The Heart Surgery of Dua
 Sunday
December
9, 2007A Mandarin MelodyFiled
by
Dua usually breaks into a most adorable smile every time I call out her name,
but not so today. After
the initial post-op medication has worn off, Dua is now more alert
and sensitive, so much so that she was protesting against having even
the tiny oxygen tubes placed in her nostrils. When Dua squirmed and
cried, her mother felt frustrated and decided it was enough, and
plucked off the oxygen tubes. When
the nurse noticed what Dua's mother had done, she was very concerned.
She insisted that the oxygen tubes must be put back in place,
explaining to me that Dua just had her x-ray taken this morning, and
although the monitor was showing that Dua's oxygenation level was 100%,
it was imperative that she receive a good supply of oxygen through the
oxygen tubes. In response, Dua's
mother started to chatter away and since I did not understand a word of what she
was saying, I hurried to look for Ahmad's
mother who understands some English and could help us interpret
the message into Arabic for Dua's mother. After Ahmad's mom helped us
to convey the importance of Dua being fitted with the oxygen tubes, the
nurse fixed it back in place. While the little girl was struggling to
be 'set free', I stroked her head and sang a soothing Mandarin song
(about how blessed is the child who is cuddled up in the mother's
bosom) and Dua calmed down. Ahem, not bad for someone who seldom speaks
Mandarin, much less sings in the language!Click
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Friday,
December 7, 2007Lovely Eyes Open AgainFiled
by Just
two days after her surgery, Dua was looking great again! Her lovely big
eyes would follow me (or was it my camera?) when I moved around her bed
to capture her from different angles. But it could have been
the
discomfort she was feeling but unable to express, that Dua was not
giving me any of her usual smiles which she would previously flash
whenever I called out her name.
Her
mother, who was
fretting over her a day before, was happy with Dua's speedy recovery,
so much so that she left Dua alone for a long while in order to catch
up on her sleep--until Dua started to cry for her presence and the
nurse asked for her to be called into the ICU. And when she
came in, I had my camera ready to capture the "reunion"... click on the
video to watch how happy her mother was even to see Doaa being able to
cry for her!
It
is both gratifying yet humourous whenever the mothers scurry away to
get a toy or a comb when they see me turning on my camera... all
because these women want to thank their kind donors for their gifts
(such as cute toy ducks which blink, like the one Dua has... or a cool
warm tobaggan like Ahmad's)
as
well as for their children to look good on camera!
Dua's
mother combed down her darling's fringe for one final picture before I
left. Now, can we have a vote -- does Dua look better with or without
her fringe combed down?
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me when Dua's page is updated
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Thursday,
December 6, 2007Calming A Mother's FearsFiled
by Today,
Dua's mother was worried because Dua hadn't eaten yesterday (the day of
her surgery) and today. Once I explained that it's normal for a child
not to eat when under sedation, her fears were calmed. Click
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Wednesday,
December
5, 2007Six Hours in the Operating
RoomFiled
by  Dua
finally had her surgery today. As I walked into the room to
greet all of our patients, I found a very nervous and anxious mother.
She told me that Dua was having her surgery this
morning and then she began to cry. I told her that she would
be alright and she will be out of surgery soon. After
visiting with a few of the other patients I decided to go find Dua's
mother. She was waiting in the waiting area so I
decided to sit with her a while. She told me how nervous she
was and that she hoped that Dua would be alright. She began
to tell me stories of her other children with medical problems, and I
could tell that this young mother has been through a lot with all of
her children. She pulled out pictures that one of the
volunteers had made for her and began to say how sweet her
little girl was and that she will see her soon. After six
hours in the operating room I had received word that Dua was
doing alright and that she was in ICU. Upon hearing this news Dua's
mother began to cry, and we hugged, and she kissed me.
She was so happy to hear this news and she told me that all
she wanted was to see Dua's face. We walked into ICU and saw
her, and her mother said that she knows Dua will be o.k. now because
she had
seen her daughter's face. As I was leaving I told
her that I would be in touch with her. She was so happy and relieved
that this day has came and the operation is finally over.
Please keep Dua and her mother in your prayers.
This is not new for Dua's mother, but she is still
nervous and anxious.
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 Tuesday,
November 20, 2007
Admitted Immediately for
Surgery
Filed
by
Dua is such a beautiful
9 month year old. The first time I laid eyes on her
I couldn't get over how beautiful, petite and
sweet she was. She reminds me a lot of my little friend Ruba. On our
Tuesday run this week Dua was admitted
right away for surgery. She is now waiting at the
hospital for her surgery that will take place next week. As
I was visiting her mother last night I was asking
how she was feeling and coping with being in the
hospital. She reminded me that she has another child that
has had several operations so this is not her first
time dealing with this. As Dua and her mother wait at
the hospital for her operation please keep them in your
prayers.
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