced financial assistance of Rs. 50 lakh to support him. The group will offer a job to his wife, who is a professional nurse, and will take up the expense of the education of his child. The financial assistance was offered to Arun in honor of his service to the UAE and his fighting spirit.

“At VPS Healthcare, we are a family, and all of us share the pain and happiness of all our members. Arun is an integral member of our family, and we are committed to ensuring his well-being. We will continue to support him and his family in the future and will extend all help to secure him the best treatment in the coming days. We wish him a speedy recovery and are waiting for him to join us back soon,” said Dr. Shamsheer. 

The medical team who treated Arun, his colleagues, friends, and the management representatives attended the function with his family. All attendees wore a face mask that had Arun’s face imprinted on it.

Minnal Murali surprise 

To the surprise of Arun and his family, Minnal Murali star Tovino Thomas joined the function live and wished him the best. 

The Indian film artiste said though he enacted the role of a superhero in his latest hit “Minnal Murali”, it is people like Arun who are superheroes in real life. 

“I am and can only be a superhero in reel. But the real superheroes are millions of frontline warriors like Arun fighting the pandemic from the front. Humankind would eternally be indebted to them for their commitment and resilience in saving the world from a deadly virus,” said Tovino. 

Fly to India 

Arun and his family thanked VPS Healthcare and the Burjeel medical team for their support and care during the difficult situation in their life. He will fly back to India with his family soon to visit his parents and continue his physiotherapy there. Arun is confident to join back on duty next month.