Karina Sharlay
Diagnoses: shunt-dependent hydrocephalus, spastic tetraparesis, symptomatic focal epilepsy, laryngeal paresis, scoliosis.
Date of birth: 06.10.2010
All the mentioned diseases are the consequences of meningitis Karina suffered in the maternity hospital when she was in a box for low-birth-weight babies in an intensive therapy unit.
When Karina was three months old, she was diagnosed with hydrocephaly and underwent bypass surgery shortly after. A month later, the shunt failed, the child was urgently hospitalized in the regional neurosurgery and re-operated. Karina underwent 6 brain surgeries during six months. As a result, the brain was badly damaged, especially the left hemisphere. After the sixth operation and a lot of anaesthetics, the laryngeal paralysis – (laryngeal paresis) occurred. Karina’s body failed to withstand large doses of anaesthesia, and since 8th-month-old Karina receives meals through an enteral feeding tube.
During her 11 years of life, Karina has gone through many trials, including several clinical deaths. In addition to laryngeal paresis and epilepsy, Karina has scoliosis, which compresses the internal organs causing severe pain. The girl is bed-lying, but with her mother’s help she can sit for a short time, she makes vocalizations and slowly says the word “mother”. She likes to listen to tranquil music. Her life is a struggle for every breath of air, for existence without pain. Day by day her mother is occupied with her daughter: massages, therapeutic exercises, hand motor skills.
Karina at the present moment is a palliative child. Her diseases are incurable, but the loving mother has no intention of giving up “If we treat properly and take all the drugs prescribed by doctors, undergo examinations, rehabilitation courses and take care of the child on time, Karina will be able to live without pain and suffering and will manage to learn something new bit by bit. Such kind of children as Karina are Angels, they teach us to love unconditionally and value our life … every day is a priceless gift for us! Doctors did not believe that the baby had a chance to live more than three years with such brain damage. Thank God, Karina is already 11 years old and she is with us. Recently, my girl has changed a lot and these changes may not be visible to other people, but I see them and it makes me happy. Every little achievement of my girl is invaluable to me! We must stay strong and go on fighting! Karina has severe spinal curvature, epileptic seizures, dystonic attacks. All this requires monitoring and examining every three months. I am trying my best!
I love my girl and always tell her: “My dear, only stay alive” (from mother’s letter)
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