‘Every power cut terrifies us’: Kozhikode family awaits KSEB relief for son on oxygen support

Kozhikode: For Denny Davis and his wife Anita, every power outage brings fear. Their son, Daniel Dennis, who is bedridden with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, depends on an electrically powered oxygen support system to breathe, making uninterrupted electricity a matter of life and death.

Daniel remains on oxygen support round the clock at their home in Viruppil, Moozhikkal. However, frequent power cuts in the area have left the family in constant anxiety over his survival.

Appeal to shift electricity connection

The family has been requesting the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to shift their electricity connection from the Vellimadukunnu section to the nearby Medical College section, which receives a reliable power supply.

Despite submitting several applications, they say no action has been taken.

The electricity pole under the Vellimadukunnu section is only about 100–200 metres away from the pole under the Medical College section, but the family says their repeated appeals to both section offices have only received verbal assurances.

Power failure once led to medical emergency

The area also experiences severe voltage fluctuations. On one occasion, low voltage prevented Daniel's oxygen equipment from functioning properly, causing his condition to deteriorate rapidly.

He was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where doctors found dangerously high levels of carbon dioxide in his body. Daniel spent nearly three months in the intensive care unit before being discharged after an ICU setup was arranged at home.

Since he now receives oxygen through a tracheostomy tube, uninterrupted electricity is essential for his survival.

Family relies on inverter and generator

During the monsoon, the situation becomes even more difficult. When floodwaters rise, the transformer serving the area is often switched off by the KSEB as a safety precaution, cutting off power to the family's home.

A small-capacity inverter and generator, donated by friends and well-wishers, provide temporary backup during outages. However, the family says these are not a long-term solution.

The parents say they are not asking for anything beyond a stable electricity supply that can keep their son's oxygen equipment running.

"We can manage without many things, but we cannot survive without the electricity that keeps our son breathing," the family says.