Road to Recovery
Aussie Woodcraft Design is proud to sponsor a 3year old girl (Wajihah Noor Jahan) who was badly burnt in Fiji on 31, October 2008. She was admitted to CWM Hospital in Fiji with 40 -50% burn from shoulder down to thighs just a little above the knees. Unfortunately, she slipped and sat in bucket full of very hot dirty water with bleach and washing soda.
I am a very thankful to ROMAC (Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children) who helped me with their contribution of $120,000 towards her hospital treatment costs. Aussie Woodcraft will donate 20% of all our sales to ROMAC.
ROMAC offer life saving medical treatment to children in developing countries. They are made up of Rotary volunteers and eminent Australian surgeons who provide their services for free. To date, they have given over 300 children from 20 developing countries a second chance of life. For details of Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children’s work and to make a donation, go to www.romac.org.au
Little Wajihah suffered a great deal of pain along with so many types of infections associated with burn cases. She was not able to eat so she was fed through drips and was malnourished only left to bones. I am very thankful to Doctors in Fiji (Dr. Samesa Matanaicake, Head of Burns Unit CWM Hospital) who with constant battle tried very hard to keep Wajihah alive for 6 weeks while I was diving everywhere breathlessly for funding. I knocked many many doors to help me save this child’s life before ROMAC came to my rescue.
With great difficulty, I was able to bring Wajihah on 21/12/2008 to Westmead Children's Hospital in Sydney under Dr John Harvey, Head of the Burns Unit. Dr Harvey estimated Wajihah was extremely close to death with renal failure and for sure she would not have seen Christmas 2008. I also would like to thank the wonderful Medical Team of Westmead Children’s Hospital and Dr Harvey for donating their services for Wajihah’s recovery.
The Children’s Hospital Burns unit is the Pediatric arm of NSW Severe Burn Injury Service and is the referral centre for all major pediatric burns in NSW. All aspects of acute burns care and reconstructive surgery are undertaken on the unit as well as programs for physical, psychological and social rehabilitation for children and their families after discharge. The unit conducts an active research program, through The Children’s Hospital Burns Research Institute, and promotes burns education.
The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is the highly respected, largest pediatric centre in NSW, providing excellent care for children from NSW, Australia and across the Pacific Rim. Established in 1880, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is a stand-alone public Hospital and registered charity with 3,000 staff working in 150 departments. Over 50,000 sick children and their families are cared for each year in a family-focused, healing environment.
Funded by the NSW Government, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead provides significant extra services aided by the generosity of individual and corporate donors. For more information visit www.chw.edu.au
Wajihah spent 2 weeks in ICU and is now awaiting second lot of donor skin to her body. She will be kept on donor skin graft for protection only until she gains weight to her legs (calf area) and head which will be her own source for the skin graft. Published 17/1/9
****************
Update: 26/1/9
Little Wajihah has had own skin graft to the back and is doing well.
Update: 3/2/9
Skin graft is healing very well. It is great to hear her talk now, whereas she lost her vocal in Fiji. Must say--Australia be proud, you are a nation of giving and supporting the needy.
Update: 12/2/9
Wajihah's final skin graft has been completed. The process was painfully slow as Wajihah was required to re-grow her skin so that doctors would use the new skin for further grafts.
Update: 17/2/9
Wajihah is recovering well. She will be discharged as an out patient on Monday 23rd February 2009 for physiotherapy and general mobilization.
Wajihah is now home with us and going to outpatients care daily and is doing very well. She is able to walk slowly with support. She will still be partially fed through NG tube along with introductory diet until a normal feeding pattern develops.
Update: 27/3/9
It is absolute miracle to see Wajihah’s recovery; this was only made possible by Dr John Harvey and his team at Westmead Children’s Hospital. Wajihah was one of most complicated cases of burn’s injury ever received by Dr Harvey and his team with the highest order of recovery. Wajihah is eating like any 3 year old. She loves watching video clips and sings along. She can walk small distance without support. She chats like a little bird lying on sofa in my backyard garden enjoying the beautiful flowers and feeding my pet budgies: twinkle and tuntun.
Our little angel is ready to join her family in Fiji and as I promised the family before I brought Wajihah that we will escort the mother and the child back into their hands. I still remember the day before Wajihah was ready to come to Sydney, her father said to me “aunty I know my baby will die in the plane, she will not be able to make the journey, I don’t want to take risks” This was also a great concern of doctors at CWM. I still remember with frustration “I said to the father, ‘Look, your child is going to die tomorrow or day after anyway. Either she dies in the plane or she survives—let’s leave it in the hands of God” With months of prayers, the almighty Lord, granted us this day. On the 14/3/9 we took Wajihah and her mum to her overwhelmed loved ones, all waiting at the airport.
We are both back to our beloved homeland Australia on 22/3/9. Back to my usual chores, become a mother, wife and business partner to my very supportive husband. I would not have been able to handle the daily requirements and pressures without his help and my 2 very understanding boys. Last 4 months we had to shut the doors of our business due to our daily commitments at the hospital, therefore, I would like to apologize to my customers for any inconvenience.
Our Other Special Thank you to:
• Mr. Jalal Mohammed (B.Com(CS),GDM.MBA)–Lecturer at Fiji School of Medicine for escorting Wajihah to Sydney in most critical condition and engaging in a huge responsibility. Mr Mohammed also helped me in organizing all the paperwork for Wajihah’s visa thus, taking up a role of ROMAC Representative in Fiji.
• Australian Embassy in Fiji for their prompt visa issue
• Mel Mazzio – Qantas ground staff for all his support in conducting immediate clearance in passenger regulations for both arrival and departure for little Wajihah
• My special thank you to my 2 boys for understanding our commitments and supporting us in getting this Road To Recovery journey for little Wajihah find a most memorable ending.
Once again, we would like to thank Dr Harvey and his Team at Westmead Children's Hospital and ROMAC for giving this little child a second chance in life. Australia be proud of a nation that is so giving to the needy.
# random thougths @
4:11 AM