Patient comes home after 11 years amid Covid-19 outbreak

KOHIMA — When the whole world has come to a standstill owing to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, the tale of a woman who came home after spending more than a decade in hospital and the subsequent reunion with her family, has won the hearts of many internet users.

Aneile Kenye, 50, was reunited with her husband Oken Jeet, their two children and other family members at their rented house in Kohima, Nagaland on Monday, March 30, after she was discharged from the intensive care unit (ICU) at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK), where she had been staying for the past 11 years.

Following the announcement of Nagaland government to convert NHAK to Covid-19 Hospital, Kenye had to be discharged from the facility. She was shifted to a house next to the hospital where her husband had rented to stay close to her.

Kenye, who became the first Indian woman to officiate the Muay Thai competition at the World Sports For All Games 2008 held in South Korea, collapsed on August 30, 2009. She was diagnosed with a brain tumour and has since remained in the ICU until she was discharged on Monday.

One person, who has been devotedly taking care of her all these years, is her husband Oken Jeet, who she married in 1986 and has two children – a daughter and a son — together. He and their children were by her side at NHAK for more than 11 years.

Jeet is a senior journalist and founder president of Muay Thai Federation of India.

“When I learned that Shah Jahan built Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz, I believed it could happen as I knew from the love of my wife, Aneile Kenye,” Jeet told Eastern Mirror.

Jeet, who was at one of the functions at NHAK on Monday, was seen taking selfie with fellow colleagues from the media. Perhaps they were not aware that his wife would be discharged from the hospital in a few hours.

Later in the day, he took to social media to thank the doctors and nurses at NHAK for taking care of his wife for more than a decade. He shared some pictures of his wife with the NHAK staff that were taken moments before leaving the ICU, on Facebook.

He also said it was emotional for him to leave the hospital, as it was a home not only for his wife but also for him, their children and family members for 11 years.

Their inspirational story, a living embodiment of pure true, went viral on Facebook with hundreds of people pouring in to leave encouraging comments for them.

“Prayer goes up. Blessings come down. Through blessings, miracle happens. Oken all these years, the struggle, the challenges and the strength you got to hold on is indeed a touch of blessings beyond measure,” a Facebook user by the name Gucci Gugs commented.

“The dedication, the patience and the love you have been giving is simply amazing and incredible. You’re a rare gem Sir. I pray that aunt Aneile recovers soon. God bless your wonderful family,” Joseph Thopi wrote.

“Oken, you are faithful and a wonderful husband. For all these years you have been feeding us with your pen and brain, in spite of your personal tragedy like this. Your love and patience is exemplary and admirable indeed,” said another user, Akho Leyri.

The government of Nagaland had issued an order asking patients to be shifted to private hospitals in Kohima as NHAK has been converted to Covid-19 Hospital in view of the Cobid-19 outbreak.