Mother longs to hear voice of son spending 15th birthday in a coma
By Bassma Al Jandaly, Staff Reporter
Published: February 23, 2009, 23:47
http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Society/10288908.html
Sharjah: For four years, young Mohammad Shoaib has been in a coma and left paralysed after a football hit his neck at school.
The Pakistani youngster will be 15 today. His mother, Amnah, told Gulf News that her wish is to hear his voice again. Shoaib has been in Al Kuwait hospital for the past month.
"My son was only a 11-year-old when he fell ill. He used to play football in school with his classmates. On the day of the incident, one of his friends kicked the football which hit my son on the back of his head and neck," she said.
The mother said Shoaib, who has one brother and sister, was very intelligent but he lost his ability to write.
He started to suffer severe headaches and then lost control of his hands.
"We are a poor family. We took him to different hospitals here in Dubai.
"We have done all required medical check ups but suddenly six months after the accident he went into a coma," she said.
Doctors said Shoaib suffered from post-traumatic cerebral palsy and epilepsy. His mother said she hoped that he will recover his health one day.
"Doctors said that Shoaib is growing. If I take care of him, he will be good. I am giving him all my life. I think when he becomes 18 he will call me 'mum' again," she said with tears in her eyes. "We had little money. We were not able to send his brother to school because we spent all our money on Shoaib," Amnah said.
The mother, who is suffering from health problems, said that she had faith in Allah to return her son's health. "My heart says he will be better and one day he will call me, hug me and kiss me," she said.
"He sometimes smiles at me. Sometimes I see tears in his eyes. I talk to him all the time, hoping that his memory will come back.
"I sleep next to him and ask him to put his hand on my heart. He does not respond but I know he can [understand] what I say," Amnah said. She said that her son needs to take vitamins five times a day which cost around Dh50.
"I do not eat three meals a day. I eat only once to save money for my son's vitamins," she said.
The mother said for the past four years she has spent sleepless nights fearing she will lose her beloved son.
"We need a bed at home similar to the one in the hospital.
"The bed will cost around Dh7,000 and we cannot afford it. He also needs a wheelchair. That is all that I need," she said.
"I wish I can hear his voice again. I am sure my son will & wake up."
Amnah recalled an incident when they were in Pakistan. She said she wished one day that she could eat a coconut. But because they were poor, she could not buy one.
"The next day, my son picked a coconut from the tree in his school. He was a very tender and caring child.
"He used to tell me that he will never leave me and that he will take care of me and his little sister all his life," Amnah said.
