Hospitals are not just places where science and technology converge. They are the stage for tales of resilience and triumph, where the dedication of medical professionals and the spirit of individuals together confront formidable health challenges. SEHA’s healthcare network, part of the PureHealth group – the largest healthcare platform in the Middle East – has recorded countless such stories since its inception in 2007.
Today, SEHA cares for millions of people every year. While medical marvels take place every day, sometimes there are stories that encapsulate the level of expertise and patient care available in the UAE. Three such stories are those of Mahmoud Abdelhamid, Christian Prince Menagua Gallo, and Khaled Ahmed Al Amar – three people who embarked on arduous journeys of recovery within the corridors of SEHA’s medical facilities.
Triumph over Trauma in Remarkable Recovery:
Mahmoud Abdelhamid’s life was abruptly altered by a harrowing motor vehicle accident, leaving him with traumatic brain injury and multiple fractures. Rushed to Tawam Hospital’s Emergency Department, Mahmoud’s condition was dire, with a Glasgow Coma Scale of 9/15 and a series of severe injuries, including facial fractures and extensive burns. Despite the grim prognosis, a team of SEHA medical professionals were able to perform emergency surgery, which included a craniectomy – a complex type of surgery to remove a portion of the skull to relieve pressure on the brain. Once stabilised, Mahmoud was transferred to Salma Rehabilitation Hospital – Al Ain (salmaALAIN) for intensive rehabilitation.
Mahmoud’s journey to recovery unfolded under the watchful eyes of a multidisciplinary team led by a Specialist in Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Borni Dabboubi. The care comprised multiple elements, including medical care, specialist respiratory therapy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and nursing care. With each passing day, Mahmoud defied the odds, battling infection, gradually regaining consciousness, mastering motor skills, and reclaiming his independence.
Ultimately, Mahmoud became well enough to resume work with supervision and was fit enough to return home to Egypt to see his newly born baby and help his wife to take care of the child.
Inspirational Comeback:
Christian Prince Menagua Gallo’s life took a tumultuous turn when a sudden cardiac arrest struck him down during his work as an Assistant Chef. Rushed to Tawam Hospital’s Emergency Department, Christian was revived after 45 minutes of resuscitation, but remained critical with a complete thrombotic occlusion causing extensive damage to his heart. The medical team delivered a successful angioplasty immediately. Despite the swift intervention of medical professionals, Christian suffered anoxic brain injury due to oxygen deprivation, and the complexities continued.
With cardiogenic and septic shock, as well as kidney failure, Christian was moved to the Intensive Care Unit of Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) where he underwent dialysis. After a month of acute medical care, Christian was still struggling to breathe, walk, talk, or eat on his own. He was transferred to Salma Rehabilitation Hospital – SKMC (salmaSKMC) where he embarked on an extensive rehabilitation regime under the guidance of a dedicated team of physicians, therapists, and nurses. The medical team cared for him to restore his functions and gave him opportunities to do things independently. With extensive multi-disciplinary team approach, Christian was weaned from both ventilator and oxygen. Months later, Christian took his first steps. He gained the strength to sit, stand, and move independently, and today, he can walk without an aid.
“We are ecstatic to see how Christian progressed from his extremely challenging medical condition. That we made a difference in our patient’s life makes everything worthwhile,” comments Dr. Nagah Mostafa Noureldin, General Practitioner at salmaSKMC. “He is moving out of his bed, more engaged and interactive with his social group, going to the therapy gym, visiting the garden, and is stepping towards living a normal life.”
From Vegetative State to Independence:
Khaled Ahmed Al Amar fell victim to a malignant stroke, which left him in a vegetative state.
Admitted to Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Khaled’s condition was dire, with little hope for recovery. Yet, within the care of Salma Rehabilitation Hospital – Rahba (salmaRAHBA), Khaled achieved a remarkable turnaround.
At the ICU, Khaled was given mechanical ventilation and urgent decompressive craniectomy. Despite the intervention, his condition continued to worsen, and he spent the next 24 days in ICU with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 3/15, meaning he had no eye opening, no motor response and no verbal response. He was declared in a vegetative state.
A full team of physicians, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, dieticians, and nurses got to work. They created personalised medical and therapeutic programmes which helped improve Khaled’s condition to the extent that he was eventually able to breathe independently, giving a huge boost to his family.
Three months later, Khaled was able to speak a few words, eat independently, turn in bed with minimal assistance, sit independently, and walk with an assistive device. The journey defies the odds, with Khaled reclaiming his independence one milestone at a time under the supervision of SEHA’s professionals.
Across SEHA’s healthcare network, Mahmoud, Christian, and Khaled’s stories intersect – they weave a narrative of resilience, hope, and triumph. Their stories also stand as testament to the accomplishments of science, technology, compassion and expert care, which are pillars of the SEHA ecosystem.
