‘Life is a struggle’, states an old adage. Each one of us has to go through numerous ups and downs in life. When things are at the lowest ebb, determination, grit and will-power enable us keep our head above the water.
Here is a case of a miracle child who has cleared the first exam; a really tough one of life even before attaining age two.
Five Surgeries Conducted
Doctors are amazed to find 21-month-old Roona Begum alive. She was suffering from hydrocephalus a rare congenital disorder that led her head to swell to 94cm. To add to her woes, she was severely malnourished.
Doctors tending on her conducted as many as five surgeries on the skull. The result; the skull was shrunk to a manageable 58 cm from the enormous size of 94 cm.
Doctors intend to perform the next surgery, after a six month period though, to reduce the size of the skull further in a hope that thereafter the little child would be able to independently hold her head and lead a normal life.
Dr. Sandeep Vaishya, director, neurosurgery at Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) who tended on her said, “Given the multiple complexities of the case, her prognosis has been very good. When the case first came to us, her survival was a big question, because such a case had never been attempted before anywhere in the world. Today, after the surgeries, she is playful and responding well to her surroundings. Her weight, nutritional status and vitals are much better.”
In all, doctors removed nine litres of cerebrospinal fluid from her skull.
Funding by Fortis Foundation
While her survival is being termed as a miracle, there is another marvel associated with her story.
The cost of surgeries performed on her cost around Rs 30 lakh. Roona’s father is a daily wager in a brick factory who would, in all probability, not be able to accumulate this kind of money in a lifetime. The surgery was funded by Fortis Foundation.
Right now, Roona is in her hometown Jirania Khola in Agartala. A local doctor, roped in by FMRI, will keep a close watch on her condition.
