The timing could not have been better for even before I left Bedica's health was deteriorating. It wasn't until a trained Obstetrician saw her, saw Bedica feed, and subsequently tried to have Bedica's mom pump breast milk that we realized that Bedica probably wasn't getting all the nutrients she needed. She was slowly developing a rash on her cheeks and glossitis of the tongue, both known signs of nutrient deficiency. Her energy was poor. So Dr. Ryan and her husband, whom I might have mentioned a time or two, Dr. Buresh took Bedica into their home already bustling with three children. Bedica had her first consultation with one of the University of Iowa pediatric surgeons the next day. Dr. Pitcher looked her over with confidence that we could save this girl's life. His only concern was her nutritional status. Patients that start malnourished usually do not fare well on the operating table or in the healing process. So her surgery was postponed until we could show some weight gain. And gain weight she did.
Ginny and Chris have some wonderful neighbors. Their refrigerator was full of donated breast milk from the local breast milk bank as well as from women in the neighborhood. Once they found the bottle mouthpiece that Bedica had the greatest success with, she started putting down the calories by the gulp #GoodEater. Yours truly even got to spend a couple days with her, feed her, and even change her diaper. I can't imagine a more awesome feeling. Her energy improved. Her milestones became more obvious. Her skin cleared up. And, most importantly, her weight increased #NotQuiteAnIowaUnit.
Her surgery came and went. She spent the night prior in the hospital. I can only imagine that she was the talk of the pediatric floor. The next morning Dr. Pitcher performed the operation without complication. She went home to Chris and Ginny's house later in the day, with a new butthole. And it works. She showed off as Dr. Buresh and I were giving her a bath a few days later. I know doctors, especially surgeons, get excited when discussing bowel habits, but this is on a whole different level. Bedica is continuing to rehab with her new, temporary family. Even though her surgery is completed, she still has sutures in and needs daily dilatation to ensure that her new anus does not seal again. Once she is fully recuperated, we will fly her back so she can be with her family. I think it goes without saying that her mom misses her dearly.
While the story is just beginning, it appears this chapter is complete. Once Bedica arrived in the U.S., Dr. Kerchner sent me a very nice email reminding me of the boy walking along the beach tossing starfish stranded in the sand back into the ocean. An old, jaded, cynical man walks up and asks the boy what he is doing. "There are thousands of starfish stuck in the sand. Do you really think you can make a difference by yourself?" The boy calmly bent down, picked up a starfish at his feet and hurled it into the ocean. "Made a difference to that one." She and I share the belief that that is how we need to approach our jobs.
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| #Starfish #LivinThaDream |
