A social worker from the area hospital showed up at the house while the girls and I were playing outside. She lives in our neighbourhood, and passes by our house everyday. She quickly introduces herself and says there’s a special case, with a little girl, at the hospital and asks if I have any room for her at EFP. She continues to tell me how the girl is severely malnourished and has been in the hospital for the past two weeks. Her mother abandoned her a while ago and she’s been living with her grandfather ever since. The grandfather has not taken care of her and now her life is at risk. It seems she has been eating dirt for awhile and has had no basic nourishment whatsoever.
I agreed to meet with the social worker at the hospital the following day (today). This is what I found………
Know that these photos don’t even begin to show the condition she’s in. I only stayed a short time (had to meet the girls off the school bus), but made sure to get a pass to continue my visit later.
That evening I brought Sarai back with me to the hospital. We came prepared with bedsheets, clean clothes, shampoo, treats to eat and a chocolate moose (not to eat). Sarai gasped when she saw Denia and later said she’d only seen cases like her in photos. I picked Denia up for the first time to hold her, while Sarai made her bed, and I felt like I would break her if I gripped too tightly. She is truly skin and bones.
Sarai and I found the bathroom (I won’t tell you how disgusting it was), and began to bathe Denia. About 10 seconds after I started the water, I had to let Sarai take over. The sight and touch of a 6 yr old skeleton brought me to my knees. It was too overwhelming. Sarai (future MD) did super though. We got Denia back to the room and dressed. A little while later the nurse came in while Denia was sitting on my lap and asked me where the little girl was. A little TLC goes a long way.
I haven’t spoken to Denia’s doctor…I don’t know what level of malnourishment she’s at, but she can only make herself eat four bites per meal or snack.
Denia liked her chocolate moose and took a nap with him later on.
Later that evening, Denia’s grandfather returned. When I told Denia Sarai and I would be back in the morning, she started to cry. All it was though, was a whimper…apparently because of her condition, she can’t produce tears. How sad is that?…too sick to cry.
The grandfather said he will sign the papers on Monday for Denia to be place with me and only asked for visitation rights. Let’s pray everything goes smoothly and for a quick and painless recovery for Denia.
God is Good!
