When doctors informed Shalen Gounder they would have to chop off his right leg, his world came crashing down.
Mr Gounder was only 17 and life had just begun when doctors declared he had a bone marrow problem, and that the only option to save his life was to amputate his right leg before the sickness spread to other parts of his body.
“I thought that was the end of the world for me, I was lost, I did not know what to do,” says Mr Gounder.
“But it had to be done. I had no choice but to listen to the doctors if I wanted to live a long life. The surgery went well and for one year I stayed at home to let the injury heal.”
While recovering at his farm home in Momi, Nadroga, all kinds of thoughts flowed around his mind.
The 47-year-old says he could not leave home for a couple of years because he was embarrassed of what people would say about him.
But gradually he was able to harden himself against criticism, stand on his own and create his own normal life.
So, despite his physical status, Gounder has been able to purchase his own land, build a home and operate a small machinery business from his Saweni, Lautoka home.
“I did not look back, I got married, I have a son and we’ve building our lives.
“This small business has been of great help to my family and has supported us well since when my wife left her full-time job a couple of years ago.
“I am grateful to my wife because she loves me for who I am and has been my pillar of strength all these years.
“I guess that family love is all I need to keep me going and it has definitely been my only source of strength.”
Mr Gounder says it sometimes saddens him to witness the discrimination shown towards amputees and people with special needs, but he’s always encouraging others to take things as they come and avoid negativity because it does not help them grow in life.
While he sometimes feels some side effects of the amputation, Mr Gounder is grateful the amputation has allowed him to adopt a healthy lifestyle that he continues to follow today.
“It’s about eating the right types of food at the right time and consuming lots of local fruits and vegetables.
“This is the only way ahead for many of us if we want to live a healthy, happy life.”
