Akil gets new lease on life

The procedure was done on November 29, five months after he arrived in Argentina.

In an interview with Newsday at Piarco International airport, Akil’s mother Sharon Wilson said,

“It is a miracle he is alive and the doctors in Argentina agreed with me even though they have done many transplants. The odds were against him.”

Sharon said, “after the transplant things got better. It is remarkable now.” Akil said he felt good and “much better” now that the surgery had been done.

Sharon said more public education was needed about living donor transplants. She admitted that prior to Akil’s situation, she had believed that all one’s body

parts should be with them until they died. She now feels differently.

“You can save so many lives with different parts of your body, so I have a different outlook.”

Akil’s father Dean Wilson thanked The Almighty for seeing Akil and his family through the ordeal. He also thanked those who assisted the family in raising funds for the operation.

The relieved father was also grateful for Akil’s cousin Giselle, who donated a piece of her liver. Sharon said her son was unable to do school wor k initially while in Argentina, but resumed studies in February.

He was soon back on track, she said, with Math and Science work being posted to him in

Argentina.

Akil of Mahaica, Point Fortin, must repeat Standard Four although he said he would have

liked to move up to Standard Five with his friends.

“He loves reading. He could not do much sports as he was on medication, but he could still ride his bike with the doctors’ consent,” Sharon said. Much of Akil’s time was spent in hospital. Even after surgery, he had to go to the hospital lab regularly to be monitored to determine if his body showed any signs of rejecting the liver.

Sharon said lab work will continue in Trinidad to test the levels of immune suppression. The results would be sent to Argentina and “they would know what (medication) to increase or decrease.”

Sharon said Akil’s body can still reject the liver since it is only four months since the transplant.

Akil and his mother were greeted at the airport by Health Minister John Rahael and

Argentinean Ambassador Jose Luis Vignolo.

Rahael announced that the Ministry invited doctors and technical staff from Argentina to

visit TT to see the facilities and equipment available “and what would be required if we were to attempt to provide that type of service.” He said if possible a surgical team from Argentina would be invited to do transplants in this country for both locals and other CARICOM citizens.