A MAN received the best birthday gift on Wednesday when his wife recovered from a third brain surgery.
Yesterday, Jai Narayan of Makoi in Nasinu expressed his gratitude to a team of neuro surgeons, who operated on Manjula Devi, 53.
Ms Devi said she did not expect to wake up from her operation on Tuesday.
"On Wednesday when I woke up and saw my husband I wished him happy birthday and told him I was alive for him," she said.
Mr Narayan said he could not have asked for a better present.
"I'm the happiest man in the world," he said.
"She's recovering and I am so grateful to the neuro surgeons from Australia, the doctors and nurses at the CWM.
"My wife was starting to lose hope because it was her third operation."
Doctors at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital eye department detected the tumour when she visited them to have the lenses for her spectacles changed.
"The brain tumour was discovered in 2005 when I visited an optometrist," she said.
"I was referred to the CWM Hospital because my left eyeball was almost falling out of the socket; the tumour was pushing it.
"In March 2006, I went for my first surgery in Australia and later that year I had another operation, which cost $50,000."
The mother-of-three said she could not wait to return home yesterday to see her two grandchildren.
"I am so happy that not only am I well but we managed to get free surgery at home.
"The doctors said the tumour has cleared for now."
