GOOD, GOOD, GOOD NEWS FROM MUMBAI
The news is very good. We are blessed with the love and support of so many people in India, in Canada, and all around the world. Below is the uncensored, full report just received this morning from Tania.
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Kokila Update
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Monday, October 24, 2011 (Day 21)
Vinita visited and once again was not able to see the doctor. With Diwali approaching, there are a lot of emergency burn patients that he is dealing with. She had a great little visit with Kokila though. Kokila still wasn’t up to talking much and so they didn’t broach any important subjects, but each visit gets easier for Vinita and so hopefully next week they will talk about the day the accident happened.
There was no operation scheduled.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011 (Day 22)
With Sunil’s exam done (he thinks he has a chance at passing), I was once again free and really looked forward to seeing Kokila. I fed her breakfast after a bit of a fight and she ate quite well (an idli, dahl and chai). She is still not eating well and the nurses are worried that it will postpone her discharge. The Doctor was at an all-day surgery at another hospital but did message to say that the last grafting surgery would be done on Monday the 31st.
Kokila was still not in a mood to talk, but at least she wasn’t screaming or moaning. She was just quiet – probably trying to assimilate everything that has happened over the month.
Kanchan travelled home with me and was quiet herself. She is really worn out. I was surprised when a little girl carrying her baby brother was begging on the train that Kanchan pulled out two Rupees and gave it to her. I haven’t quite figured it out yet. She doesn’t have money herself but gave it away. She used to beg herself so appreciates how hard it is? My initial reaction was love for Kanchan and tears welled up in my eyes.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 (Day 23)
Diwali!
At 7pm, I was surprised with a call from the doctor. He wanted to inform me about Kokila’s progress and what the next couple weeks would entail. He is not able to do grafting on both sides of the body at the same time. The major grafting was the front which went well and which was healing well so far. The back is minor with only one shoulder and the back of her neck to do. He wasn’t at all worried about it and expected it to go smoothly on Monday. He also said that she could be discharged as early as the Monday after the surgery, the 7th of November! What great news for Diwali! I couldn’t believe that the doctor took time out if his celebrations to call and inform about a patient.
While the volunteers and I were celebrating Diwali at Vinita’s place, Kanchan called and was with Kokila and everyone was happy.
Thursday, October 27, 2011 (Day 24)
Kokila greeted me with a smile. That was a long time coming! She was glad to see me and when I showed her the set of pens and coloring book that I brought for her, she said “Happy Diwali! I love you!”
That itself made the whole month worth it.
We sat for a long time together, me picking out her lice, her telling me about the shows she watched on TV. It was nice, really nice.
She ate her dahl without too much coercion but complained a lot about the hospital food. I promised her I would bring her some more chicken.
What a nice day.
Friday, October 28, 2011 (Day 25)
Volunteer Honey wanted to see Kokila again. As she visited, I had the unfortunate job of paying the bill – which has now crossed $9000 – and there are still at least ten days and one operation to go. Oh boy. Kokila was a little confused at first because she had just woken up, but then she had a great visit with Honey. She ate more than half a cheese sandwich and some chai. Honey thought it strange to feed her and scratch her lice head, but was really glad that she had visited. They coloured together and Kokila made a card for Honey that said “I miss you, I love you, I thank you”.
Saturday, October 29, 2011 (Day 26)
I had another great visit with Kokila. I was supposed to meet the doctor, but he had to rush to another Diwali firecracker burn victim last minute. He had come early in the morning to change her dressings. He sent a message saying that the grafts done in the first surgery were 100% successful and that the surgery would go ahead as scheduled on Monday.
Thank heavens he did a new dressing, because the smell was unbearable over the last couple days – I guess the healing and infection coming out. When I got there, she was looking, and smelling!, clean and wonderful.
Kokila and I watched “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”. She had just watched the Hindi dubbed version the day before, so even though it was in English she was telling me everything that was happening. She said “I need to remember my English and practice.”
She ate well: two pieces of chicken, a little potato and half of her dahl. By the end she was complaining about her full tummy.
Despite the pain of the dressings in the morning, she was in a great mood. Her only complaint was her head being itchy – and rightfully so. There is no other way of describing it than disgusting. There was lice and eggs everywhere and carcasses of dead lice to add to it.
The nurse had to give her medicine, so I had to leave but she let me go with a big smile – the first time all month.
Monday, October 31, 2011 (Day 28)
The day couldn’t have gone smoother. When I reached the hospital, the doctor was in the elevator. He had another operation before Kokila’s but that today would be the final procedure. He said that she was doing really well.
I then saw Kokila very briefly. She opened her eyes to tell me that she was glad they shaved her hair off (they had called me the previous day to ask for permission at which I said YES!). Her and I said together that her hair would quickly grow back. I told her to go back to sleep, she said ok and within seconds was snoring again. Its better she sleeps as much as she can before the operation anyway.
I wasn’t sure whether I would be able to talk to the doctor in length, but before he started his first operation (a little boy that blew himself up with a firecracker) he took the time to talk to me. The first skin grafts were taken from her right thigh and calf, and today’s grafts were to be taken from her left thigh. Not too much was needed as it was a MUCH smaller area. When he did the dressing the other day, he yelled at Kokila a lot trying to get her to be stronger. In the end, he was happy that he didn’t have to give her any anaesthesia. He threatened her with sending her back to Sion hospital – at which point she instantly was quiet. He was hoping to give the minimum today as well and thought that she would be just fine. He reassured me by saying that he realized where she was returning home to and even though he thought that she would likely be ready for discharge in a week, he wouldn’t take any chances of infection and would make sure that the risk was 0. He also explained how he is minimizing the bills as much as he can. There is no doubt that he has gone above and beyond the basic expectations. Hopefully he follows through and comes in and talks to the children.
Kanchan and I then had chai together before Kokila’s operation started. She was overjoyed when I told her that discharge could be as early as Monday. She had no idea and was shaking with glee. We then talked about the whole month – from her breaking down at the entrance to Sion to her having to bathe Kokila to today. We both said that had she not moved, she would have died.
As I write, Kokila is in the middle of her second grafting and the story nears its conclusion. The love and support has been beyond incredible. We are all honoured to be a part of this, greater than us, One! family.
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