DOCTORS at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation were yesterday battling to save the life of a 22-year-old man who attempted to take his life by hanging, following a domestic dispute with his reputed wife.Kemuel Norton, a seaman, of Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo, was discovered hanging from a tree with a piece of rope around his neck, around 23:00 hrs on Saturday. His wife, Kemwattie Singh, with whom he had an argument minutes earlier, said he left the house and said he was going at the back to urinate.

However, after not seeing him return for quite sometime, she decided to check on him. To her horror, she discovered her husband hanging from the tree. Frantically she called out for help, but apparently none of the neighbours heard her.
In a frenzy, she rushed back to the house, picked up a knife and hurried back to where he was and cut the rope from around his neck. He slumped to the ground and at that stage she phoned her father-in-law who rushed to the rescue and managed to get a vehicle to transport Kemuel to Leonora Cottage Hospital. There he was stabilised before being transferred to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.
But since he showed no reasonable signs of improvement, Kemuel was evacuated to the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) around 02:00 hrs, still in a state of unconsciousness. His mother, Margaret Norton recalled that he was placed on oxygen, and by 06:00 hrs yesterday morning he began struggling for breath and showed signs of breathing on his own.
Throughout yesterday he remained in the Emergency Room – his neck and throat swollen. He was also occasionally becoming delirious, and had to be restrained to his bed. By 17:00 hrs he spoke for the first time, saying that he wanted fruit juice to drink.
Doctors also ordered Computed Tomography (CT) scans of his head and neck.
Meanwhile, Kemuel’s mother, Margaret Norton, said that she was aware that the couple would regularly have misunderstandings. “I would try to talk to them, and show her love, but …. Like it not working out,” she said dolefully.
Kenuel and Kemwattie have been living together for about three years and have a three-year-old son.

(By Shirley Thomas)