Neurological rehabilitation is Eman's next challenge: Doctor

Having lost a whopping 262 kgs after two months into her weight reduction treatment here, Egyptian woman Eman Ahmed is now facing a new challenge of neurological rehabilitation, the bariatric surgeon attending her said.
Eman landed in the megapolis as the world's heaviest woman weighing nearly 500 kilograms. She arrived here on February 11, in a chartered flight for the treatment. Since then, she is under the care of renowned bariatric surgeon Muffazal Lakdawala and his team at the Saifee Hospital here.
"Three years ago, a stroke paralysed her. Since then there was very little muscular movement and it complicated her health issues with subsequent weight gain. Physiotherapy is being administered to her as a part of the treatment. Though I am not an expert in it, her consultants here have now recommended concentration over neurological rehabilitation," Dr Lakdawala told PTI.

"It is a crucial phase because the challenge of obesity in her overall health has been successfully addressed. The fluid content is already removed from her body, which helped us in halving her weight," he said.
Lakdawala said that when Eman was brought to Mumbai, she was severely obese and her weight was 498 kilograms.
Her body parts were then running at five per cent efficiency, which has now increased up to 60 per cent, he said.

"She is also facing a bit of depression as hardly anyone is here to talk to her. She does miss her family and it is very difficult to communicate as she barely speaks because of her paralysis. It becomes more difficult for her to converse in a non-Arabic language," Dr Lakdawala said.

Now, we have lowered her category from 'high risk' patient to a normal one, he added.
On financial assistance received for her treatment, Dr Lakdawala said, "So far, Rs 65 lakh have been received, entirely from Indian donors. It is much less than the cost incurred as yet. And she still needs more medication and treatment in terms of neurological rehabilitation."
However, the age factor is on her side, he feels. "She is around 34 years old, which could be of some help to her," the surgeon said.
Eman has lost 262 kilograms so far after going through a series of medical procedures and changes in food intake since being admitted. She successfully underwent a laparoscopic weight-loss procedure called sleeve gastrectomy on March 7.

Before being brought to Mumbai, the woman was confined to her bed and had not moved out of her house for the last 25 years.