ColoMero
‘Another chance to be a husband, father & to continue serving God & society’
Vishü Rita Krocha
Kohima | August 5
“How did you not die? How are you still moving in this condition at stage 5 chronic kidney disease (CKD) with hardly 10% of your kidney functioning. You could just drop dead anytime.”
This information completely shattered and altered the life of ColoMero, who was diagnosed with CKD final stage during a master checkup in Guwahati almost four years ago despite having absolutely no significant complaints or pain earlier.
That night, he stayed awake thinking of his wife and three daughters, whom he may not see growing up; he thought of his staff and all the unfinished missions, faces flashed before his eyes even as he became more ‘hopeless’ the more he read about CKD.
As he subsequently went into treatment, the doctor’s advice for kidney transplantation stating that both he and the donor can live a full life gave him some hope. However, in his words, “I could not bring myself to ask anyone.”
“To my surprise and with deep gratitude, 9 people came forward to donate their kidneys,” he related while expressing, “today as I look back, I see them not just as potential donors, but as their real expression of love towards me.”
Eventually, it was her daughter who came forward to donate her kidney despite his reluctance. “As a father, I initially could not accept...every parent wants to protect their children but she lovingly insisted and we went with that,” he shared.
After a successful transplant, he testified that it’s all because of “God’s grace and my daughter’s sacrifice....my daughter, Tekhe gave me more years to live, love, serve and journey.”
To him, organ donors are the real heroes even as he expressed, “I am incredibly proud and deeply blessed that my daughter is one of those heroes.”
Reiterating that organ transplantation is an act of love and hope, he is deeply grateful to his daughter for giving him “another chance to be a husband, father, and to continue serving God and society.”
Also remembering all the 8 people, who willingly came forward while stating, “each one demonstrated extraordinary love and expression; their willingness alone gave me tremendous hope during one of the most difficult seasons in my life.”
In the meantime, ColoMero also observed that, “in our Naga society, many people are unwilling to donate even blood let alone organ” and in this regard, underscored that, “we need more awareness, education, conversations, and stories.”
In his own ways, he said he has come up with certain points, issues, guidelines for fellow kidney patients including documents required, tests, money involved, what kind of interviews, list of points, while sharing that, “this is a new mission and responsibility that God has given me, to reach out to fellow patients.”
He also exuded hope that in the years to come, there would be better dialysis, transplant care, post transplant facilities, in the state even while impressing upon that, “if the government is willing we can do so much better, because we have more love.”
‘We not only share kidneys but we also share birthdays’
At the age of 20, Tekhe courageously came forward to donate her kidney to her father even as she recollected that precise moment and shared, “I felt a deep conviction that if it were a match, it had to be me.”
She and her father, ColoMero not only share kidneys but also share birthdays on December 23, she related.
When she made the decision, she said that, “instead of fear, I experienced a peace that I cannot fully explain even now.” She chose to trust God and the doctors and that peace, she said gave her the courage to go forward.
The transplantation, she affirmed has taught her to never take another day or one another for granted even as she graciously recalled how she recovered in less than 2 months and went on to finish her bachelor’s degree.
“I thank God for carrying me through every step. My mother cared both for me and my father with incredible love and selflessness. She was our strength and other family,” she further put across.
Adding that organ donation is truly the gift of life, she said that, “choosing to donate is one of the biggest blessings in my life.” Expressing that we should not be afraid of doing good, she hoped that everyone would be encouraged to live with compassion, to value the gift of life and wherever possible, to become a blessing in somebody’s life.
Eleven years on as an organ recipient
Observing that in Nagaland, negativity spreads more than the positive, when Neibalie Rio was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease in 2014, at a time when the very term “kidney transplant” was not known in the Naga society, all his dreams and hopes were shattered.
“I felt that my journey in this world has come to an end,” he recalled even while sharing that, “I had sleepless nights and woke up with uncertainty.”
Been given lots of advices on local remedies, he said that he tried almost all of it with the hope that he would get medical healing. “None of them worked and at the end of it, it was only depression for me,” he recounted.
He then learnt from the internet about a treatment process in China that could revive and repair the damaged cell of the kidney through stem treatment method. This gave him another ‘Big hope’, convincing him for a cure without going through dialysis and transplant.
Although the package was very expensive, in China, he was treated with many detox programme through the Chinese herbal medicines. But unfortunately, he said, “it did not work and I was back to square one.”
Having lost hope once again, and still not willing to go for a transplant, he said there were many people praying for him and in that process, he said, “God made me strong, and I had the courage to undergo transplant. Slowly I also accepted the fact that it was the only option.”
“All my younger siblings volunteered to give me life by donating their organs,” he gratefully acknowledged. Eventually, it was his younger brother, 21 at the time, who donated his kidney to him. “By God’s grace on July 31, 2015, I underwent transplant. God has been there, God has answered our prayers,” he expressed.
Stating that the miracle of healing and the miracle of life came through transplant, he encouraged everyone to have the courage to come forward and save lives.
“Today, God has gifted me a new life through the organ donated by my younger brother and I want to thank the Lord for his healing mercy and I thank my wife and family for their consistent care and support,” he said.
Neibalie Rio has completed 11 years on July 31 as an organ recipient.
