Support Needed for Karabeth - Injured in India


 

My dear friend Karabeth Burton, who I am traveling in India with, was struck down by a speeding motorcycle last Thursday. She is currently in the Intensive Care Unit of Bombay Hospital in Mumbai.

We had just spent three days volunteering at a daycare centre in a small suburb of Mumbai called Badlapur, approximately three hours by car from Mumbai. The day they were leaving to return to Mumbai they were crossing the street when suddenly a speeding motorcycle hit Karabeth head-on. She was immediately rushed by ambulance to Bombay Hospital in Mumbai where a CT scan revealed swelling of the brain and slight bleeding. She also has three fractures in her right leg and left arm.

Four days have now passed and she is recovering slowly but surely. She is responding well to the doctors and her friend, she is speaking well, drinking juice and has started eating again. The doctors are still wary that she is not out of danger yet and she has been complaining of a headache for more than 24 hours now. They are closely monitoring her. 

When the swelling in her brain returns to normal, they will begin surgeries on her right leg, which will require a brace, and left arm, which for the time being is set in a plaster cast.

The doctors estimate that her hospital bills may escalate to between $10,000 and $15,000 US if there are no complications. Karabeth does not have this money. It is a tremendous financial burden for her. I and my family are doing as much as we can for her.

We are appealing to anyone who knows Karabeth, all Guest English Teachers in Korea, and any friends or family in the US or Canada to help her with these costs. As foreign teachers in Korea, we are all alone without our families and closest friends from back home. We have formed new family relationships with each other and in reality, this could happen to any one of us not only on vacation but right in Korea as well.

Karabeth is a kind and generous person, always ready to lend a hand and help financially whomever she can. When I was starting a new job and living close to her in Jungri, she knew I would only get my first salary after one month of working, so she immediately lent me some money to get me through to my first pay cheque. She has helped so many people in this manner, with an open heart full of love. We believe if everyone pitches in, her hospital bills can be paid without placing her in tremendous debt.

All those in Korea may transfer their donation directly into Karabeth Burton's bank account, which is accessible to her in India. The bank is NongHyup and the account number is: 3020-498-564-541.

Those in the United States or Canada may do an international bank transfer to Standard Chartered Bank in Mumbai. Those bank details will be posted tomorrow after they are finalized.

Karabeth is a very honorable person and does not ask for help easily. I know she will be deeply touched by whatever anybody donates.

Thank you so much for your help.

-Sunil Mahtani (Canadian from Montreal living in Changwon)

Event listing with updates at:http://www.facebook.com/events/412976535448316/


Update Jan. 23
Update: Today Karabeth's doctor said she is doing very well. He is pleased by her progress. She is alert, talkative, is eating and drinking well and is wanting to get out of the hospital! All very good news. He said he will speak to the orthopedic doctor today about scheduling her surgeries, but said he doesn't want to rush into those today or tomorrow. He said probably Thursday is best for the surgeries because she will really be stable by then. 
We must have patience as this process is a bit time-consuming. She cannot have the surgeries until she is totally stable. The surgeries must go well and then she will need to recover in ICU from those. Then she will be moved to a regular room for a short time. 
Then she will be moved to my aunt's house for her final recovery time in India until she can travel to Korea again. Then of course the 24-hour, two-plane, one-bus journey to Korea. 
Now you know why I'm just taking it one day at a time and asking KB to do the same. All your love and support can literally be felt here in India and Karabeth and myself thank you so much in supporting her. We are all One and you are showing us that.


Update Jan. 24

Today was a very long and frustrating day and I'm afraid there's been a slight complication. Karabeth's CT scan revealed the true reason for her massive headache: a tiny amount of blood has leaked in her brain. It stopped almost immediately but the pressure is the cause of her headache. Her doctor has put her on medicine for this, which took care of this same problem right after the accident, but until the medicine truly kicks in and eliminates the blood, she is in pain. They have also given her painkillers and are trying their best to help her, but the doctor said a certain amount of healing must be done by the brain itself. 
I'm praying the headache will lessen by morning, but they have told me it could take a day or two. The doctor said not to worry, this is a normal complication of such an injury. However, it has some serious implications: Her surgeries on her leg and arm now cannot be done until Monday. The bleeding must be eliminated first, and then she must stabilize (again) and then she can be put under for the surgeries, which will take at least two-and-a-half hours. 
As you can imagine, this is a terrible disappointment for us since it means her recovery period is now extended by five days. That's five days more until her surgeries and five days more in hospital and that pushes back her recovery time at my aunt's house before our flight. Please continue praying for her and sending us healing love. 
I think this means we are in India until at least Feb. 7 and you can imagine what that's going to do to her hospital bills. Thank you so much for the donations received thus far. God bless you all.