There is much to report about Alejandra, a 3 year old at Mi Casa children’s home in Matamoros. Her father is absent. Her mother is very sick from drug use. But Alejandra has a chance. Yesterday, at a clinic in Feria sponsored by Shriners Hosptial in Houston, Dr. Scott said that she will perform surgery later this year to repair Alejandra’s clubfoot. She will put a cast on her foot for 30 days before the surgery to stretch the skin. After the surgery, she will have two different types of casts and four trips to Houston. Then she will be given a special brace for her leg and begin therapy, and she just may be walking unaided.
Alejandra’s uncle has agreed to take responsibility for her. He lives close to Casa Bugambilia, making it easier for us to maintain contact with her. We will encourage her education, as well as continue to respond to the effects of the abuse that caused her to be removed from her home. In arranging treatment for her clubfoot, the x-rays revealed a needle-like object in the fleshy part around the ankle of the clubfoot. Concerned that it was evidence of abuse, we arranged additional x-rays which revealed two fractures of the upper leg, two skull fractures and a fractured nose. She also has a visible “v” shaped scar of about 4 inches on her forehead. Dr. Scott will also attend to the foreign object and the damage to her leg. We will be arranging neurological studies and care for the other injuries.
We had not seen Alejandra for about 4 months. She is usually very serious in her expression and so quiet that we feared she was unable to talk. Yesterday at the La Feria clinic revealed a different story. She is talking now, albeit not as advanced as most 3 year old children. She and Larry played for many hours while waiting for Dr. Scott. There was a great deal of laughter. The physical therapist at the clinic said that with a walker Alejandra could walk now. Larry had doubts, but was told not to worry and was given a small walker. Alejandra took off. We have a video of Alejandra’s first steps with the walker which was filmed by our Dr. Libni, which we will post soon.
With what we have we will do all that we can to respond to the suffering this precious child has experienced. She truly is a lovely child. We are grateful to Dr. Libni, to Doc Wood, all those good people associated with Shriners and to those who pray for the work here and offer support in so many ways.
