By Leticia Aguilar | Project Leader
The case that we narrate below is of a tsotsil child,originally from a town that in Sanando Heridas (SH) we attend, located in the region of Los Altos in Chiapas Mexico, he is currently almost 4 years old, lives with his motheHr and brothers and his mother, a housewife, did not have prenatal care during her pregnancy. His father is a farmworker.
When he was 8 months old arrived at the medical consultation granted by the SH Health team in his locality, his mother comments that he went to the Pediatric Specialties Hospital in Tuxtla, because he had a heart problem since birth, but due to the pandemic there was no follow-up and the attention in the Hospital was paused, in addition, due to lack of economic resources, the family could not afford the corresponding studies or care in private health services. The family considered that because the child did not present "serious" symptoms it was not necessary to perform the studies, he was followed up and frequently arrived at the medical consultation with respiratory and gastrointestinal problems, at the end of 2021 and during 2022 the SH Health team supported the family so that he was treated again at the Hospital in Tuxtla, a hospital of third level of care, where they did not have the equipment to perform the studies he required, SH supported for the realization of studies in a private service, the diagnosis was intraventricular communication (also called heart murmur) and had to be treated immediately, since it is a very large hole in his heart, which does not allow him to perform the activities of his age.
The actions to be followed by our health team in SH for their care were attention to recurrent infections, surveillance and attention to malnutrition with counseling to the mother, special care, supplementation with micronutrients, accompaniment in follow-up appointments at the hospital in the pediatric cardiology area since May 2022, care for multiple dental caries at the SSA Clinic in the municipality of Chenalhó. As of October 2022, the child is seen in several appointments in the pediatric cardiology area for specialized studies, since the pediatric cardiologist has explained to the mother and the bilingual SH nurse that the heart surgery, he requires should not be delayed any longer. Due to the heart problem, attention to dental caries was carried out gradually, without the use of anesthesia, ending at the end of 2022. In 2023 he starts assessment appointments with different specialists always with the accompaniment of the SH nurse, several studies are carried out that included allergy tests, blood group, laboratory tests, ultrasound, assessment by pediatric infectology and meet the cardiologists specialists who will perform the surgery.
As of April 2023, a specialist surgeon in charge of the health situation, explains to parents what the procedure will be performed: an open heart surgery which requires several blood donors and a platelet donor. SH supports the family in the necessary procedures so that donors can access the Women's Hospital in San Cristóbal, this management is carried out in May 2023, attending relatives, members of the Church to which the family belongs, team of SH collaborators, completing the requirement of 12 blood packages and one of platelets for the surgery to be scheduled in the month of June 2023.
On Friday, May 26, 2023, the doctor summoned the family to explain again the risks involved in the child's intervention so that parents have the opportunity to clarify all doubts and that the SH nurse supports the translation. On Sunday, May 28, he enters the hospital to be prepared for surgery, both parents move with him, and SH intervenes so that they can stay in the hospital shelter.
The medical team of SH also explained to the family the risks of the intervention so that they are aware and sure of the decision, given the continuous appointments to the Pediatric Hospital in Tuxtla, the father has lost days of work, the church to which they belong has supported them as they can, like their co-workers.
The surgery was scheduled for Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 8 am and the SH team accompanied and supported the family, the great news is that "the child" came out very well from his surgery and is recovering out of intensive care.
Thank you so much for joining the cause of Sanando Heridas!
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By Leticia Aguilar | Project Leader
By Leticia Aguilar | Project Leader
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