AHHH...SHAFFIQUE! (or Shafique-eeee as he is affectionately called here) He is such a character and very well loved by all....soo now....the little guys is walking everywhere...ramps, steps and all without help. He still struggles with balance and tends to stagger a bit. You can see that he has hydrocephalus (where the ventricles of the brain are enlarged because the CSF fluid does not drain properly) He has a shunt to help divert the fluid but shunts only last 3-5 years at the most. Shaffique's shunt is no longer working properly so we are going through the steps to get him set up for surgery.
Here are some snapshots of this little guy now..he is a bit of a monkey...standing on his head...doing flips...in general, giving me a heart attack! He is speaking fluently in Luganda and English...he is helping me out with some of the boys who are disabled by interpreting for me or watching them when I have to leave for a moment. It is hard to believe that just in October, this little guy said very few words, was having regular temper tantrums and could not walk without someone helping him....and even then only for a few feet.
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Giving Sister Carol a heart attack!
Shaffique doing a "flip" between the beds |
It is NOT because of me....for those of you, like I used to be, who are afraid to tackle pediatrics...know that once these kids are shown how to move, they do all the work on their own...we are just a springboard...you see the strength of the human spirit...wanting to move and integrate with the environment...once on the right path, the kids just "TAKE OFF"...we need to continue to do the same...never stay put or stagnant...keep moving on!
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POST FLIP response...
"Sister Carol, why are you soo upset?" |
He has a helmet to wear to protect his head as his balance is not yet perfect. He likes all hats...preferably NOT the helmet though...
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Shaffique helping me with Tusubira (one of my boys with CP and Autism)
I have given Shaffique the assignment to talk to and hug Tusubira
whenever he can to help Tusubira learn to integrate with his environment...
Shaffique takes his job seriously and has been helping me now for the last 3 months! |
Shaffique's new favorite hats....
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Shaffique with his dorm mates and
Brother Stenslous |
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| OK...this is too cute! |
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| With Sister Anna's hat...eating a chapati |
I feel blessed to have seen the progress....It is truly a God thing...how lucky am I!!!!
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