This is neither a story, nor a mere account of sufferings I am narrating to you.  In everybody’s heart there is always a whisper which is drawn towards the welfare of the mankind.  When we get everything normally, we never hear this whisper.  As such this is drowned below the gushes of the currents of selfishness.  Here is my child who was unfortunate to react with his cry on his entry into this supreme world, struggling to be alive.  In medical terms he was subsequently termed as CP child.  It’s a common proverb “survival of the fittest”.  My child is not physically fit.  However having come into the world, shall we allow his existence be only a log of wood?  There is an unbeaten concept of motherhood.  I, with the help of my husband did our best to instill life into our child’s near motionless and lifeless body, inspite of all odds like lack of money power and knowledge power.  A ray of hope beckoned in our life in the form of Vasa concept.  Better delay than never.

My first child Rashid was born on 19^th July 2003 at Gorakhpur (UP).  He was delivered at home. Rashid’s weight at birth was just 1.75 Kg.  During delivery it was felt that there was no life in Rashid’s body, it was a lifeless body. He did not cry.  After half-an-hour of Rashid’s delivery, his condition was unstable due to which he was taken to Child Specialist. After examining the child’s condition, doctor did not see any chance for improvement and suggested admitting him to the hospital would be wastage of money. My parents insisted and doctors finally admitted him to the hospital & provided him oxygen. After 5-6 hours Rashid cried a bit and all felt relieved.  It was difficult to think   What  to explain to Rashid’s father & his grandparents who had pinned their hopes on the baby boy who is going to get fame to their race.  The tension was to mount further as there was very poor response from a baby boy Rashid in the days to come. Doctors removed his oxygen supply when ultimately a dim cry went off a frail body. The nightmare had just started.  The next day Rashid got epileptic attack. On the third day doctor advised that Rashid should be given Mother’s milk, but Rashid was not strong enough to suck Mother’s milk.

For 2-3 days Rashid was unable to open his eyes and very frail.  For 10-12 days I tried to give mother’s milk which was in vain.  We had to feed him milk through tube.  After some days doctors removed his tube & suggested to give him milk through spoon or directly provide him mother’s milk. The effort was enormous.  After one month he started taking Mother’s milk, but in a very less quantity & a small feeding used to take a long hour.  There was no visible improvement in the condition after a lapse of an year.  He lied motionless on the floor.  Within 3 months he again got epileptic attack and the medicines continued.  We were almost in shock state and could not see a way out.

Then in 12^th month we took Rashid to Mumbai thinking that Mumbai is a very big city and it has got solution to everything.   We hoped to find some good doctor who will surely treat Rashid for the good.  We approached specialist doctors in renowned hospitals like K.E.M., Hinduja, Wadia and others.  Our hopes dimmed with the stereotyped reply from the doctors without any profound assurance for the betterment in Rashid’s condition.  The only advice mattered is that the child needs to do exercise and therapy.  We were unable to understand how could a small and weak child like Rashid do exercise? Ultimately We approached a local doctor Dr. Salman in Nallasopara itself.  He made Rashid exercise for 2 months which did not bring any improvement in Rashid’s condition. He advised to consult Dr. Medini.  Dr. Medini is a doctor and occupational therapist in Hinduja hospital. She said it will take time for Rashid to improve, it could be between 2 to 4 years, he would not be like normal child.  The very word ‘improvement’ mattered the most. 6 months exercise brought some effect and Rashid started making movements.

In the meanwhile one of the acquaintances suggested that there is an Ayurvedic hospital in Coimbatore district in Tamilnadu where such ailments are treated. We at once sent Rashid’s photos and file to doctor through this acquaintance. This is the first time ever that doctor said that child would be fine in 5-7 months. Our happiness knew no bounds.  They were all set to make all out efforts to witness that day.  Rashid’s treatment started. It consisted of oil massage, flour soaked with cow’s milk would be poured in the frying pan and stirred for 20 minutes and this mixture would be applied on whole body 4 times a day.Twice a day a cloth containing salt would be heated in oil on hot pan and the whole body was dampened with this. The course of various medicines as per time schedule was displayed on the wall and the applications on Rashid’s body continued from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. without knowing whatsoever the logic and end result of all this.  In addition Rashid was made to stand by tying him with the wooden stand.

We had no clue where all the rituals were leading to. Unknown place, unknown people and unknown language.  We couldn’t even communicate properly.  Although Confused all over we went on with this in a hope that all is well which ends well but this turned out to be no less than a mirage.  Ultimately, we decided to give up.  The money we had somehow gathered was already vapored and it was not possible to support the treatment monetarily further.  Doctor was void of emotions; he did not want to allow his object out of his clutch. He put plaster on Rashid’s chest and asked parents to bring him back after 45 days.  The set for the next show was already drawn.

With a great disappointment we came back only to find ourselves that we had not even moved inch further.  Indeed it was a sigh of relief we escaped at last!  The wise thing we did was not to go back to Coimbatore instead we got the plaster removed with the help of the local doctor.  During these 4 months, exercises and therapy had come to a halt.  Again the hopeless search commenced with the piercing thought of whether Rashid would ever be fine.  Whenever anybody referred to us, may it be doctor or saint, we used to certainly try but with the diminished hope every time. Till now God’s grace never dawned upon us!

It was a horrendous experience with a saint vizAslam baba in Karnataka.  He told us to give bed bugs’ blood to Rashid which we declined outrightly.  The medicines which he gave to Rashid tasted bitter like neem leaves with a foul smell.  Now we feel what an atrocity it was on a poor child who could neither speak nor protest to push such dirty thing into his throat the very smell of which might have made anybody vomit.

Rashid used to often suffer from cold & fever. Our social life was already severed and we dared not go out with the obvious fear of Rashid’s condition getting worse.

We could not stop exercises altogether. We continued exercises under the guidance of one or the another doctor.  Speech Therapist, occupational therapist turn by turn.  We felt a slight improvement in Rashid with the doctor in Grant road.  Till now Rashid couldn’t balance his neck and he could not hold his sight on anything. There was little improvement and it was a big thing for us that he started recognizing a few things.  The expeditions continued. Grant Road via GoregaonGokuldham Medical Center to Nallasopara.  The last destination was Dr. Salman at Nallasopara itself.  As per his advice a chair was made of Rashid’s size with a lock system in the front.  We made Rashid sit in the chair in free time.  Doctors made a stand for Rashid to make him stand with support.  He was made to stand for one hour every morning & evening.  Special shoes were made for Rashid to make him walk. We made him do all these things for 2 years with little improvement.

Slowly depression made its way to make us feel wary of treatment, doctors, saints, beliefs everything to come to a conclusion that Rashid would continue to be a log of wood.

During this period, Rashid grew very little, he was unable to do anything not only physically but mentally too.  He never demanded anything, to feed him used to be a great exercise, he hardly consumed water, the people around him made no difference to him, he was neither attracted nor distracted by anything. There was no reaction on his motionless face; an object with life only because he was breathing.

It was July 2008, 10 o’clock in the night; the day one friend came to our house along with a young man named Sanjay. On seeing Rashid he began to tell about the doctor named Rajul Vasa.  The story failed to cheer us up. We had had enough bitterness of merry go round of the doctors.  It’s all about money, time and hard work devoid of success.  Nonetheless Sanjay persisted.  He also advised not to make Rashid wear his shoes to make him stand because this may harm Rashid.  He gave the phone no. of Ms Trupti Madam and insisted we should call her. We talked with Trupi Madam as one more routine and Rashid’s full report file was sent to her.  Appointment was fixed after one week. The first time we were introduced to Dr Rajul at  PremPuri Ashram. She did full check up of Rashid and told us that Rashid will be alright if we were ready to do lots of hardwork for Rashid. We were touched with the intensity of the words which were uttered from the depths of the mind.  May be that whisper for the welfare for the mankind was heard from the distance.  She told that soon within a week’s time there will be visible improvement in Rashid.

This is from where Rashid’s return journey to life began! The exercises under the strict supervision and the minute follow up showed miracle within a week.  Rashid’s stiffness started melting gradually.  As an initial reaction of the body to new concept Rashid got Fever & loosemotions.  Trupti madam told not to worry as it normally happens in the beginning and he will be fine after some time. In this way, in 2-4 months he continued this routine after which he was showing good improvement.  Within a short span of treatment with Dr. Rajul Vasa we could see numerous changes in him:

We have achieved more than what we had expected after losing hope from every corner. This is not the end but the beginning.  Dr Rajul Vasa’s treatment during 4 years period had shown U Turn in Rashid’s development by stimulating his brain so that the body will have master to instruct and train and monitor the actions on physical as well as emotional level too.

On our part, we are witnessing Rashid socializing.  He is surrounded by children from neighborhood.  He giggles in their company and all of them in turn try to cheer him up.  He is very happy in company and fully cooperates while they are around.  When I watch them together, I feel elated with the thought that Hope has kindled our lives.  Hope is the mother of all feelings.  Once a log of wood, Rashid’s every movement is progressive, his body feels life all over as if touched by the stick of hope!  Dr Rajul Vasa is HOPE personified!

Rashid’s motionless face earlier is now lit with a beautiful smile.

Rashid Khan

S/O Shahida and Jalaluddin Khan
Address – Puja Bld, Room no. 202,
Ansari Nagar, Laxmi Nagar Virar Road,
Nallasopara  (Thana)
Mumbai

Contact No: 9860130220