By Jennifer Browning
Eleven-year-old Vincent was brought into the Project Medishare Hospital at the beginning of the week with a ruptured gall bladder and advanced typhoid. He needed surgery immediately.
“Tuesday he was in the ICU and he couldn’t stand,” Michelle Chacon, a volunteer nurse from Missouri said. “He told me that night that he thought he was going to die.”
Michelle said that Vincent had lost his brother recently to malaria and was afraid that he would face a similar fate.
On Thursday, he stood for the first time. Today, Vincent took small steps to begin strengthening his legs. He is eating and gaining energy slowly.
Mahera Jeevanjee, a volunteer physical therapist from Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, has been working with Vincent to encourage movement and to strengthen his thin arms and legs.
Using a soccer ball, Mahera and Vincent toss the ball back and forth to each other. After walking a few steps to and from his bed, Mahera gently kicks the soccer ball to the little boy and slowly he kicks it back.
The two volunteers said that Vincent smiles big when they come into the ward. Both Michelle and Mahera come visit Vincent during their off time.
“He’s our little buddy,” Michelle said. “We like to come in and make sure he is alright.”
[…] A little over a week ago, we told you about 11-year-old Vincent who was brought into the Project Medishare Hospital for an eme…. […]
Hope the aid keeps coming. I hear President Clinton and President Bush have made a visit. That will keep the news media pushing awareness.
JB