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'Doctors are still repairing the damage to my body': Malala Yousafzai talks about her road to recovery

'Doctors are still repairing the damage to my body': Malala Yousafzai talks about her road to recovery

In a heartfelt write-up, the Nobel laureate opened up about the surgeries she had to undergo since being attacked by the Taliban.
25 Aug, 2021

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai recently opened up about how she's still on the road to recovery nine years after being attacked by the Taliban.

In 2012 Yousafzai — at the mere age of 15 — was shot in the head when she was returning from her school in Mingora, Swat. Now 24, she recently took to social media to share the various health challenges and surgical procedures she's undergone since the attack.

"Two weeks ago I lay in a hospital bed in Boston undergoing my sixth surgery, as doctors continued to repair the Taliban’s damage to my body," Yousafzai shared on social media.

In the complete write-up on Podium, the Nobel laureate recounted the damage inflicted upon her. "The bullet grazed my left eye, skull and brain — lacerating my facial nerve, shattering my eardrum and breaking my jaw joints," she wrote.

"The emergency surgeons in Peshawar, Pakistan removed my left temporal skull bone to create space for my brain to swell in response to the injury. Their quick action saved my life, but soon my organs began to fail and I was airlifted to the capital city, Islamabad. A week later, doctors determined that I needed more intense care and should be moved out of my home country to continue treatment."

Yousafzai talked about having no recollection of the event until she woke up at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, the UK. "When I opened my eyes, I was relieved to realise I was alive," she wrote. "But I didn’t know where I was or why I was surrounded by strangers speaking English."

The Nobel laureate went on to describe an extensive list of procedures she had to undergo to regain normal bodily function. She explained how doctors decided to "fit a titanium plate where my skull bone had been, reducing the risk of infection, in a procedure called a cranioplasty".

"During the titanium cranioplasty, they also added a cochlear implant where the bullet had destroyed my eardrum," Yousafzai added.

The 24-year-old also underwent treatment for the extensive facial paralysis she suffered as a result of the attack. "About six weeks after I first landed in the UK, the doctors decided to tackle my facial paralysis. To do this, they cut into my face again and tried to stitch my severed facial nerve back together, hoping it would eventually regrow and facilitate movement," she said.

"A few months after the nerve surgery and with regular facial massage, my symmetry and movement had improved a little. If I smiled with my lips closed, I could almost see my old face. I covered my mouth with my hands when I laughed — so people wouldn’t see that one side didn’t work as well as the other."

Yousafzai recovering after surgery
Yousafzai recovering after surgery

Yousafzai underwent two surgeries to further treat her facial paralysis in 2018 and 2019. She recently underwent a third surgery in August. "On August 9 in Boston, I woke up at 5:00 am to go to the hospital for my latest surgery and saw the news that the Taliban had taken Kunduz, the first major city to fall in Afghanistan," she wrote. "Over the next few days, with ice packs and a bandage wrapped around my head, I watched as province after province fell to men with guns, loaded with bullets like the one that shot me."

The recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan triggered the Nobel Laureate to recount the painful details of her experience since the attack. "Nine years after being shot, I am still recovering from just one bullet," she wrote. "But the people of Afghanistan have taken millions of bullets over the last four decades. My heart breaks for those whose names we will forget or never even know, whose cries for help will go unanswered."

Comments

A. ALI Aug 25, 2021 12:07pm
This was not necessary, after peaceful transition of power in Afghanistan.
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ZUA Aug 25, 2021 12:18pm
We need more of such brave girls in our country !
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SYED ADNAN SHAFQAT Aug 25, 2021 12:24pm
sacrifices need to be made to be part of some hidden elements....are you the only girl affected out of numerous girls....?
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Vivek Aug 25, 2021 12:35pm
What about the damage to her brain?
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Ilyas Aug 25, 2021 12:39pm
I wish the common people also get the same sort of medical facilities.
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Chrís Dăn Aug 25, 2021 12:41pm
My derp respects to this young lady. Her only sin was that she had refused to stop going to school as per orders of Taliban & further sin was that she convinced her many other school girls too ,to continue education. Then to add fire , as, she at tender age of 15 was writing regularly for BBC Urdu describing the britalities of Taliban in her small village area ,pertaining to women. Those were the peak days of Taliban while no ruling politician in Pakistan uttered a word against these terrorists. Malala stood for other girls in the area too & was punished by Taliban. BUT, She survived& will survive & will keep on telling orihinal reality of terrorists. It s sad that a majority of Pakistan are pro- taliban still.
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Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Aug 25, 2021 12:46pm
Yes Madam you were lucky than many millions others.
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Don Keraja Aug 25, 2021 12:53pm
But Pakistanis are still celebrating because their ‘investment’ in Taliban, a regime that is still to date designated a terrorist, that has history of horrific treatment of minorities and women, has become a reality.
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sultan, Eng Aug 25, 2021 01:03pm
there're many secrets about the family waiting to come out with the passage of time. the people who have intimate knowledge will reveal it one day.
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Sajjadx Aug 25, 2021 01:05pm
Was it left or right side? She says left, but the picture after surgery is right.
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Gary Aug 25, 2021 01:09pm
Thanks for sharing. Hats off to you for your bravery.
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Khalid Aug 25, 2021 01:27pm
People have gone through worse. Stop imposing her on the whole Nation.
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Sheraz Ali Rizvi Aug 25, 2021 01:48pm
Western Media love this girl for no reason else there are many girls here in Pakistan who face same issue but still living here in Pakistan
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Toni Aug 25, 2021 01:51pm
Baytee judge the Talibaan that shot you but don't be hasty in judging the current Afghan Taliban, they are not the TTP that shot you. Plus Afghanistan has been in civil wars among their own for almost 50+ years. You should know that difference and it has been invaded by foreign Western forces. Be grateful as you are, I am sure that Pakistani doctors did what they did to save your life too and thanks to Western doctors to do the next part.
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Hh Aug 25, 2021 01:57pm
Is this yet another attempt to put portray ttp as the afghan Taliban?
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NYS Aug 25, 2021 02:11pm
You are 5he lucky one to get escaped and got enormous prestige and stature where you are now
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AK Aug 25, 2021 02:11pm
The damage is permanant...as are clear from her views.........
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Lala Malik Aug 25, 2021 02:14pm
Keep the lights on!!
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enlightened soul Aug 25, 2021 02:15pm
@vivek it seems damaged..
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Hamza Aug 25, 2021 02:15pm
What happened to her was very wrong and should be condemend to the max. But hoping that some day she will feels the pain and raise her voice also for the Girls suffering in Kashmir and Palestine..
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Obaid Rahman Aug 25, 2021 02:25pm
Pakistanis will believe the most outrageous conspiracy theories but doubt Malala and label her a foreign agent. We are a sad lot.
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UZ Aug 25, 2021 02:26pm
@Hamza Unfortunately she will not because of no reward for it. Just curious why she suddenly appeared in news nowadays?
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Aug 25, 2021 02:28pm
What a grim, grave, grisly, gross and great tragedy?
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Usama Khan Aug 25, 2021 02:41pm
@Hamza whataboutism...
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Waheed UK Aug 25, 2021 02:43pm
The whole saga is an enigma and complete mystery but well constructed and designed to serve the long term goals and agenda. . One prays that she will not be imposed on Pakistan or an institution to damage and undermine the interests of the ummah. Her father and et al have done a great PR job for someone devoid of emotion and innate intelligence and intellectual capacity to have gone this far and obtain various accolades to silence those with those rational mind and true intelligence....... the saga will continue to run for the foreseeable future
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Poor Malala Aug 25, 2021 02:58pm
No wonder she still has problems with her speech and thought coordination. This will be an irreparable damage done by Islamic extremists to a school-going kid. Wishing for a speedy recovery and realization of the truth that there are no good or bad terrorists, it's just greed and money from Mullahs who twist scriptures and sell them for killing others.
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Poor Malala Aug 25, 2021 02:59pm
@Vivek, yeah that's the larger problem. She still has problem coordinating with her thought process and speech.
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Poor Malala Aug 25, 2021 03:00pm
@Ilyas common people who support terrorists? How will that be ever?
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Poor Malala Aug 25, 2021 03:01pm
@Sajjadx It is left part, but it's just that you dont know the difference between right and left.
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Mrs.khalil Aug 25, 2021 03:11pm
Time will unfold , Malala drama one day.
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Asif A. Shah Aug 25, 2021 03:11pm
The whole world is watching the Taliban. We earnestly hope that they have redeemed. If the Afghan Government had not been corrupt to the core, the Taliban would not have triumphed easily. However, I hope that the sacrifices of Malala Yousafzai will not go in vain. The future generations of Afghan girls will remember Malala with a sense of gratitude.
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Calypso Aug 25, 2021 03:11pm
When a Pakistani achieves a good status, many of us just try to attack this person in a mischievous manner. For me a result of deep inferiority complex. I accept: Malala had sheer luck/contacts to get these treatments, a lot of publicity and also the Nobel prize. But her slogan remains 100% true for most of societies: “One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
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Sajjad Aug 25, 2021 03:13pm
I am desperate to move to UK or US but yeah, I cant take the risk of putting my daughter on the line with Terrorists and then forcing her to live double life in UK. Its a pity that she has this life where she has to act all the time.
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Nh Aug 25, 2021 03:15pm
Why this revelation at this time?
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SAB Aug 25, 2021 03:27pm
Her media handling is simply outstanding.
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Sharif Aug 25, 2021 03:28pm
Puppet of the Westerners... like Ashraf Ghani, both left the country for themselves only.
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S.Ahmad Aug 25, 2021 03:34pm
It is a shame that the kind of people that nearly killed Malala have been handed over an entire country, whose Malalas won't be that lucky.
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Poor Malala Aug 25, 2021 03:36pm
@Hamza, yeah she must raise voice against the jihadis who brainwash girls and kids into killing non-Muslims!
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Parvez Aug 25, 2021 03:39pm
I have nothing but praise for this brave, brave girl ..... may she fully recover and go on to do the things destined for her.
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sultan, Eng Aug 25, 2021 03:47pm
@Sajjad i guess you may be one of the few people who know the truth if so please reveal it all. it'll be a great favour to the people who want to know the whole truth.
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sultan, Eng Aug 25, 2021 04:08pm
haven't we seen these pictures years ago??
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Waheed UK Aug 25, 2021 04:34pm
@Sajjad excellent insight. There is definitely hope when there people like you Sajjad.
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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani Aug 25, 2021 04:41pm
Old photos are published for cheap publicity and sympathies - nothing else.
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Az Aug 25, 2021 04:51pm
@SYED ADNAN SHAFQAT She mentioned about the millions of bullets taken by the forgotten, unnamed individuals. C'mon, show some humanity.
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Az Aug 25, 2021 04:53pm
@A. ALI Never forget the recent violent and barbaric past so fast. Let's see how V2 performs.
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Rehan Ullah Aug 25, 2021 05:00pm
Still i don't believe that you are the only one to hit by Thaliban, it is very rare case, how you are the only lucky in in hundred of thousands to be come out like lottery and selected for trophy, imagine we have a graveyard in village where many people are buried and very young people due to war and terror and you selected for nobel this is something very strange, and nowhere Thaliban killed women it is very transparent statement...
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khan Aug 25, 2021 05:11pm
She sells her faith for the sake of peanuts. She will regret.
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Iqbal Aswani Aug 25, 2021 05:19pm
@ZUA We would like to be enlightened about her acts of bravery she has done.
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Rubina Aleem Aug 25, 2021 05:26pm
Absolute unnecessary article and very ill-timed. Today's Talibans seem different from the earlier ones, so they should be given a chance to govern Afghanistan, instead of publishing such pessimistic articles. West may have high regards for this lady but here at home, we still wonder what services she and her father rendered for the well being of women.
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Sakeena Raza Aug 25, 2021 05:30pm
The least the Taliban owe Malala is an apology! It was a heartless, bigoted, sexist and terroirizing act that deserves severe punishment. If the Taliban have 'reformed' and become ' so enlightened' then their first step should have been to apologize to Malala and all others who have been affected/ruined by their atrocities in the past. We have yet to see what exactly their 'enlightened Salafi' agenda is. In response to those who say 'are you the only one affected?' No, Malala is not but if she shares her story with us, it does not undermine anyone else's tragic experience at the hands of the Taliban. Malala has the courage to talk about it and we must support her. Why don't you look at her as 'one of the voices' who suffered 'zulm' of Taliban instead of 'not the only one' ! How heartless!
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abu aliev Aug 25, 2021 05:34pm
sorry she suffered .and she paid the biggest price . and she will have these pains all her life . true sympathies with her.
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Tanvir Khan Aug 25, 2021 05:44pm
Malala, you are the symbol of virtue and morality, just the opposite of the Taliban. I wish all women were as brave and fearless as you are against this ugly world of Taliban-ism !!!
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M. Siddique Aug 25, 2021 05:51pm
@Khalid No one is imposing her on anyone.
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M. Siddique Aug 25, 2021 05:52pm
Malala, you are a brave daughter of Pakistan, Bravo.
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AHAQ Aug 25, 2021 05:54pm
old pictures- enough is enough to gain empathy and sympathy which has turned up to be a good money making business
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Ali Hassan Aug 25, 2021 05:57pm
@sultan, Eng Ladies and Gentlemen, This is what a conspiracy theory spreader looks like. Admire the vagueness of his claims. Admire the shamelessness of this tone. A true master class in spreading sinister doubt.
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Hemant Aug 25, 2021 06:25pm
She is lucky that she survived as stricken of luck! See how many are struggling to leave Afghanistan and many who may not make it will probably die and permanently impacted by these heivans/ shaitans. Seems they have started door to door bride search for Taliban fighters in Afghanistan! These wolf were hungry for girls for past twenty years! These poor girls going to suffer life long psychological terror!
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Salim Khan Aug 25, 2021 06:35pm
She is a brave girl. A true role model.
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Gollum Aug 25, 2021 06:49pm
There are more people suffereing in the world than our dear Malala. Let us concentrate on it rather than going through the History. You should be thankful to all people who supported you and took you to this place where many only dream for despite doing much more than what You did for your Homeland.
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Sudhakar Aug 25, 2021 06:55pm
Heartbreaking to think about what this brave woman went through! Hope better sense prevails in the Afg-Pak region and they shun the radical jihadi violence.
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Haroon Temueri Aug 25, 2021 07:13pm
They will repairs the damage to your body for rest of your life just stay out of Pakistan affairs
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Kaavan Aug 25, 2021 07:13pm
Yet, inspire of her sufferings some Pakistanis charge her for having become "an agent of the West" and an enemy of their country! They are also upset that Malala has suggested she might not marry! Horror of horrors!With the injuries the Taliban inflicted on her for advocating for girls' education, the must submit to men's expectations of what she SHOULD DO! Be Strong, Malala, there are many of us rooting for a good life for you!
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sultan, Eng Aug 25, 2021 07:37pm
@Ali Hassan the truth seekers will say that these remarks fit you better because you are immersed in the delusional belief that what the web of lies the Occident has woven must be right and it's apparent that you lack the sense of analysis and are therefore following the lead of the west blindly. so never challenge those who seek the truth. beat your drum before the Occidental audience.
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Kaavan Aug 25, 2021 07:38pm
@Sheraz Ali Rizvi : Fortunately, Malala has survived to become a respected woman!Not a "girl" anymore! You are the men of Iqbal Park, no? Why the bottomless resentment?
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Amir Aug 25, 2021 07:47pm
@A. ALI You surely realize that this write up is pure anti Taliban propaganda!
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Amir Aug 25, 2021 07:49pm
@Don Keraja Designated so because they are Muslim! Had they been of any other faith they would have been 'patriots and freedom fighters'!
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Bila Aug 25, 2021 09:25pm
The more you seem injured, the more you will shine and the more the west will befool the world.
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Irfan Huq Aug 25, 2021 11:16pm
@SYED ADNAN SHAFQAT No but she is the only brave girl who's lightining the world about the misdeeds of the taliban and their thinking and the brutality
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Irfan Huq Aug 25, 2021 11:18pm
@Ilyas More important is that common people should not be shot at by the brute taliban.
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Irfan Huq Aug 25, 2021 11:20pm
@Sheraz Ali Rizvi How many girls are being shot in their face for going to school and opposed by taliban can you name some
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Irfan Huq Aug 25, 2021 11:23pm
@UZ She is worth a news all The Times. She does not open her mouth unnecessarily like some of our leaders
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Hasrat noumani Aug 26, 2021 12:27am
There’s a picture circulating on the internet showing her walking to the plane to UK after apparently being shot.
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Truth be told Aug 26, 2021 12:38am
@sultan, Eng agree. And read my comments above and you will get a glimpse.
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Fareed Ashraf Chaudhry Aug 26, 2021 02:37am
We will listen to her stories when she lands in Pakistan and starts to live here.
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Mbhatty Aug 26, 2021 05:59am
@A. ALI why not. She has every right to tell her story. What happened to her and why is fact. What was her fault and some body was responsible for it. As people like you glorify the peaceful transition so should the cruelty be condemned whoever it is.
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Ankit Aug 26, 2021 06:16am
@Sajjadx her left side Mr. Intellectual
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DR.zaid ahmad al-muhaisen Aug 26, 2021 12:03pm
I hope that you will not be a tool in the hands of the West to use you as a peg in which it hides its flaws in legitimizing colonialism and occupation of countries.
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Sher Aug 26, 2021 05:12pm
@ZUA How she is brave? It was a staged Drama, what you think if you are a Doctor, if a bullets hits her head, do you think, she is still alive? Her Father is a very smart and clever guy.
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shubs Aug 28, 2021 12:39am
According to Pakistan's handsome-est president in history, these guys are helping Afghans to "break the shackles of slavery". Pakistanis must be so proud of the supreme intellect of the pretend-leader of their country.
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