Pika has been visiting her neurosurgeon Dr. Cok, at the hospital every Monday (when not in the hospital as a patient) for her endless post-surgical checks. She has had to go to there in the back seat of a taxi lying down, as the orphanage little jeep doesn't fit her well, and then carried to a hospital rolling bed. An expat friend of hers gave her a pretty scarf to wear now that she has no hair.
Pika reached a milestone, as Dr. Cok said she was ready to sit up for brief periods, but can still not lean back for some time to come. For the first few days, Pika became nauseated and vomited after sitting up for just a few minutes. Over the next week, she has slowly adjusted, and now sits up for extended periods.
After so many years suffering the humiliation of being on display from her deformities on the streets begging, of living in squalor and constantly smelling of urine and in social and intellectual isolation, she has now had to endure the loss of her (diseased and deformed) lower leg and forced to lay flat for 2 months loosing most of her body strength. She must now exercise carefully to be able to once again use the crutches we gave her after loosing her leg. After some time, she must learn to use a prosthetic leg, learn to read, learn math, and learn some skill to see her through life. She really likes the sewing classes she started when first in the orphanage.
A local NGO, Yakkum Bali (http://www.yakkumbali.org/en/home/index.htm) is going to provide a prosthetic lower leg, and two expat physical therapists will also assist her with physical therapy for recovering her strength.
Currently, Pika's outpatient medical care is costing about $85 USD/month. This is in addition to the $12K already spent.
PHOTO: Putu feeding Pika in the hospital.
Pika reached a milestone, as Dr. Cok said she was ready to sit up for brief periods, but can still not lean back for some time to come. For the first few days, Pika became nauseated and vomited after sitting up for just a few minutes. Over the next week, she has slowly adjusted, and now sits up for extended periods.
After so many years suffering the humiliation of being on display from her deformities on the streets begging, of living in squalor and constantly smelling of urine and in social and intellectual isolation, she has now had to endure the loss of her (diseased and deformed) lower leg and forced to lay flat for 2 months loosing most of her body strength. She must now exercise carefully to be able to once again use the crutches we gave her after loosing her leg. After some time, she must learn to use a prosthetic leg, learn to read, learn math, and learn some skill to see her through life. She really likes the sewing classes she started when first in the orphanage.
A local NGO, Yakkum Bali (http://www.yakkumbali.org/en/home/index.htm) is going to provide a prosthetic lower leg, and two expat physical therapists will also assist her with physical therapy for recovering her strength.
Currently, Pika's outpatient medical care is costing about $85 USD/month. This is in addition to the $12K already spent.
PHOTO: Putu feeding Pika in the hospital.
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