Reason to Rejoice with Ruzean
It was in the month of January 2014 as part of my Doctoral research
process I was visiting various educational centres of our Christian
organizations in the four dioceses of Gujarat.
Primarily I had to interview a few students with disabilities and
non-disabilities; their parents and principals; administrators and teachers in
the selected schools and colleges in order to assess the impact of the
inclusive education in their respective educational institutions.
As a process, after having received the permission, I reached in the
morning to interview the English medium students of St. Anne school, Kalol in
Gandhinagar Archdiocese. While the interview was on, the concern filled
Principal Rev. Sr. Sissy Scaria, SchSA approached me with the mother and child
and said, “Father, this 12 year old Ruzean is our student. She cannot hear and
speak. She is in 6th standard. I fully trust in God and you. Do
something please!” Having listened to the genuine request of the disabled-friendly
Principal, the young divorced mother Mrs. Bilkis Sulemanbhai Ghanchi, standing
nearby pleaded me with her painful tears: “Please Father, heal my daughter from
such hearing and speech impairments”. While such conversations were on, Ruzean Asif
was in her own world, for neither she heard the requests nor could she request
me for such a healing. Instead, she kept on smiling and was holding the hands
of her younger sister Kushboo, the 4th standard girl of the same
school. In the midst of such an environment, what I enjoyed the most was the
innocent smile of the relaxed Ruzean and her direct pierced look into my eyes.
Having experienced such a scene I assured the mother, the peon of the school by
saying: “Sure. I assure that one day this girl will hear and speak. Let’s trust
in God’s healing power. Can you, the mother and the Principal, join me for this
noble cause?” To my pointed question they answered at once, “By all means
Father...!” Thus began our collaborative new evangelization work!
Later, after two months, I had taken the mother and child to the OPD
section of the civil hospital, Ahmedabad. There we met my old friend Dr. Rajesh
Vishwakarma, the ENT specialist, the HOD of ENT section. From the year 2000 he
has been assisting us at various intervals such persons in need of our
Unteshwari Sammilitalayam, a centre for the persons with all kinds and
categories of disabilities. Having listened to us and the initial
investigation, Ruzean was sent by him for a proper check up to Shabda-Brahma –
Speech and Hearing clinic in TF/3 Aakar complex near Golden Triangle,
Navrangpura, Ahmedabad. After having checked thoroughly, the report was handed
over to us.
According to the Report the following tests were done to assess the
hearing. Here I present below in order to appreciate the present day scientific
process and to praise God for all such use of human intelligence.
1.
PTA – Test was
done in double walled sound treated room. Sound was presented through
calibrated audiometer via headphones. Test revealed profound sensorineural hearing
loss in right ear and moderate to profound sloping sensorineural hearing loss
in left ear.
2.
TEOAE – Test was
done using Intelligent Hearing System in sound treated condition. Each ear
tested ipsilaterally, which revealed REFER suggesting poor outer hair cells
functioning.
3.
BERA – Done
using Intelligent Hearing System in sound treated condition. Each ear tested
ipsilaterally. Tested with filter setting 100-3000Hz and repetition rate of 30.1.
No response was obtained even at highest intensities in right ear which
revealed Severe to Profound hearing loss. Response could be obtained till
80dBnHL in the left ear that revealed moderately severe to severe hearing loss.
4.
ASSR – Test was
done using Intelligent Hearing System, under relaxed state. Each ear was tested
independently. Test revealed severe to profound hearing loss on the tested
frequencies (250Hz, 500Hz, 1kHz, 2kHz and 4kHz) in right ear and moderately
severe to profound sloping hearing loss in the left ear.
Hence, the Provisional Diagnosis was: in Right ear – Profound sensorineural
hearing loss and in Left ear – Moderate to profound sloping sensorincural
hearing loss. Finally, it was recommended to consult further Dr. Rajesh
Vishwakarma; To provide adequate amplification in Both Ears (Bimodal Right ear
– Cochlear implant and Left ear – digital hearing aid); To go for speech
therapy; and to prepare candidate for Cochlear Implant (Benefits and
limitations explained); after the implant, to follow up needed.
We, with the report, went to meet Dr. Rajesh Vishwakarma. Having seen
the report finally he said: “Father, I
hope, your request will be granted with God’s intervention and our human
accompaniment. We hope soon she will be able to hear and speak with the RIGHT
SIDE COCHLEAR IMPLANT SURGERY OPERATION. I will be the one doing such a surgery
with the team our Doctors here in the civil hospital itself. The device will
cost about rupees five and half lakhs. Providing such a device is done freely
by the Ministry of Health under Gujarat government. Since the girl is studying,
kindly apply for the school health programme of the government”.
Then Dr. Rajesh explained
to us the meaning of Cochlear Implant. He said: A Cochlear Implant (CI) is a
surgically implanted electronic device that provides a sense of sound to a
person who is profoundly
deaf or severely hard of hearing. It may help provide
hearing in patients who are deaf because of damage to sensory hair cells in their cochleas. In those
patients, the implants often can enable sufficient hearing for better
understanding of speech. The quality of sound is different from natural
hearing, with less sound information being received and processed by the brain.
However, many patients are able to hear and understand speech and environmental
sounds. Newer devices and processing-strategies allow recipients to hear better
in noise, enjoy music, and even use their implant processors while swimming. He
also explained about the Parts of the cochlear implant. According to him, the
implant is surgically placed under the skin behind the ear. The basic parts of
the device include external and internal.
External:
- one or more microphones which picks up sound
from the environment
- a speech processor which selectively filters sound to prioritize audible speech, splits the sound into channels and sends the
electrical sound signals through a thin cable to the transmitter
- a transmitter, which is a coil held in
position by a magnet placed behind the external ear, and transmits power and the processed sound
signals across the skin to the internal device by electromagnetic induction,
Internal:
- a receiver and stimulator secured in bone
beneath the skin, which converts the signals into electric impulses and
sends them through an internal cable to electrodes,
- an array of up to 22 electrodes wound through the cochlea, which send the impulses to the nerves in the
scala tympani and then directly to the brain through the auditory nerve
system.
Having listened to the Doctor, the enthusiastic mother took special
interest to acquire the necessary documents from the Gandhinagar Gujarat Government’s
office and submitted them to the ENT section of the civil hospital. Since days
and months were running, the desperate mother was constantly phoning up to me
to ask about the date of surgery. I gently counselled and prepared her to have
patience and informed her to prepare her daughter to go for this programme. Well,
I can imagine how the mother was longing to experience her daughter hearing and
speaking! Finally, in the month of January 2015 she received the final call for
the implant. Ruzean was the 42nd person of such an approved cochlear
implant programme of the Government. Sr. Pushpa Mohan, SchSA, the
socio-pastoral collaborator of Kalol Parish willingly accompanied the mother
and child and got the girl admitted in the civil hospital. The following day, just
before the operation I met Dr. Rajesh and listened to him.
After wishing him, I blessed the girl. Then she was taken into the
operation theatre. On 21st January, 2015 she was operated in the
afternoon and the MED-EL Cochlear implant device, manufactured in Austria –
Europe, was fixed at the right side of the ear by Dr. Rajesh and his team of
doctors and nurses.
After the operation she remained in the hospital for about ten days and finally
she was discharged to go home with the bandage. Right now she is convalescing
in her residence at Kalol. Later she will continue to participate in the follow
up of this programme.
Today, all those who go to visit her in her residence at Kalol are
amazed to see her hearing and speaking with a smiling face. I too went to see
her. WOW! Oh, what a memorable experience it was!
By seeing her daughter conversing with me, the exited mother exclaimed,
“Finally, Khuda has heard my prayers Father! My soul rejoices, for God has done
wonders in my daughter Ruzean. Thank you Fr. Girish!” Well, by these words I was humbled, for I
know very well that it was not I but it was God who laboured through various
persons of good will to make Ruzean hear and speak. At this moment, I could
encounter the joyful tears of Ruzean’s beloved mother. Oh, what a moment of
grace for all of us! Indeed it was a unique experience for all of us to journey
with Ruzean and Bilkis for a noble cause! While being with them in their
residence, deep down I was thanking God for his marvellous work and in silence
I recalled after blessing the girl the words of Simeon in the Temple: “Lord,
now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for
my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all
peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people
Israel” (Luke 2:29 – 32). Hence, while celebrating this year as the Year of
Consecrated Life, our religious consecration has a meaning and we, as the consecrated
missionaries of Kadi – Kalol, have the reason to REJOICE with Ruzean!
In this context we fondly remember the Gospel of Mark 7:34f – Jesus said to the deaf and dumb person, "Ephphatha!"
that is, "Be opened!" And his ears were opened, and the
impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. Thus, in
this way, the Good News is shared today with all peoples of God and constantly
all are motivated to experience the modern miracles of Jesus in the context of
our North Gujarat Mission. Hence, modern miracles are possible, provided we
listen to Him and act according to His will! Let His name alone be praised!
Finally, Bilkis deserves our sincere appreciation for her brave journey!
Our heartfelt thanks to the Health Ministry of Gujarat Government and the ENT
Staff of the civil hospital, especially to Dr. Rajesh Vishwakarma, a person
with a difference and a modern miracle worker of our times! Thank you Sir.
Fr. Girish Santiago, SJ
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