Newlywed fighting for life after brain bleed ‘misdiagnosed as food poisoning’

A newly married woman is fighting for her life in hospital after she claims doctors misdiagnosed a brain bleed as food poisoning.

Pakistani Rida Fatima married Walsall man Arslan Qurban in February, after a whirlwind romance.

The couple had applied for a visa so the 24-year-old could join Arslan in the Midlands and they could start a life together in the UK, Birmingham Live reported . 

On September 8 Rida says she visited her GP in Pakistan, complaining of a headache, and was subsequently prescribed migraine medication.

She visited the doctor the following day – this time with a severe headache and vomiting – and says she was diagnosed with food poisonng.

On September 10 she visited hospital, where she collapsed and had a seizure on the floor.

Rida was rushed into surgery for two operations to stop two brain bleeds, identified by a CT scan.

Arslan, who was back in England at the time of his wife’s collapse, flew out to Pakistan to be by her side.

He is now appealing for help to pay her medical bills, which are topping £5,000-a-week at the Shifa International Hospital in Islamabad.

“They told me that, if she’d left it any longer, I would have lost her,” he said.

“After the second surgery her brain was so swollen they were unable to replace her skull.

“She was on a ventilator and was in a coma at first, but she is showing signs of improvement.

“On the day I went into see her she was slipping in and out of consciousness. She would be awake for a minute or so then fall back to sleep.

“But I sat beside her and she recognised my voice. She grabbed me by the neck and pulled me close to her. It was really emotional.

“Then she tried to open her eyes. She is showing good signs, and I know she can do it.”

Arslan works as a rental advisor at a car hire company near Birmingham Airport.

He met his new wife a year ago, via a Muslim dating app.

Arslan said they immediately ‘clicked’ and he fell head over heels for her straight away.

“We fell in love so fast,” said the 25-year-old man.

“Ever since that first day we spoke, our love just grew and grew.

“I asked her to be my wife in a matter of a few months.

“Rida said yes straight away and finally my whole life made sense. Everything in my life had led me to the day I married her.

“It’s now been three weeks since I heard her voice and I pray I will hear it again soon.

“I know I can get my wife back, I just need to fight for it.”

Arslan has appealed for help to pay for Rida’s medical bills and said his parents were considering remortgaging their house to help.

He has set up a GoFundMe page to help pay for a treatment, which has already generated more than £17,000 in generous donations.

His wife was “perfectly healthy” before the incident, he said.

While she remained in intensive care, she had recently regained movement to the right side of her body, and been able to open her eyes.

Arslan hoped she would be out of intensive care in the next couple of weeks and would be moved onto a normal ward.

“But the bills are expensive,” he said.

“As her husband, I need to do everything I can to try and help her and get her the best treatment.”