For Troy man in need, community is real MVP
By: Robert Cristo , The Record 09/10/2004

Troy Record, NY
Sept 10 2004

TROY – A city man has taken the first step toward receiving
a multiple organ transplant and a new lease on life now that his
family’s health insurance plan approved the surgery after denying it
the first time around.

Setrak Nalbandian, 41, is on the path to receiving a life-saving
liver and intestine transplant, thanks in part to an outpouring of
support from friends, family and parishioners of St. Peter Armenian
Apostolic Church in Watervliet, who rallied to get the MVP health
plan to reverse its initial decision to deny the request.

“We couldn’t have done this without all the people who gave us
strength, encouragement and helped us to make this first big step in
my husband’s road to recovery,” said Talin Nalbandian, 36, who lives
on Highland Avenue. “There are no words to express how wonderful
they’ve all been.”

After a nearly 12-week, nerve-wracking wait, Nalbandian, his wife
and their 7-year-old triplets can now take a deep breath knowing he
has a fighting chance to survive.

Over that time, Talin says it has been “frustrating,” because even
with surgeons stressing that her husband needed a double transplant,
MVP’s health professionals didn’t see it that way.

“I think my doctors who are dealing with my husband know better than
people (at MVP) who don’t,” she said. “But I’m just happy now to
finally see some light at the end of the tunnel after all these weeks.”

Talin says she realizes her husband still has to survive a high-risk
operation and a year-long recovery before he’s out of the woods.

“I leave it in God’s hands now and hope that he gives us all the
strength to get through this together,” said Talin, whose two sons
and daughter started classes this week at School 14 in Troy.

Nalbandian is currently resting at an apartment in Indianapolis, Ind.,
and is expecting to receive the transplant at the Indiana University
Medical Center within the next few days.

“He was beginning to give up hope for a while, but now his whole
morale has gone up and he’s very happy,” said his wife, who will
return to her husband’s side in a couple of days.

Up until Nalbandian’s health started to fail nearly four years ago,
he was a baker for Price Chopper who was forced to go on disability
after doctors discovered his dire condition when veins in his
esophagus ruptured.

Talin says her husband is looking forward to returning to normalcy.
“It’s hard to think about the future, because everything is so
day-to-day, but I know he plans on going back to work, doing things
with his kids and living a normal life,” she said. “I know that’s a
lot to aim for but we’re praying for the best.”

Talin also says that even though her children are young, they still
understand that their father is going through a tough time.

“They sense the tension and know their father is sick, but their
grandparents help out and make sure the kids are going on with their
normal lives,” she said.

And if the stress of their personal lives wasn’t enough, Talin also
recently lost her job as a supervisor at a local bank.

“It’s been a roller coaster ride filled with ups and downs for all
of us,” she said.

To help with some of the bills the family will incur in Indianapolis
over the next four months, the St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church
will hold a fund-raiser beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday.

Parishioners are also selling “faith bracelets” with all proceeds
going to fund Nalbandian’s recovery.