Born Ayman Mohammad Khan, excited four-year-old is ready for his genital reconstruction surgery today at St George Hospital
Aman with his father Mohammad Khan, uncle Akbar Shaikh and elder brother at St George Hospital on Thursday
After a wait of five years, Ayman Mohammad Khan is ready to become Aman Mohammad Khan. Admitted at the government-run St George Hospital, the four-year-old will undergo genital reconstruction surgery today, becoming the youngest in Maharashtra to undergo it. Speaking to mid-day, the toddler gushed out in excitement: "I want to be Aman."
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In the first stage of surgery, doctors will make a conduit to help him to urinate like a male, and later, develop a scrotum. Hospital superintendent Dr Madhukar Gaikwad said, "He underwent a sonography today here. His surgery will be similar to (Beed constable Lalit) Salve's, just that he won't need facial surgeries to get a manly look, as he is too young right now."
Aman Mohammad Khan
Such a long journey
Yesterday, the excited family reached the hospital at 8 am, all geared up to welcome their second boy. An emotional Mohammad Khan, with Aman in his lap, told mid-day, "We had no problem that our third child was a girl; we loved her as much as our eldest daughter and younger son. But knowing now what the reality is, and how dark his future will be as a girl, considering the medical condition, we are eager for him become a boy. After all, we won't be around forever to guide him; he has to venture into the world on his own. I don't want him discriminated against because of this condition. Hence, it's essential that he undergoes this surgery."
mid-day had reported the family's plight first, back in August, about how three years after his birth, his medical condition had been recognised and revealed, but financial constraints kept the family from seeking help. After the inspiring story of Beed constable Lalit Salve came out, they became hopeful, and with his help, managed to get here.
The Aadhaar agony
But there were more hurdles, as the hospital had initially refused to perform the surgery because Aman didn't have an Aadhaar card - his parents could never get it made due to confusion over his gender.
"As instructed by the hospital, we have now applied for his Aadhaar card with the name Aman, as his medical report has confirmed the presence of XY chromosome pair. To hasten the process, we showed the medical documents to the authority concerned who understood our need," said his uncle Akbar Shaikh, who has accompanied Mohammad to Mumbai for the treatment.
While the treatment will be free, for certain additional expenses that will be incurred, the family has borrowed money from relatives. "A few of the blood tests are conducted outside the hospital, in private labs. So, for that, we had to borrow some money," he added.
Oh boy!
When we approached him, Aman smiled shyly and said he is eager to go to school (he's currently being home-schooled with his sister). When asked which name he likes better, Ayman or Aman, he hid behind his father and murmured, "I want people to call me Aman."
Also Read: Beed 'Girl' Gets Set To Become Boy; To Undergo Genital Reconstruction Surgery
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