Sailine

Today's delightful story is reblogged from "Through My Porthole."  It's a winner!

sas·sy  ˈsasē/  adjective  informal

1. lively, bold, and full of spirit; cheeky.

Sasiline’s personality is perfectly described in her name.  

I wish you could have met Sasiline. It just warms my heart to know her future looks a whole lot different than it did several months ago. Hopefully you can catch a wee glimpse into how completely and utterly her life has changed …

A small girl with a big laugh. Pic Justine Forrest

Like little girls all over the globe, Sasiline loves making mud pies with her friends. She plays soccer, too. But, in her remote Madagascan village, the children use plastic bags wrapped tightly together because no one has a ball. And just like any typical eight-year-old, Sasiline dreads her household chores. Sometimes she helps sweep the packed mud floor of the two thatched rooms that her nine-member family calls home. Twice a day she scoops a bucket of water from the river, then walks the track home, carrying the heavy bucket on her head. “The water isn’t safe to drink,” commented her mother, Joceline. “It must be boiled.”

But one job Sasiline never does is helping to collect wood for the cooking fire. When she was two, Sasiline tripped over the family fire. The toddler thrust her hands forward to save herself from falling – and plunged her right arm into a pot of boiling water.

There is no medical care in their mile-high countryside village. In fact, it is a three-hour walk to the nearest town. Jocelin was distraught and did the best she could, but she had no knowledge of what would help her little girl. The family eventually found a traditional healer who used many treatments and substances on the deep burns, but the wounds became badly infected. Massive scarring developed, turning the area across her bent elbow into an immobile web. Sasiline’s hand became frozen backwards, as scarring bound her wrist and fingers.

When the pain eventually diminished, Sasiline learned how to perform tasks using her left hand. She was keen to attend school, but she often came home crying, “The other kids are making fun of me because of my arm!” she exclaimed.

Sasiline’s arm & hand were immobilised by burn scars. Pic J Forrest

The family had no hope that the future would ever be any different for Sasiline. Then an unexpected phone call came from her grandfather. He had heard about the free medical work Mercy Ships was doing to restore injuries like Sasiline’s. Jocelin could hardly believe the good news. “We really have to go because we’ll never find the money to fix her hand,” she exclaimed.

So mother and daughter set off as the sun rose to catch a crowded old mini-bus from town. They bounced all day and all night over rutted and muddy dirt roads, venturing far beyond any place that was familiar. They attended a Mercy Ships patient screening and were given the precious appointment to see a surgeon. Another all-day bus ride over “very bad” roads took them to the capital city, and then they made the final nine-hour journey to the Mercy Ship. They were exhausted, but elated. “I am very excited about this surgery,” Jocelin announced. “We have been waiting a long time.”

Sasiline and her mother had never been in a car or used electricity, and learning how to use the hospital ship’s “western toilet” was a source of great amusement. They received boundless comfort from nurses and patients alike, and the insecure Sasiline gradually transformed into a boisterous, sparkling child.

Sasiline worked hard in physio. Pic Justine Forrest

As Sasiline’s burn contractures were extensive, releasing her fingers and her elbow required a series of complex surgical procedures. First the scarring over her elbow, wrist and fingers was removed to allow her limb to regain normal extension. Next, skin grafts were taken from her thighs to repair her arm.

After surgery, Sasiline declared with a loud laugh, “Mum, my arm is straight now!”

When she was finally able to start moving her thumb she was ecstatic. She ran and showed her new movement to everyone she could find. She bravely pushed through pain barriers and was excited about her progress after being ‘stuck’ as long as she could remember.

Nowadays, Sasiline is heard before she is seen. She enthusiastically participates in creative challenges set by the hand therapist. The rehabilitation team tenderly treat her scarring, play games, tickle her tummy, and  remind her of all she can achieve.

Sasiline is now able to fully flex her elbow. Her wrist is healed in the correct position, and exercises are focusing on developing her fine motor skills. The peals of giggles that precede Sasiline reveal both the healing and the acceptance she has found on this vessel of mercy.

Sasiline has regained use of her arm & hand. Pic Justine Forrest