The sun was blazing hot as Nikita Hari doled out free drinks and snacks to the workers on the streets of UAE. The 27-year-old suffers from neurogenic bladder dysfunction and cannot drink more than 800ml of water a day. This, perhaps, is her way of owning the fatal disorder.

“I know how hot it gets and how thirsty people can get. As I cannot drink, I distribute water,” says the Sharjah-based Indian expat from Bengaluru.

Born with an under-developed bladder, Nikita has never known what it is to eat like a normal person. She has always been under medication and special diets.

At 19, Nikita has had her first kidney failure. After being on dialysis treatment for one and a half years, she underwent a renal transplant and a bladder rectification surgery.

However, the youngster kept contracting infections, one after another, leading to an acute renal failure in January last year. Since then, she has been on dialysis.

Nikita’s treatment has put a financial strain on her family and she already has an outstanding bill of Dhs. 100,000 (Rs 17, 27,195) at First Medical Centre in Deira. Her weekly dialysis bill comes up to Dhs. 3000 (Rs 51,816).

Although her sister Namrita is ready to donate a kidney, she needs to have an expensive bladder rectification surgery before the transplant.

Nikita has been under the treatment of nephrologist Dr Babu Shersad since age 13. “My doctor keep encouraging me that something will work out. They are looking for an effective option, which will not affect the kidney in the long run. I trust him, he is an amazing doctor,” Nikita pins hope on her doctor.

“I have been to Gujarat, Chennai and Mumbai, but doctors said they cannot do anything,” said the business development executive, who still shows up to work to support her medical bills.

“Financially, we are under a lot of stress. Health-wise, I feel very tired in the days of dialysis, but I am fine otherwise,” says Nikita.

For her, dietary restriction is an everyday story. “I can only drink 800 ml of water a day and I have to be on a low potassium diet... but almost everything has potassium,” she says.

Nikita hopes people would be kind enough to help her continue the treatment. Those interested to help her can comment in the section below.

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