Helping Domini Sherpa

Preface

The objectives of the foundation do not mention medical care, we care for the education of children. However to get education you should be able to attend a school.
At parting from the porters, in Sangutar, I asked the father if he was interested in bringing his daughter to Kathmandu for a medical examination. Depending on the result we then could decide about a possible treatment and in what extend Stichting Milijuli could sponsor that treatment. He gladly accepted this proposal and I gave him money for the travel expenses. Back in Kathmandu I will prepare for their visit and go to Chitwan according to my travel plan. While I am in Chitwan he will bring Domini to Kathmandu.



In Kathmandu

First thing to do in Kathmandu is of course choosing a hospital. Incidently, there is an orthopedic hospital, not far from the spot where Kame is living in Kathmandu. He had no personal experience with it, but according to him, that hospital had a very good reputation among the local population. Furthermore, Domini could stay in his house, in Kathmandu, as long as necessary. He lives with his family in two rooms. In my hotel it is confirmed that this hospital is a good one. Therefore I decided to go there and have a look. I can not judge the quality of the hospital but I can see if it is clean and get an impression whether it is orderly or not.


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Plaquette
Looking around, I see a plaque, which states that this wing is built from the money that was donated by a Dutch foundation.
After not too long I can contact a doctor to tell my story and after helping a few more patients he brings me to the financial director. Along the way I see that the hallways are clean and free of obstacles. The doctor - sorry I forgot his name - also tells me about the wing, which was built from a gift of a Dutch foundation. He also tells me about a Dutch lady, Ocky Pladet. She is already in her seventies, but she still comes to the hospital each year, for three months, to help and to train nursing staff. If you like to know more about this lady, you can look at http://www.stichtingkinderenvankathmandu.nl [sorry, I did not find a site in English language].


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Hospital ward


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December 6:
I had planned to go to Pharping, but the maoïsts had declared a banda, a strike. Trafic, even by bike, is not possible.
I make good use of this situation and go to make pictures in the city, without the hassle of cars. In Thamel it is proved that the world is small - I meet Simone and Erik, who I got to know during my Helambutrek last year. This time they had a short hike north of Syabrubensi in Tamang area. Only three years ago this area was opened for trekking and tourism has not left negative traces yet. They highly recommend this trek.


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The standard treatment in such cases, is a medication regimen of 6 months, slowly force the knee in a right position and fixate it. Domini will never be able to bend her knee, but should be able to cope and will not die of tuberculosis.
The drugs to combat tuberculosis, will be fully paid for by the government. He gives us prescriptions for the chest X-ray and for the sputum test.
The sputum test is performed at a different location in the city, but the chest X-ray can be made here. With the prescription for the X-ray we go to a counter to pay and with the receipt we go to the radiology department, where it is soon her turn. After fifteen minutes an employee of the laboratory brings a stack of photographs, which he puts into big envelopes and issues to the patients. We bring our photo directly to the doctor. Domini was often carried. I had helped her as many times as possible and I was surprised that nobody had given her a set of crutches. So I asked the doctor where I could buy crutches. In response I got a recipe, with which I could go to the pharmacy here in the hospital. Since it proved impossible to find good size wooden crutches we bought the aluminum ones. Its price was 850 rupees. Wooden crutches would have cost 500 rupees. Domini could handle them quickly and was pleased with the improved mobility.
The sputum test could not be performed today. The test involves that a jar with some saliva is returned three consecutive mornings. The results will therefore only be known when I'm home again.


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Information received by e-mail.


December 18:
Domini's parents are in Kathmandu. Surgery is scheduled for Sunday. A steel frame will be mounted around Domini's knee.

December 22:
The political situation in Kathmandu caused a postponement of the surgery.

December 30:
Surgery will be today or Friday. The laboratory in India confirmed the diagnosis and has determined the exact tuberculosis bacterium.
Hospitalization might be up to six months.


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January 8:
The operation was finally performed on January 5. Kame Sherpa has made the following photos of the Domini. She has a lot of pain.
I ask Kame to buy a present for her, to show that we sympathize with her.



Domini


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February 5:
A X-ray photograph has been made. The doctors assume that Domini will be fully recovered in 3 to 4 months.

February 13:
Everyting OK with Domini.
The costs for January were NRs. 43,444,-.
That includes NRs 8.000,- for boarding Domini and her sister Pemba.

February 23:
Domini needed extra clothes. Kame bought her, for NRs 700, trousers and a shirt.
She is well.


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Domini

Anita, Jan and I, Ton, had the opportunity for a short stay in Kathmandu.
Of course we went to see Domini.
She's in good spirits and cheerful. Her leg is forced right slowly.
I've now learned that the blouse and trousers, Kame bought her last month, and which she bears on the pictures, are called a kurta sulawar.



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June 4:
On June 2, Domini was admitted in the hospital for next day surgery to remove the steel rods from her leg.
She now enters the last stage of her treatment, the revalidation - curing the wounds and learning to walk without crutches.
The costs for May were NRs 13.305,-.



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1 augustus:
On July 20th Domini left Kathmandu, together with her father, to go home.
Inside the house she is not using crutches at all. Outside the house she uses the crutches only on longer stretches and when she is feeling not comfortable on a more difficult path.
For the time being she will take the crutches with her when going to school in Duble.
The costs for june were NRs 26.250,-.
The costs for july were NRs 8.050,-.


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We are happy that we were in a position to help Domini.
Herewith we close this project.