The Works

| 2005 |

A Rose and his Thorns

He may not have attained the acclaim of his illustrious elder brother Alfred Fernandes -- better known to the Konkani stage as Alfred Rose -- but Albert Fernandes (67) has his own story to tell. “I was an allrounder in every sense. Besides graduating in BCom, I have had experience as an AC and refrigerator technician, turner, fitter, gas welder, carpenter, painter and an electrician. I was also an actor and a musician,” says Albert. “My father’s first name was Ambrose. Hence, Alfred, Marshall and I took the shortened name ‘Rose’,” explains Albert Rose, now confined to his house in the secluded ward of Nivim in Carona-Aldona.

Forced to a reclusive life, Albert is bitter with the medical facilities in the state, that has left him with an amputated leg and virtually bankrupt. “I watch TV or play music in order to distract myself from the acute physical and mental anguish,” says a heartbroken Albert with tears in his eyes. “I can’t bear the pain any more and I have lost the will to live.”

Albert was forced to return from Bahrain in 1989, due to harassment of sponsors and acute shortage of staff.

Albert admits that though he has had diabetes for many years, he was very fit. “I would do all the work at home and I was very active.”

The first sign of sickness was to take place in 2000, when Albert felt his left leg grow cold. “I sensed a loss of blood circulation to my leg. I went to Asilo hospital in Mapusa to have my leg checked. I was simply given medication and sent home,” said Albert.

Then in September 2003, a private doctor referred him to Remanso hospital. “They gave me medication and I was discharged on September 30.”

A few days later, Albert’s fingers began to turn black. “Scared of this condition, I went to another doctor in Remanso in Mapusa. There, they amputated my three left toes,” he added.

On November 12, 2003, he was advised to go to the Goa Medical College Hospital in Bambolim for a checkup.

“The doctors did not even conduct a proper checkup and amputed my left leg within a matter of two hours,” insists Albert.

He claimed that post-operative care was a nightmare. “The doctors would open up the bandage at about 9.30 am and would leave the wound exposed till about 6.30 pm. When I would request nurses to bandage the wound, they simply replied: “The doctor will come to do it.’ But the doctor would never come,” recalls Albert. “At times, I was forced to use the old bandage of the wound to cover my leg. This caused me unbearable pain.”

“Once, I had difficulty in passing stools. Despite constant pleas, doctors and nurses at GMC simply refused to give me enema. One day, I shouted at them and a nurse finally gave me a bottle. The enema was however administered by my wife and a man kept to look after me,” he said.

Albert claims the GMC doctors kept telling him to go home. “On December 30, one doctor insisted that I leave GMC, athough my wound was still raw. He even threatened me by saying: ‘If you don’t leave tomorrow, I will put you in a ward where no one will be able to see you’,” said Albert.

Left with little alternative, a friend then took him to a private hospital in the outskirts of Panjim on January 1, 2004.

“To my surprise, the doctor at that hospital told me that as per the GMC discharge report, I was okay. However on January 4, the doctor came to me and told me that one bone above the amputated portion was coming up and had to be removed,” said Albert.

“On January 5, the doctor operated on me and removed the bone. I stayed at the private hospital for one month and seven days.”

Private hospitalisation was of no solace to Albert. “The wound would regularly ooze out fluids, I was back in the hospital for two weeks in April 2004. Even then, the wound was not healed,” informed Albert.

Frustrated over the long drawn treatment, Albert then changed hospitals for the fifth time, when he went to a doctor at a nursing home in Duler-Mapusa in November 2004.

“Without proper diagnosis, doctors at Remanso said there was gangrene in both legs. However, the doctor at the nursing home assured me that there was no gangrene in my right leg and is now giving me good medical treatment,” said Albert.

Bitter about the treatment given to him at various hospitals, Albert says: “I have spent all my savings. If I had the money, I would surely have filed cases against the four hospitals.”

“At one time, I was so desparate that I decided to commit suicide. I got out of my house on my wheelchair and was proceeding towards the nearby ferry wharf, where I decided to roll into the river,” recalled Albert. “Someone noticed me proceeding towards the river and prevented me from ending my life.”

What troubles Albert is that his friends have let him down. “I had lent nearly Rs 3 lakh to friends, but they have not paid me till date,” he says. “I am desperately short of funds. I earn only Rs 1,733 from postal savings, but I need about Rs 200 a day for medicines,” he adds.

In January 2004, Albert sent a letter to local MLA Dayanand Narvekar, requesting for financial aid and a wheelchair. “Mr Narvekar asked me to go to the Provedoria. While giving me cash of Rs 3,000, the Provedoria asked me to get a medical report,” Albert said. “Following repeated trips to GMC, I was finally given a wheelchair. As I received no further assistence from the Provedoria, I went again to meet Mr Narvekar in December 2004, but nothing materialised.”

Hoping to avail of some benefits, Albert even applied for the senior citizens pension one year ago through Mr Narvekar’s office in Aldona. “But there has been no response to my application till date,” claims Albert.

My name is Caji Mendonca and I am from Aldona. I would like to assist Mr. Albert Rose by donating Rs 5000/- to him.

Appreciate your help

Thanks,
Caji - UAE
18 February 2005

Dear Melwyn,

That piece on Albert was lovely!

Perhaps you should meet Leo D'Souza who lives in St. Tome Plaza in Aldona. He has both his legs amputated and was once quite a popular guy in Bollywood circles as a musician (drummer) and as a hirer of musical instruments for movie shooting. He is from Corjuem and related to me.

Cecil Pinto
18 February 2005

I was so touched after reading this article. Its really shaken me up and stopped to thank God of how fortunate we all are and yet have so many complains.

I hope and pray that someone reaches out to Albert at this time when he needs big time help. Sad to be in such a state.

Best regards,
Xafira Mendonsa
18 February 2005

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2005
From: "Gilbert Lawrence"
Subject: Learning from - A Rose and his thorns

Thank you Melvyn for your story "A Rose and his thorns." It was a very well written story that did a lot of honesty to the patient and the story had a human touch. Thank you Albert Fernandes for having the courage to share your tragic story with us. I wish some other physician who knows a lot more about the situation in Goa would have piggybacked on this story and shared with us what we could all learn from this tragedy. But since none of the physicians who are members of cyber-Goa have stepped forth, I will reluctantly do so.

Here are some pointers. Please do not jump if the diction is not just right.

1. Diabetes is a very common illness among Goans.
2. There are no risk factors known that can be used to prevent this disease.
3. This disease cannot be cured but CAN BE CONTROLLED effectively.
3. The type of diabetes Albert Fernandes has is called 'adult onset' diabetes as opposed to the one that occurs in children (juvenile diabetes) which fortunately is not that common.
4. Juvenile diabetes is more difficult to control and has more problems.
5. The more common 'adult onset' diabetes is insidious in onset. Initially there are no symptoms and a little later only a few problems.
6. Hence MOST PEOPLE NEGLECT their diabetes.
7. Treatment for early diabetes includes diet, exercise, weight reduction, quit smoking and drinking. Done effectively, that may be all that's needed.
8. A lot of patients rather than make the lifestyle change say, "I would rather enjoy life and drop dead when the time comes."
9. Unfortunately, diabetes like other major illness (including cancer) causes a lot of suffering to the patient and family before it cases death.
10. Diabetes is the most common cause of amputation.
11. Diabetes is the most common cause of adult blindness.

Diabetic victims should belong to a support group. Every Goan village should have a diabetic support-group. Patients need to undergo a lot of education from local doctors, (who can take turns) about learning to control their diet and monitoring their blood sugar. Both Albert and his more famous bother Alfred can give the impetus and visibility to form such groups to educate others about awareness, early detection and proper treatment of diabetes. The Diaspora cyber-Goans and other Goans could make it a project to provide each village (support-group) a blood-sugar measuring-kit for community use. This would be a good reason to-get-together.

Regards, GL, Utica, NY.

To comment on this report, please Click Here to contact Melvyn Misquita.