Gideon's was at the peak of his career until one day, in his 24th year, on the 3rd of November, 2014, he suddenly fell unconscious.
He was rushed to the hospital without even a stretcher available. The doctors could at first find nothing wrong with him and put him on a course of steroids. Consequently, he was diagnosed with a tumour in his brain. The family was informed that it
was no ordinary tumour but a Glioblastoma - an aggressive kind of tumour that
grew rapidly.
He had surgery which was successful, and he was back to work in no time.
However, the steroids that he had been administered before the surgery affected his thigh bones, and developed a negative health condition called Avascular Necrosis - a loss of oxygen supply to the bone - a side effect of the medication he had not been informed about.
To deal with the constant pain
in his hip joint, Gideon jogged more, swam more, cycled more, not knowing that his
thigh was going through a slow death.
His friend Pratyush's sister
was a physiotherapist with H.E.A.L., and suggested an MRI, which revealed that
he needed hip replacement surgery for the condition. He was angry that the doctors who had
operated on him for his tumour had left him in the dark about the necrosis.
He went ahead with the
suggested surgery, the required rounds of chemo and radiation, and followed up with physiotherapy sessions at H.E.A.L.
You can watch the testimony of Gideon's recovery in the link below:-
After his recovery Gideon took a long desired trip to Iceland - the country he had read so much about and dreamed about exploring one day. There he me the love of his life - Daniela Steinert. They were married in India, a year and a half later.
In August of 2017, he had recurrent seizures, epileptic attacks, but the doctors only remarked that he might not have been regular with his medication.
In August of 2017, he had recurrent seizures, epileptic attacks, but the doctors only remarked that he might not have been regular with his medication.
His wife Daniela was in Iceland at the time. After
understanding his condition, she rushed to India, and took him with her to Germany
on the 15th of that month, where on the 4th of September,
he had his 2nd brain surgery.
After his 2nd operation, Gideon's recovery was slow. He had epileptic seizures now and then, 25% blindness, and left-body disorientation.
He turned vegan. He took up following various therapies and ways to keep himself healthy, and live a normal life. However, his tumour, in the course of time began flaring up again, and the doctors told him to visit his family and friends one last time before things got worse. So he returned to India, and visited Mumbai and Nilshi Lake, before leaving again for Germany, probably for the last time.
He turned vegan. He took up following various therapies and ways to keep himself healthy, and live a normal life. However, his tumour, in the course of time began flaring up again, and the doctors told him to visit his family and friends one last time before things got worse. So he returned to India, and visited Mumbai and Nilshi Lake, before leaving again for Germany, probably for the last time.
Exactly one year later, Gideon had to undergo his 3rd procedure – an experimental 16 hour surgical process involving radio active fluid, virus therapy, and immunotherapy.
On his 28th birthday, he was in intense pain with hydrocephalus, a surgical complication.
On his 28th birthday, he was in intense pain with hydrocephalus, a surgical complication.
That year, Gideon saw his birthday cards and cake in the hospital. The doctors said that if he lived for more than 2 weeks, it would be a miracle.
His sister took the opportunity to meet him, and stayed with him for 3 weeks. She returned to Mumbai, and then to Germany once again equipped with organic medicines to help in either easing or delaying his death.
He cherished her visit and she lavished on him all the love her little heart could hold for those last few days.
All through his illness, his wife Daniela was a rock, a the driving force between his motivation to keep going. Shuttling him between clinics, caring for him after procedures, organising the finance for the needed medical treatment - she managed it all. Her family too was a great support and stood by Gideon in his darkest times.
He cherished her visit and she lavished on him all the love her little heart could hold for those last few days.
During Christmas of 2018, he said he was ready to leave this earth, and breathed his last on the 29th of December, 2018.
It was as if he was strangely torn from us, before his time. And at times, it is hard to wrap one's mind around it. He has indeed left a deep vacuum in the fabric of our lives, which can never be mended.
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