On October 4th 2009, Judah Lovell, a boy much like any other six year old boy was visiting his maternal grandmother for her birthday and was having a time of it.
He followed his cousins outside to watch them 'buss' bamboo, not knowing or caring for dangers, which six year old boy ever does.
In an instant fun times gave way to tragedy as the bamboo split, spraying fire and engulfing young Judah in flames. The call for help reaches his father Michael who dispatches to take the boy for help, a journey that would last three hundred and sixty days and counting, a journey that would lead to much pain and anguish for the boy, and so much more pain and anguish for his parents.
- Emergency to Mount Hope Hospital
- Admitting Doctors (no names, just faces) applies Flamazine cream (which belongs to the class of medications called topical antibiotics. It is used to treat and prevent infection of skin wounds, especially in victims of serious burns)
- Cannot remove skin due to condition, child is bandaged
- Child admitted to High Dependency Unit for monitoring and life support
- 17th October 2009 - transferred to Pediatric Surgical Ward (where he lives today)
- Doctor Roopnarine Lalla informs parents of his intention to do a skin graft
- Parents complain of lack of information to make decision and feel that they are ignored
- 6th November 2009 - Judah receives his first skin graft with skin removed from his right leg
- After-operation care few and far between
- Anxious parents watch first dressing change since surgery seven days later on the 13th (despite being scheduled for the 10th) by Dr. Ramesh (no last name provided)
- 17th November 2009 - second dressing change, child is found to be infected, grafted skin comes away with bandages - Dr. Vinny re-bandages child
- 23rd November 2009 Child's torso now fully swollen and inflamed is oozing and smelling 'rotten'. Debridement performed (the medical removal of a patient's dead, damaged, or infected tissue to improve the healing potential of the remaining healthy tissue)
- 26th November 2009 infection worsens, child in real danger
- 30th November 2009 smell is now unbearable
- 1st December 2009 Dr. Vinny suggests to parents that she suspects the administered drugs were wrong type for condition
- 2nd December Dr. Lalla informs parents better care costs money that they did not have
- 4th December 2009 second skin graft with skin from left leg
- 7th December 2009 dressings checked
- 9th December 2009 Judah is discharged.
Had the surgeries and after surgery care been up to standard this is where the story would end, happily ever after.
- 21st December returned to ward for review.
- 30th December 2009 begins 'Clinic' (physiotherapy) twice monthly until June 2010
- 8th August 2010 Judah returns to hospital with high fever and two developing holes in his neck due to infection
- Doctor suggests 'patching' holes
- Judah's parents unsure if to continue with current institution and doctors, decide to seek alternative care for their child
- Dr. Lalla suggests third skin graft, parents decline offer
- Parents contact Fuad khan who puts them in touch with Ian Kalloo who gets them in touch with Jackson International in Florida and negotiates significant discount for proceedure
- Verna St. Rose Greaves intervenes and sends Judah's file to Ministry of Health for financial assistance for overseas proceedure
- Family is interviewed by Ian Alleyne of Crime Watch who offers to pay for airfare and accomodation
- Rihanna Singh of Ministry of Health contacts Michael Lovell for meeting based on Verna's intervention
- 10th August 2010 Michael meets Rihanna who informs him that she would be forwarding the matter directly to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anton Cummberbatch.
Had the Ministry of Health and the Chief Medical Officer followed through on their responsibilities, this is where the story would end, happily ever after.
- Follow up meeting at MOH (Ministry of Health) informed by Loretta George that the matter was being 'handled'
- September 2010 Friend of a relative (Miss Gurly) recommends that Michael contact Katherine Stollmeyer Wight for assistance with the matter
- Michael contacted KSW who took over the matter and pushed it through the system
- After significant failures in the MOH, KSW approached the Prime Minister's Office for help
- MOH contacts Michael to say his 'check' is being prepared
- KSW and Michael take Judah to US Embassy for visa to travel
- Visa request denied - need proof of funds and Government issued 'letter of comfort' which CMO refuses to provide
- Outraged public inundates MOH, CMO and Minister over Judah's case
- MOH calls Michael in for check to cover part expense of procedure
- Michael receives check
As of this writing, Michael has deposited the check so that it can clear (bank says there is a four day hold on Government checks) so that he can provide the money to be wired to Jackson International Hospital who agreed to send their version of a 'letter of comfort' to assist with the granting of the visa.
When they have this document in hand, Michael and KSW will be revisiting the US Embassy again, hopefully soon.
Judah is still in Mount Hope, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel now.
Closing:
Judah is a happy little seven year old boy who has been struggling with a hard dealt hand many an adult would find unbearable.
All things considered, he is still hopeful and happy for the day he can join the Coast Guard as he no longer wants to be Spider Man when he grows up.
Michael, himself having suffered a stroke due to the stresses of this ordeal, is unbelievably still a calm voice of reason and is once again optimistic since he found people to champion his son's cause. He has a focused, tunnel-vision hope for the well being of his son and is fixated on getting him better.
Listening to him tell me the 'condensed' version of his story over multiple cups of coffee, I am challenged to create a fictional version in my head, so unbelievable the obstacles and hurdles that this family has faced. I jokingly told him when he gets back we need to write a book and Michael just smiled that resigned smile of his you quickly get accustomed to.
Judah's brothers and sisters are waiting for him to come home.
Hopefully Michael and Katherine will get the visa this time around, Jackson International is positive that once they get to Florida, they will do their part to give this little boy his over due happily ever after.
The beauty, clarity and calm of this child's eyes belies the traumas to which his little body and spirit have been subjected. I sincerely hope that things will go well from here on for him and his family. I have to congratulate you and his father on the amazing composure with which this story is presented here. To think that there are others who do not make it out alive even when they enter these institutions strong enough to survive. What steps are being taken to make our health care system more capable, more responsive, more humane? I have absolutely no idea. Are the status reports always available to us, the government's employers?
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My prayers are with this family because also being a mother too, i would not like to see my child suffer in this state and it's about time that something gets done for the "lack" of professionalism in the public health sector especially MT. HOPE. For too long this nonsense has been carried on and you mean to tell me that the government cannot see what is going, come on people wake up!
ReplyDeleteAgain i wish nothing but the best for this family, my heart goes out to this beautiful child.
So sorry I will offer prayers for the little boy and family God will intervene ask and you shall receive always remember that.. love you all a friend who cares deeply
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