Patient Stories l Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

31 May 2018

An Incidental Fall Leads to a Shocking Diagnosis

A young woman donates her kidney to save her sister's life in a true act of love. In 2015, Fatema Alhebsi was expecting a child when she fell down at her home in Abu Dhabi. She went to a nearby hospital for care, and after some tests, she was told that she had lost her baby. Doctors suspected that she had developed high blood pressure, and possibly a condition called pre-eclampsia, during her pregnancy. Pre-eclampsia is a potentially fatal condition for both the mother and the baby, characterized by high blood pressure and usually accompanied by damage to the mother’s organs, such as the kidneys. After recovering from the fall, Fatema continued to feel tired and returned for further testing. Results confirmed that her kidneys were only functioning at 5% capacity. Fatema was diagnosed with kidney failure. To maintain the health of Fatema’s kidneys as well as her overall health, doctors recommended dialysis and medication. Dialysis is a treatment that mimics the natural function of the kidneys, which is to remove waste and excess water from the body. This cleanses the blood and prevents these substances from building up and causing health complications. Dialysis requires patients to spend hours in a facility, multiple times per week. Reluctant to undergo dialysis, Fatema was treated only with medication for four months. After suffering another fall, she was told that dialysis was no longer optional, and that she must begin treatment immediately. One significant symptom of kidney disease is poor appetite, and Fatema’s health and strength were declining. Shayma Alhebsi, Fatema’s sister, was very concerned about her health. “I was so afraid for my sister,” she related. “I was crying every day about her: What will she do? What will she eat?” When the family was told that Fatema must have a kidney transplant, Shayma discovered that she was the only one with the same blood type as her sister. She offered a kidney to her sister without hesitation: “I immediately said I would be happy to give my sister a kidney. We only live once. If I did not step in and help my sister, then who would do it?” News Spreads of the First Kidney Transplant at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Initially, Fatema and Shayma had planned to have the kidney transplant performed in South Korea, even though it was far, expensive, and would be a challenging trip with Fatema’s health. But then one day, they saw an article posted on Facebook about the first kidney transplant performed at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. When the sisters realized that they may be able to have the procedure close to home, they decided to make an appointment right away. They met with Dr. Bashir Sankari, who has been with the Cleveland Clinic organization for more than 25 years and has performed more than 1,000 kidney transplants. “When Dr. Sankari talked about the surgery,” Shayma recounted, “he told us to feel comfortable, to say anything if we were scared. Then he said ‘Don't be afraid about this, we’ve done a thousand of these surgeries before,’ and it made us feel comfortable.” Within one month of meeting with doctors and caregivers at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, the transplant was successfully performed. A New Life, A Stronger Bond Following the transplant surgery, Shayma and her family continued to help Fatema with her recovery. Shayma shares, “The doctors and caregivers]were so wonderful with us. We would call to ask about one thing, and they would ask us about everything.” Shayma is happy her sister’s health has been restored and that she is able to live a more active, healthy life: “Before the surgery, she could not do anything, she could not eat anything, and she could not go anywhere. Now, my sister is eating differently and she can go anywhere. She is a completely different person.”

12 Apr 2018

Patient Suffering From Chest Pain Undergoes Robotic Heart Surgery

Iman was following her childhood dream of becoming a children’s teacher, but her college studies were cut short due to ongoing issues with her health. She was suffering from chest pain, and after visiting several hospitals to find the cause of the problem, she was finally diagnosed at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. With the technology available at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Iman was able to undergo robotic surgery, meaning her procedure was completely endoscopic. Iman’s says that with the compassion, care and respect she received at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, she can easily say hers was a 5 star experience.

26 Mar 2018

Critically Ill COPD Patient Shares His Story of Recovery

Hazim was admitted to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in a critical state. He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – a collective term for lung diseases which limit airflow in and out of the lungs and cause progressive and severe breathlessness, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. He recalls, “I was sweating, shaking, I felt so tired and couldn’t move as I was so weak. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been for my wife, my son and my family.” Hazim’s COPD was stabilized, and since leaving the hospital he and his family made the decision to make a permanent move to a new family home, just a stone’s throw from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He says, “It’s wonderful just to walk around, enjoy the greenery, it’s calm, it’s relaxing, my lung capacity hasn’t deteriorated which is amazing – it’s a miracle.” Hazim says he was treated like family by his caregivers at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi – something that made a world of a difference to him and his family.

26 Mar 2018

Patient Suffering From Seizures Undergoes Urgent Neurosurgery

When Nalani’s housemaid heard the family dog whimpering in the bedroom, she went to investigate. On walking into the bedroom, she saw Nalani was experiencing a seizure and immediately called for help. Nalani had suffered a double-ruptured aneurysm and needed urgent surgery. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi was the first available hospital to be able to perform the procedure, and she was taken by ambulance to prepare for the operation and meet her neurosurgery team. “When we arrived the full team was there, it was kind of nice to see – they were so upbeat and accommodating.” She remembers meeting the team who were going to perform the procedure, and recalls them explaining everything clearly so that she could fully understand what was going to happen. Now completely recovered, Nalani and her husband Stuart reflect on their experience, which they describe as “phenomenal” despite the severity of Nalani’s condition, and the one-month stay in hospital. Nalani’ s outlook is remarkably positive and she says, “Life goes on, these things happen and it’s about how we all come together to get through them.”

28 Nov 2017

Patient with Rare Immunodeficiency Disorder Makes Full Recovery

Strange Swelling and Abdominal Pain In 2014, 27-year-old UAE national, Ibrahim Yaqoub Ibrahim Al Ali, started noticing swelling in his face, hands and feet, and would experience frequent stomach pain. Ibrahim was unable to live a normal life. He would constantly have to cancel social plans last minute and miss work due to his extreme symptoms. At one point, Ibrahim was rushed to an intensive care unit because he couldn’t breathe. He was treated for an allergic response and then sent home without further investigation. Ibrahim went to the emergency department several times and traveled to various hospitals around the world to look for answers. Doctors often performed invasive diagnostic tests that produced diagnoses like allergies or infections of the colon, and he was often prescribed opioid pain medications for his stomach pain. “I had been suffering from periods of very bad pain for years and my quality of life was very poor. In the last year, I was visiting the emergency department four times a week and had started to lose hope that I would ever feel better,” Ibrahim recounts. A Trip to the Emergency Department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi One day, Ibrahim was experiencing severe abdominal pain and vomiting. He decided to go to the emergency department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. Ibrahim was evaluated and transferred to the care of Dr. Mohamed Abuzakouk, Consultant in Clinical Immunology and Allergy at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Medical Subspecialties Institute. Dr. Abuzakouk told Ibrahim that he had seen cases similar to his and ordered a number of tests, including an immunological assessment. Ibrahim’s tests showed that he was suffering from hereditary angioedema, an inherited disorder than can be potentially life-threatening. Hereditary angioedema is thought to occur in just one in 50,000 people. Moreover, Ibrahim was diagnosed with the less commonly occurring type 2 hereditary angioedema, which occurs in only 15 to 20 percent of cases of hereditary angioedema. A Correct Diagnosis Leads to Effective Treatment When properly treated, patients with hereditary angioedema can generally live long, symptom-free lives. For Ibrahim, receiving the correct diagnosis and starting treatment has brought immediate relief. His treatment regimen consists of taking medication twice a day. “Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi genuinely cares about patients. I experienced other hospitals, and if they didn’t know what the issue was, they would just give me pain medication to stop the pain. But doctors at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi try to find the problem and treat the underlying issue,” explains Ibrahim. Ibrahim’s life has changed dramatically since he entered the emergency department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. He has gone back to work and enjoys his duties in event security. He has also recovered his social life. When he makes plans with friends, he knows he won’t have to cancel last minute. “When I reached Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi and they told me what was wrong, I could not believe it. Now I have started taking my medication and I feel wonderful. I am so grateful to the doctors for giving me my life back.”

28 Nov 2017

One of Our Caregivers Becomes a Patient When Her Ability to Breathe Deteriorates

Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi caregiver Manar became one of our patients when her breathing worsened. Manar Al Khatib, a caregiver working in Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi‘s contact center, developed a cough that seemed to come and go with changes in the weather. At first, she thought allergies were to blame. She consulted a number of physicians, each of which attributed her symptoms to asthma. After using prescribed inhalers and medications for asthma treatment, instead of noticing an improvement in her symptoms, Manar realized her symptoms were getting worse. Over the next nine months, she started to develop serious respiratory complications. At the contact center, Manar is often on the phone for work. Her respiratory problems became apparent to others over the phone. She was experiencing a significant decline in her health. “I felt like I was extremely debilitated,” Manar recalled. “My difficulty breathing was interfering with everything, especially sleep, and I just didn’t have the energy to do even basic activities or simply walk around.” Finally, Manar’s symptoms became so extreme that she decided to visit the emergency department at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. A Life-Threatening Discovery At the emergency department, Manar was evaluated and referred to Khaled Saleh, MD. The inconclusive nature of Manar’s symptoms and medical history led Dr. Saleh to recommend that she return for a series of tests and scans. The results from a CT scan revealed a huge mass at the top of her chest, which was located on the thyroid gland. Manar was suffering from what is known as a substernal goiter, which means that an enlarged thyroid gland was compressing her trachea and making it hard for her to breathe. The mass measured more than 7 centimeters. It was so large that it was considered to be life-threatening. “I was shocked to know that the mass had been on my chest all along,” Manar explained. “When I tried to understand my condition, there was usually talk of my respiratory system, but only after I went to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, was there a focus on my lungs and heart, which uncovered the cause of my symptoms.” Manar was then referred to thoracic surgeon, Redha Souilamas, MD. Because of the complexity of the goiter as well as its location, the medical team was concerned of the risk of damaging the delicate vocal chords during surgery, which were located close to the goiter. However, as a specialist with 20 years of experience, Dr. Souilamas was able to successfully remove the mass from Manar’s chest using a minimally invasive technique, without any damage to the vocal chords. The nature of the minimally invasive technique meant that Manar did not have to stay in the intensive care unit, but instead was able to recover on the acute care patient floor and return home after only two days following the operation. ‘Caregiver’ Brings New Meaning Since then, Manar’s symptoms have been completely eliminated. Manar says she feels like a new person, and she now eats, sleeps and exercises with ease. When Manar reflects on her experience, she recalls the moment of joy when after months of uncertainty, the clinical team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi finally brought clarity to her condition. Now, Manar supports others in the community who are in a similar position. “I remember very clearly the moment when I was in front of my doctors and they were explaining to me with confidence what was wrong and how they could fix it. It was a moment of extreme worry, but at the same time of relief and joy. I felt reassured that I was going to get the medical care I needed. When people call Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi looking for the same level of expertise and compassion, I am grateful to have an opportunity to play a role in helping them on a path to better health."

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