8th operation for young dog victim
After undergoing his eighth surgery at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, 11-year-old Thehano Daman from Joodsekamp, Knysna still has a long road to recovery ahead of him.
Thehano was mauled by two dogs on 21 March on his way to visit friends. Two men on the scene were finally able to rescue him by chasing the dogs off with sticks and a spade.
Melonie Daman, the boy’s mother, said on Tuesday 17 April that the eighth operation was not a success, and almost claimed her son’s life.
“During yesterday’s operation doctors were supposed to graft skin onto Thehano’s right leg, but the doctors said his heart became weak and they had to interrupt the procedure as he was starting to turn cold. They can only continue once he is stronger,” said the concerned mother.
Daman said when her son was wheeled into his ward afterwards, nurses rushed towards him and immediately covered him with blankets. They also gave him some blood. “After that his body temperature started rising again. He was freezing cold from head to toe,” she added.
According to Daman, Thehano’s other leg is also of concern. “His left thigh and buttock has started showing signs of infection and doctors are changing the dressing every day. They will have to do another skin graft on this leg as well,” she said on Tuesday.
Thehano has also not been able to undergo physiotherapy for the last two days according to his mother, who added that when he does go he is in a lot of pain, “and I feel that pain with him”.
For now, Thehano is being monitored every two hours. “I feel God has given my son a second chance at life because there are prayers being sent out for him every day,” she said.