Tsunami baby born - the full story

17 September 2006, Amritapuri*

Among the thousands of people in the queue for Mata Amritanandamayi Devi's darshan Sunday were Priya and Baby of Puthenparambil, Azhikkal.

Wrapped in Priya's arms was the couple's four-day-old daughter, and at
their side was gynaecologist Dr. Sarala Sridhar of AIMS Hospital [Amrita
Institute of Medical Sciences] in Cochin.

When the tsunami swept through Kerala in December 2004, Priya and Baby lost their two children?Kiran and Kinkini, ages four-and-a-half and
one-and-a-half, respectively. Kinkini was literally washed out of
Priya's arms. The couple's sorrows were compounded by the fact that
after the birth of their second child, Priya had undergone
fallopian-tube ligation surgery as a form of permanent birth control.
Not only was the couple childless, but Priya was also no longer able to
conceive.

When Amma [Mata Amritanandamayi Devi] learned of the plight of Alappad villagers like Priya and Baby, her heart went out to them. Thus, soon after the tsunami, the Mata Amritanandamayi Math offered to sponsor the fallopian-tube recanalisation surgeries of all couples in Alappad Panchayat who found themselves in Priya and Baby's predicament. In the end, seven couples enrolled for the free services, which were provided through AIMS, the hospital run by the Math. Not only was the surgery and hospital-stay covered, but also all medicine, consultations and post-surgery care.

Dr. Lalithabhai of AIMS, who counselled many of the ladies, says that
many of them were close to suicide due to their situation.Priya had her surgery in March 2005, and by December, she had naturally
conceived. On 12:16 on 13^th September, Priya delivered a baby girl
weighing three kilograms via caesarean section.

It was upon their discharge on Sunday that the couple went to Amma for
blessing and to seek a name for the baby.

Upon seeing the joy expressed in Priya's face, Amma said, "Amma is so happy to see you smiling." Amma then took the child into her arms and gave her the name "Aparna."

"Amma has done a great thing for us," Priya said. "Something that even our own relatives could not do."Dr. Sarala Sridhar, the gynaecologist who performed the recanalisation surgery, accompanied the family for Amma's blessing. "It's all Amma's
grace," she said regarding the successful recanalisation. I am only an instrument." In fact, the doctor says the normal success rate for recanalisation surgeries is 20 to 30 percent.

According to hospital sources, five of the seven women from Alappad who underwent recanalisation are currently pregnant and awaiting their
babies?two of which are carrying twins.

Tsunami relief work

AIMS in 2002- a report

Mobile Tele-Medicine Unit