Child Of The Month - September 2012

Child Of The Month

By Barb Corol

Our first meeting with Kayra was overshadowed by her mom Maria Eugenia who arrived visibly upset. Her husband Jesus and father of her children had called to tell her that he would not be coming back as he had met someone else. This news devastated her. More so when she realized she was now on her own with two children, soon to be three as her doctor confirmed that she was pregnant. She thought perhaps this would bring Jesus home but he just said it was all too much for him. We felt it was a blessing in disguise that she walked in to the Niños Incapacitados office that day back in March 2010.

Little Kayra is a very happy child. Throughout the time we spent with mom, she played with a toy we had given her and remained calm. Upon completing her intake, we learned that Kayra was diagnosed with heart and lung problems. Shortly after our first meeting her breathing became so erratic that she was rushed to the hospital where she stayed for several weeks undergoing multiple x-rays and tests as doctors tried to determine the cause of her breathing problems.

When the results were finalized, the doctors agreed that Kayra needed heart surgery. In the meantime she has been prescribed a cocktail of medicines including several anticonvulsive medications. She is being monitored closely with bi-monthly visits to Hospital Civil. Heart surgery was scheduled for this past February however it did not take place due to her breathing difficulties. Doctors hope to perform the surgery in the fall.

Izel is the child Maria Eugenia was pregnant with when she came to us back in March 2010. Mom named her daughter Izel as she said it means “unique or one of a kind.” Niños Incapacitados accepts two children per family into our program. Shortly after birth, Izel was diagnosed with hydrocephalus. Hydrocephalus was once referred to as “water on the brain” but is actually cerebrospinal fluid. The most common treatment is the surgical insertion of a drainage system called a shunt to route the cerebrospinal fluid to other parts of the body. Izel will probably need this shunt system in place for the rest of her life. Izel also has regular bi-monthly visits to the Hospital Civil which the doctors have coordinated so mom can bring both girls in at the same time. She too is on a cocktail of medications and at present is undergoing x-rays, scans and special studies.

To date, Niños Incapacitados has reimbursed mom 40,000 pesos for transportation, doctor consults, therapies, medications, x-rays and scans. I should mention that Maria Eugenia’s life has turned around. Niños Incapacitados helped her obtain some important documentation as well as the children’s birth certificates. She has a part time job and says her employer is very accommodating when she needs time off to see us or to take Kayra and Izel for their visits to the hospital in Guadalajara. As Director of the Jocotopec Clinic, thank you again for the opportunity of presenting some of our children to you.

Just a reminder that the monthly meetings for Niños Incapacitados will resume September 13, 2012 at the Real de Chapala Hotel in La Floresta, starting with coffee at 10:00, meeting at 10:30. We invite you to come and meet another one of the children we are helping. If you would like to learn more about Niños Incapacitados, please visit our website at www.programaniños.org or call Rich Petersen (376-765-5511) or Barb Corol (376-766-5452).