Man finally able to drink a glass of water after 35 years thanks to groundbreaking procedure

We often tend to forget that being able to do daily tasks easily is a big privilege. To walk, talk, feed yourself and so on without breaking a sweat is a true gift and this becomes evident when one learns about a man who couldn't drink a glass of water for 35 years because of the tremors he experienced. In a notable breakthrough, doctors from Gold Coast University Hospital in Australia were able to change that for the man who couldn't contain his tears after the life-changing procedure. The emotional moment was captured in a video shared by Shannon Fentiman who goes by @ShannonFentiman on X.

Fentiman is a Labor MP for Waterford, QLD Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Minister for Women as per her X bio. She captioned the post, "Neville couldn't drink a glass of water for 35 years. Watch that all change thanks to a groundbreaking incision-less surgery at Gold Coast University Hospital." The hospital has become the first Australian Public hospital to offer new-age incision-less surgery for essential tremors, as per a press release. The procedure involves recognizing and treating areas of the brain that cause symptoms of the disorder with the help of MRI technology. The disruption of abnormal brain activity through the procedure helps control symptoms and allows patients to manage their tremors.

The patient, Neville Waterstorm, shared his experience and joy about the change the procedure has brought about in his life through the X video. "That very first moment I came out of the MRI and they put a glass of water in front of me," Waterstorm recalled, crying tears of joy as he picked up the glass of water in front of him without shaking. "For 35 years I've never ever been able to drink that glass of water," he expressed. "To drink it, not shake, it was amazing. The changes it has made in my life since then are numerous. The thanks that I feel, the appreciation for the doctors, the hospital and the government for funding something that's changed my life is endless."

"It’s been incredibly difficult to do even simple tasks like feeding myself, and drinking out of a glass was just not a possibility. I haven’t been able to write properly for at least 20 years, and now – it’s just amazing. I can drink a glass of water again, and this is just one hour after the procedure," Waterstorm added. The hospital took to its Instagram, @goldcoasthospitalfoundation, to share the 74-year-old's progress after the procedure to treat his essential tremors. The before and after of the procedure were quite noticeable as the man was able to hold a pen to draw a neat spiral, in addition to holding a glass of water without spilling anything.

The organization expressed, "We are so proud to be supporting treatments and outcomes like this. Helping to change lives and help deliver the best possible patient experiences is what drives us every day. Thank you to the community for your continued support." Many social media users took to the comments section to appreciate the team. @miss_nou82 wrote, "Yes but can he please wipe my tears away too because now I’m crying, damnit Neville." @mobiddiction commented, "Truly a miracle!!! God bless all the doctors, nursing and admin staff who make such miracles come true. Thank you for sharing."

This article originally appeared 3 months ago.