Mumbai: 

Calm at last: Baijnath Sharma

For the past 18 years, Parkinson's disease had reduced Jaipur resident Baijnath Sharma's (82) quality of life to nil. He was ailed by convulsions for so long that his sons couldn't even remember a time when he could lie still. But a bilateral deep brain stimulation surgery at Jaslok Hospital on August 14 has rejuvenated this retired headmaster's will to live.

Dr Paresh Doshi, who heads the department of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery at Jaslok and operated on Sharma, said, "When the case came to us, I refused because a patient this old can develop umpteen complications during surgery. However, the patient was willing to try all means and his positive attitude encouraged us to go ahead." The operation, which generally takes six to seven hours, was streamlined to a five-hour procedure to reduce complications. 

Now, Sharma's convulsions will be controlled with the help of a pacemaker. And Sharma is looking forward to living life to the fullest again. "I haven't visited the temple in Dantar, Rajasthan, in 20 years. I also want to buy a sari for my wife Rukmani, who has been my pillar of strength through the illness."

One of his sons said, "My father told me he was tired of living in this manner. Now, he can live life the way he wants to."

The oldest?

Incidentally, Sharma may well be the oldest person to successfully undergo bilateral surgery, wherein both halves of his brain were operated on instead of one. "There is supposedly one 80-year-old man who has been operated on, but documents don't say whether he was operated on one half or on the entire brain. So, we have good reason to suspect Sharma might be the oldest patient of his kind."


Know Parkinson's

Parkinson's disease affects the central nervous system. Symptoms include mild to violent tremors, muscle stiffness and loss of reflexes, among others. Though the disease is incurable, the symptoms can be controlled through surgery, medication or a combination of both.