Abu Dhabi: Eman Ahmad Abdul Atti has come a long way since she arrived in Abu Dhabi in a cargo plane around four months ago.
The woman, who once weighed over 500 kilograms, is now in the second phase of treatment with a team of 20 specialists in different medical fields attending to her at the capital’s Burjeel Hospital.
Dr Yassin El Shahat, chief medical officer of Burjeel who heads the team, said that the phase could last up to four months and include surgical procedures aimed at reducing weight and adjusting the skin shape.
At one time, Eman was the heaviest woman in the world.
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She weighed a staggering 504 kilograms when she was admitted to a Mumbai hospital for surgery.
In May this year, she was shifted to Abu Dhabi for further treatment.
“From the time Eman began treatment, we have seen massive improvement in her medical condition,” said Dr Shamsheer Vayalil, chairman and managing director of VPS Healthcare (Burjeel Hospital is a part of the group).
“We are all thrilled to see her happy. She is responding well to the treatment,” he added.
Challenges
According to Dr Vayalil, one of their biggest challenges was to make Eman believe that she could lead as close to a normal life as possible.
“She was suffering from severe depression. If that was not bad enough, a stroke had also robbed her of the ability to speak,” Dr El Shahat recalled.
She had bedsores, fever, urinary tract infection, acute kidney failure and severe dehydration and had to be fed through a stomach tube.
Bouts of intermittent fits with loss of consciousness had a negative impact on her mental and psychological conditions.
“We further discovered that she had severe Aortic Stenosis (narrowing of valves of the heart) which was neither diagnosed nor reported during treatment in India or Egypt,” said Dr El Shahat who is also the consultant nephrologist at Burjeel.
Based on comprehensive evaluation, the medical team adopted a management plan encompassing three stages.
The first stage focused on treatment of bedsores, infection of the urinary tract, restoring her ability to swallow food and eat through her mouth besides providing psychological rehabilitation.
She is receiving intensive physiotherapy as well.
The ongoing second stage will include surgical interventions such as excess fat suction, which would enable Eman to sit on an electronic wheelchair.
The final stage includes a long-term plan that will come into effect once her condition has stabilised.
Eman will undergo surgeries for the aortic valve and to improve the condition of her hip and knee joints.
“Now she has begun to move her arms and legs and can perform routine activities like eating, drinking, and sitting. There is also significant improvement in her speech.
"Her bedsores have healed completely. Her kidney functions have also been restored. Overall her health has improved,” said Dr El Shahat.
Celebration time
On September 9, Eman celebrated her 37th birthday with her mother, sister and neice who flew in specially for the occasion.
Her room was decorated and hospital staff joined in the celebrations.
“We are thankful to the management and the medical team, especially to Dr Shamsheer, for giving us hope in fighting this battle.
Without their medical advice, expertise and support, Eman would not be on her way to recovery,” said her sister Shaimaa.
“Our larger goal is to fight obesity and Eman will be the face of that fight. On her recovery, we hope she will become the ambassador of fighting obesity and encouraging people to live a healthier and happier life,” said Dr. Shamsheer.
