My Success Story - My Heart Beats with Hers

It was a miserable hot Sunday of April 12, 1970, in Lahore, Pakistan when I fractured my cervical spine in the shallow water of Lahore city canal. As I dived, my head hit the sand; legs poled up over my head and then fell down to right side. After a moment, I felt that water is running over me. I tried my best to come up but there was neither sensation nor any movement in my body.

It was a miserable hot Sunday of April 12, 1970, in Lahore, Pakistan when I fractured my cervical spine in the shallow water of Lahore city canal.

As I dived, my head hit the sand; legs poled up over my head and then fell down to right side. After a moment, I felt that water is running over me. I tried my best to come up but there was neither sensation nor any movement in my body. So I believed to be drowned and dead but a sparkling wish waved in my mind for the life. I prayed to God Almighty for an escape and suddenly a vortex swirled me back to the bank. I was in full senses but totally motionless. Some people noticed me and get me out of water. All this happened within seconds. After some time, I was taken to Services Hospital by a horse-driven tonga and shifted to Mayo Hospital late at night. At then, I was just 16, have passed my Secondary School Examination in 1st division and in a process to getting admission in a college.

Next, it's a shocking zig zag story, yet hard to recall and maybe unpleasant to read. But let me brief it to show the degree of my inconveniences while in bed. In Mayo Hospital Lahore, I was diagnosed as "burst fracture of C-5" (see our picture of the human spine) and a group of senior doctors headed by Dr. Sardar Ali Sheikh unanimously decided to apply fish-hooks’ traction.

Next day, I was taken to Operation Theater where Dr. Ghazanfar Ali Shah made holes in my sideburns and attached fish-hooks there, and a weight of 15 pounds was imposed to traction for 12 weeks.

I spent first four months in a state of motionless body... no sensations… semi-consciousness... highest 107.2°F temperature... painful fish-hook cervical traction... neurogenic bladder and profound bedsores. After improving some sensations and perceptions, I was shifted to General Hospital Lahore for the recovery of my bedsores. So, I spent next eight months there until my bedsores completely healed. And when I moved back to home after almost a year, a new era began to fight for life and struggle to chalk out my future. Great efforts for the restoration of my health and ability to walk back were made. All available health specialists and peers were contacted. A variety of treatments i.e Allopathy, Homeopathy, Herbal, Hydropathy, and Spiritual were practiced but time elapsed faster and faster without a certain miracle. Thus, days accumulated to months and months made up years. However, after a constant period of 2½ years, while using mix treatments and performing physiotherapy, I was somehow developed to stand and walk with the help of crutches first and with a high stick later. My sensations were also restored partially and I was categorized to "Left-sided hemi-plegic".

In 1974, I was operated twice. First, my urinary bladder was operated for a stone removal. The famous urologist Dr. Imtiaz of Hajrah Memorial Clinic did a successful attempt. Second, for the rectification of my spinal cord - decompression by laminectomy, famous neurologist of that time Prof. Dr. Bashir Ahmed did the operation after a great discussion which was severely unsuccessful. My sensations diminish and I lost my ability to walk even with crutches. My capacity of writing weakened as severely that I was unable to even holding my pen. Thus, this futile operation badly affected my daily routines and I was somehow more dependent than before. To restore my pre-operative condition, several certain efforts were made with the help of physiotherapy but I couldn’t walk with crutches even after and now, a permanent wheelchair user. My latest cervical spine MRI report concludes; Post traumatic C5 compression and cord injury which has progressed to focal cord atrophy and mylomalacia.

As I grew up, my emotional attitude stricken by sudden loneliness. I need someone to talk and share my feelings with but there were no certain opportunities to avail to. In 1980, I attended an out-stationed marriage ceremony among other relatives and traveled by train. My first cousin, who was accompanying us, observed the facts, difficulties and degree of my disability very closely. In her own words, "It was first time; I felt a soft corner for someone in my heart." She doesn’t express her feelings to me and we came back without any emotional incident rather spent a pleasure time among families. After a few months, we were gathered again in a local marriage ceremony and she conceived same feelings once again. Again, in her own words, "this instance was a milestone for me to decide that I will share your sorrows and spend my life with you. I felt, I was pushing towards you by a vital force magnetically. I believe; God revealed me to do that."

After a few months, (first time in her life) she approached to my house all alone and acknowledged her feelings in a daring manner. I was shocked and hard to believe because I was totally ignorant about her two repetitive mindsets. In later months, we correspond often and she visited me frequently to better understand each other. It gave us courage and spirit and at last leads us to decide to marry. Before any extreme action, my father visited her father for a favour but he refused as we were expected. Thus, using our legal right of self-determination was our last option and with the court orders, we have our nikah on December 20, 1981.

On December 29, 1981, I was invited to read a paper about disability and its consequences; entitled “ Kiya Mazoori Aik Roag Hai?” in a seminar; conducted in relevance to “1981-International Year for the Disabled Persons” embraced by the United Nations; well-echoed globally and observed in Pakistan as well on broad spectrum. The seminar was organized at Hotel Flatti's, Lahore under the banner of Anjuman-e-Bahali-e-Mazooran, Lahore; headed by Mr. Jamshaid Pirzada and presided over by Mr. Zakir Hussain Qureshi Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Religious Affairs, Punjab. After my speech, a handicap lady Mrs. Mussarat Piracha asked about my activities. As I replied, “I’m free at home”, she said, “a person with such bright thinking shouldn’t stay at home”. She offered me to work with her in a Girls High School she was running since long.

Being grateful to God, I accepted her offer and joined the office with great enthusiasm and passion on January 4, 1982 as PRO (Public Relation Officer). The lady provided me a wheelchair as gift to use at home which brought huge comfort to my life. My younger brothers were responsible to pick and drop me from home to office in a hand-driven tri-cycle which I was accustomed to use since last three years. Of course, they paid their duty very honestly and with great favour, for that I always have great respect and love for them. As far as my service is concerned, I believed; my nikah opened a new door of fortune to me.

Next year, in August 1982, we got married as my in-laws agreed upon “rukhsati” in a blessing manner and I brought my wife to my little paradise filled with love, harmony, and hope. In the later years, we struggled a lot for our better living and brighter future by understanding and accommodating each other. We mutually played a considerable role to cope with ups and downs and never loose our courage and faith. There were so many instances that shook our courage but we remain in the arena, sharing our regrets and pleasures among ourselves. With our performance, spirit, and passion for life we become flourishing and independent year after year. We furnished our home with household facilities that make our life easy. Later, I got patient lifter, new wheelchair and tri-wheeler auto motorcycle that brings a lot of comfort to our life as we were more independent and able to enjoy our life, the way we like.

My literary thirst well quenched at school platform, where I done a great creative work, introduced my designing capabilities by giving extra time even after school hours. While I got computer training well beside my service in late afternoons, my medical problem get worse and worst due to constant sittings; resulting pressure sores. At last, in the capacity of Manager, I resigned heavy-heartedly on medical grounds after a continuous service of 18+ years without claiming any retirement benefits. Now with the mercy of God, I’m running my own home-based computer training institute with full capacity and all of my multi-natured activities are focused on it. With great pride, I’m providing special training facilities and discounts to special persons with wheelchair access in my institute located at Sanda Kalan, Lahore.

 Alhamdo Lillah, we are spending a satisfied and happy matrimonial life with a live example for the society. Despite, we are still childless; she never let me think about my disability. I believe she is the "best of all the best" in the world. If there are women who have privilege to claim Jannah with their good deeds, my wife is one of them. She is always supporting, loving, caring and compromising and no doubt she makes my life a paradise on this earth! She is a symbol of love, courage, compromise and sacrifice. In August 2007, we have celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary (silver jubilee) with great pride.

Have a nice day and stay blessed!
With Best Wishes & Regards

ajmalbeig
Lahore, Pakistan.
Email: naz54@wol.net.pk
URL: ajmalbeig.addr.com

Life is not a race. do take it slower,
Hear the music, before the song is over.

Email article    Print