Abu Dhabi's Burjeel Hospital witnessed scenes of relief and triumph when a COVID-19 infected frontline worker was discharged after battling the illness for more than 180 days. On Thursday, frontline worker Arunkumar M Nair was discharged with joy and validation from the hospital after recovering from the disease.

An operation theatre technician with VPS healthcare, Nair suffered from damaged lungs, cardiac arrest, breathing issues and a semi-conscious state for six months after he tested positive for COVID-19 in July last year. He was an important part of the COVID-19 task force at LLH Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

The 38-year-old health worker from the Indian state of Kerala experienced death from close quarters in a flatline situation until a doctor was able to give him a new life.

VPS has rewarded Nair's fighting spirit with Dh250,000 financial aid, a job for his wife, a one-bedroom flat in Abu Dhabi and a promise to fund his child's education.

Nair and his family have been through many ups and downs when he spent around 118 days on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) treatment.

Speaking with the media, Jenny George, Nair's wife, recalled one of the harrowing experiences when she received a call from the hospital about her husband's health getting deteriorated.

"The nurse told me that Arun had suffered a cardiac arrest during a bronchoscopy procedure and the medical team is trying their best to resuscitate him," she said.

With a two-year-old baby in hand, she rushed to the hospital and witnessed her husband fighting for life.

"On the monitor, I saw a straight line and was numb. I cannot remember now whether I was crying or not. But then suddenly, Dr Tarig found a pulse of life, and he got him back. Dr Tarig is God for us," she added.

She further hailed the efforts displayed by Dr Tarig and his team in saving her husband's life.

"We will always be indebted to him and will remember him and the entire medical team and the hospital management in our prayers for their sincere efforts in saving Arun's life," Jenny said.

During the six month period, Nair endured several complexities, including a cardiac arrest. He also underwent several procedures, including tracheostomy and bronchoscopy.

VPS celebrated the fighter

As he was getting discharged from the hospital, VPS organised a memorable ceremony at the hospital's auditorium. The medical team participated in the ceremony wearing face masks with Nair's face imprinted on them.

The ceremony turned Nair emotional as he shared his gritty journey from gasping for breath at a quarantine facility in mid-July to being moved to a government hospital and finally to Burjeel Hospital for recovery. He also thanked Dr Tarig and his team for helping him with a second chance in life.

"I barely escaped from the jaws of death. I thank God for blessing me with a new life. I am grateful for all the support received from my friends, family, colleagues, especially Dr Tarig and his team. It's is because of such constant efforts that I got a second chance in life," said Nair.

Since July 31, he was on ECMO support after experiencing difficulty in breathing naturally. After months of battling the illness, he managed to come out of it after 118 days.

"Initially, we thought he was part of the COVID-19 taskforce and hence unable to call. By the time the hospital informed us about his condition, we were shocked," added Jenny, who is also a healthcare worker.

In August, Nair had plans to travel to Kerala for a housewarming event. However, as his health deteriorated, the hospital informed his family in Kerala.

"The news came as a huge blow for Arun's parents and me. He had not even seen the baby for over a year then. He last came when the baby was only three months old," Jenny added.

VPS helped in bringing Jenny and their two-year-old baby to Abu Dhabi

"When I first saw him in the ICU bed with tubes all over his body, I could not believe my eyes. For the first time, I felt like he would not make it. But doctors and his friends supported me and gave me confidence," Jenny said.

Dr Tarig Ali Mohamed Elhassan, department head of cardiac surgery at Burjeel Hospital, Abu Dhabi, hailed Nair as a great fighter. Even as Nair suffered a dramatic decline in his health condition, he managed to overcome the crisis and emerge as a survivor.

"I have never seen one like him in my career. His lungs had failed. It was beyond repair. He was breathing only with the support of an ECMO machine. And this continued for about 118 days. In a normal case, the recovery would have been impossible. This is why his recovery is a miracle. He even endured a cardiac arrest while his body was weak," the doctor added,

As of now, Nair is recovering well and will be undergoing regular physiotherapy and rehab to be able to return to work in a month's time.

VPS Healthcare chairman and managing director Dr Shamsheer Vayalil regarded Nair as an integral member of the hospital family. The doctor affirmed constant support for him and his family in the future along with all possible measures to provide the best treatment to him in the coming days.

In another brilliant surprise for Nair during the ceremony, Malayalam superhero film 'Minnal Murali' star Tovino Thomas joined the event live and wished him a speedy recovery.

"I am overwhelmed to learn about his inspiring fight. I am and can only be a superhero in reel. But the real superheroes are millions of frontline warriors like Arun fighting the pandemic from the front. Big salutes to you all," Thomas said during the interaction.