Haingo

This lovely baby's story is reblogged from "Through My Porthole".  Enjoy!


This tiny girl totally captured my heart the day she arrived at the Mercy Ship for emergency intervention. I look up to her heroic mother in almost every way (Viviaby is about 4’5″!)

At nearly seven months old Haingo weighed only 2.2kg (4.9 lbs); the size of a very small new-born.  Her ability to successfully breastfeed had been stolen by a cleft palate, and her tiny mouth was severely disfigured by a bilateral cleft lip. Haingo failed to thrive. Her life hung in the balance.

We weren’t sure if Haingo would survive to have surgery. Pic K. Keegan

When her desperate, courageous mother brought Haingo to a Mercy Ships screening team in their remote region, her condition was dire. Haingo required immediate intervention, so mother and daughter were on the team’s MAF flight back to the ship within days.  Haingo was straightaway admitted to the Africa Mercy ward and placed in the Infant Feeding Program (IFP). Only when her weight loss reversed would it be possible to operate on her cleft lip and palate.
Haingo needed intense care and prayer to bring her back from the brink.
Every few hours – around the clock –  Hiango was fed breast-milk and supplements with an oral syringe by nurses who rocked her and prayed. Within days the tiny, fretful baby stopped her incessant crying and her mother slept soundly for the first time in many months. Little by little, the tide was turned and Hiango began to gain weight. Viviaby began to believe her precious daughter would survive.

In 10 days Hiango’s health had stabilised enough for Viviaby to relocate to the Hospital Outpatients (HOPE) Centre and mother and daughter began frequent visits to the IFP. The dietitian helped Viviaby understand how to effectively feed her baby and provided her with the supplies and equipment she needed. Haingo’s gradual weight gain was monitored and celebrated. Mother and baby relaxed into a nurturing environment.

Haingo’s life was sustained her mother’s tenacious love. Pic: Katie Keegan

Haingo began to reach her developmental milestones as her growth slowly progressed. The dietitian and Viviaby worked together week after week, reaching towards twin goals. When Haingo weighed 3.5kg she would be strong enough to have surgery to restore her cleft lip, but she had to be ten months to have surgery to restore her palate.

The scales were tipping. Haingo’s steady weight gain over the next five months brought her to health in a myriad of ways. She began to sit up, she sprouted teeth, she started waving goodbye and played peek-a-boo. Each of these baby milestones were a precious gift to Viviaby who had feared for her daughter’s life. The proud Malagasy Mumma simply beamed when chubby Haingo hit the ‘normal weight for height’ milestone by Christmas. Haingo was thriving.
The day of Haingo’s cleft lip and palate surgery finally arrived.  Viviaby glowed as she carried her daughter out of the recovery room afterwards. “She is beautiful!” was all Viviaby managed to say. She was overwhelmed at the complete transformation in her daughter’s appearance. “She doesn’t look like the same baby!”

The clefts that marred Haingo’s face are gone and the target for mockery removed. However, the truly life-changing difference is not easily seen. The hole in the roof of Haingo’s mouth is permanently closed.

Only now can this little girl eat and drink normally. She can begin to form words that previously would have been impossible. Haingo’s life will never be the same.

Haingo hardly look like the same baby! Pic Katie Keegan

L