Nagpur: In a world where everyone seems to be selfish in some way or the other and do not have feelings for their own parents or relatives, are not sensitive to the needs of others, a young couple from Nagpur decided to donate the eyes of their infant daughter who passed away on November 28, 2014, six days after birth, at the Government Medical College and Hospital.
This was first baby for the couple, Deepak Naranje aged 30 years and his wife Deekshapali aged 23 years, residents of a modest home in Rahate Nagar. They had many plans for their baby and had even chosen the name Deepaksha which was combining the alphabets from their first names if the baby happened to be a girl.
In an exclusive interview with Nagpur Today, father of the baby, Deepak Suresh Naranje aged 30 years said that he is not a highly qualified person. He claimed that he is just a B.Com graduate, who is working as Security Supervisor with MIHAN India Limited.
While explaining the chain of events, Deepak said that right from 4 months to 9 months, his wife Deekshapali Naranje aged 23 years had gone to Medical College for regular check-ups. In the 7th month, however, she had developed some Thyroid problem. But the doctors attending to her said that this will have no adverse effect on the baby. The couple was assured that the baby is absolutely normal and that they need not worry.
When her due date arrived, she was admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on November 19, 2014. Another funny incident reported was that the Chief Doctor of the Labour ward could not hear the heart-beats of the foetus, which almost all the other doctors could hear.
The couple was told that the delivery will be a Cesarean delivery. However, on November 20, 2014, the doctors told the couple that they will go with normal delivery only. The doctors administered the injection that induces labour pain. The labour pain started at 7:00 to 7:30 pm. The pain increased at 11:30 pm. The doctors checked her and found that the fluid of the Amniotic sac was broken and the water had oozed out. The senior doctor allegedly just left the lady there. Finally at 5:17 am on November 21, 2014, the baby girl was delivered. The baby weighed 2 kilos and 900 grams. However, the baby did not cry. Sensing something amiss, the doctors rushed the baby to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). There the team of doctors examined the new born baby and found that some of the nerves near the skull was damaged. The nerves going to brain was swollen and is not able to send oxygen to the brain. The infant was put on Heart-lung machine.
The doctors called Deepak Naranje and informed her that the baby is critical and the chance of her survival is only 30-40%. The doctors added that even if she survives, she will be severely mentally deranged.
This news practically shattered the father of the new-born infant. He could not continue to sit in one place since the words of the doctor kept ringing in his ears. He knew the baby may not survive. He even tried to ask the doctors if by taking the infant to any private hospital, would there be any chance of her survival, the doctors of the NICU told him that he can if he wishes to, but they are trying everything that they can to ensure the survival of the baby.
The shattered father wanted to take a walk so that it could soothe his frayed nerves. As he was walking out, he saw the banner of Hemant Karkare’s wife appealing people to donate organs. As he moved ahead, he also saw a small sticker stuck on the wall which read “Jeetey Jee, Rakhta Daan, Marne Key Baad, Netra Daan” meaning donate blood, while you live and donate your eyes after death.
Inspired by this he went back to the NICU and talked to the in-charge of NICU. He asked her if his baby’s organs could be donated. The in-charge of the NICU was at first astounded. She could not believe the noble intentions of the father, Deepak who has just learnt that his baby will not survive for long. However, she advised him that many vital organs of the babies are usually not developed well and only the eyes can be donated.
Deepak could not gather courage to ask his wife about the donation, since he had told his wife that since the baby did not cry after birth, they have kept the baby in NICU and are treating her. He then went to his in-laws and informed them about the status of the baby and of his intentions of donating her eyes. Realizing the noble intentions of their son-in-law, they told him that they supported him in his intentions. His parents too supported him. He then went and signed the eye donation form.
Finally the baby breathed her last at 5:17 pm on November 27. The eyes were removed. The father Deepak Naranje told Nagpur Today that when he decided to donate the eyes, he felt that, “If she has to go, let her do something for the welfare of someone as she departs from the earth.
No! Deepak is not very religious minded or spiritually inclined as he claimed. He claims that he believes in Baba Saheb Ambedkar and Budhism. Having learnt about it now but still struggling to come to terms with her child’s death, Deekshapali said she stood by her husband’s decision. We’ve lost her but it’ll be good if her eyes help someone get vision said the fashion design graduate Deekshapali. Deekshapali is at her parent’s house trying to come out of the sadness and melancholy of her baby’s demise.
Heart-Touching incident
His elder brother’s daughter who is one year old used to be put to sleep in a swing in the living room. However, after, learning that there is going to be a baby arriving soon, she stopped sleeping on the swing, claiming that the swing is for the dada or tai (brother or sister). She had plans of playing with the small baby. In her kiddish Totla lingo, she told Nagpur Today, that her tai is in the hospital and will soon come home. Nagpur Today staff did not gather courage to negate her claims and break a tiny heart.
