It’s a day I vividly remember. It was the 24th of December, 2017, an otherwise regular day. After my usual morning work, I stepped out to buy some vegetables and groceries.

It was later in the day, around 12 noon, that I suddenly felt uneasy and breathless, and shouted out to my daughter. I have no idea when I blacked out, but when I regained consciousness, I found myself surrounded by my neighbors who were trying to revive me. Amongst them was a doctor, who happened to check my BP and sugar levels. Both my blood pressure as well as my heart rate were dangerously low.

The next thing I knew, I was in the ICU , where tests revealed that my creatinine had shot up to 8mg/dl. That was the beginning of my battle for survival. Fortunately for me, when the rest of my family abandoned me, my wife and my daughter, were my Pillars of Strength. My wife supported me at every stage of my struggle, to the extent that she even offered to donate her own kidney to save my life. Her kidney was found to be compatible, and finally, on 3rd January, 2019, my transplant was carried out successfully. The experience made me realize that my wife and daughter care the most for me and want me to Live. It’s over 14 months now; I remain active and my creatinine level is stable at 1.04mg. My positive attitude, and the need to take special care to remain healthy, is my way of showing gratitude and appreciation to my wife and daughter.