Hoping for a miracle for Matthew
down by the window and me does see them children from the other yard walking, riding bicycle and suh. And watch he how he got to be,” Khan cried.
Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr Amarnauth Dukhi, the head of the Neurosurgery Department, recently told Sunday Stabroek that the possibility of Matthew recovering is highly unlikely due to the injuries he had sustained during the accident, which includes a severe brain trauma injury secondary to extensive intracranial bleeding. Intracranial bleeding occurs within the skull (cranium), whilst bleeding around or within the brain itself is known as a cerebral haemorrhage.
Dr Dukhi said while it is not a guarantee and it is highly unlikely that he can recover, Matthew’s condition can improve if he receives physiotherapy and rehabilitation. This can lead to and is not limited to him improving by having some movement in his legs and arms. This treatment is said to be long term and can be facilitated at the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Unit of Ministry of Public Health.
While Matthew’s case is not rare, Dr Dukhi said that unfortunately due to the extent of his injuries, which are so severe and permanent in nature, the Neurosurgery Department cannot assist with any surgical intervention to improve his current condition in any way.
Daily struggles Khan said that she is finding it difficult to cope generally, and specifically financially, since she was forced to leave her job following the accident as doctors told her that Matthew needed around the clock care. “It’s very hard because I use to work fuh maintain meh children them. I had to stop because the doctors them tell me that child need home care and I don’t intent to got meh child suffering,” she said.
She said to sit at her son’s bedside and watch him daily in such a condition is not easy. “…Lots of stress. I don’t get fuh sleep in the nights. It’s like I does tear up sometimes because if I do get fuh sleep like is an hour and I up. Two, three o’clock in the morning I still up because I does got to look after he,” Khan said.
“Nothing, nothing he don’t do, this is how he deh. I does got to turn he like every three hour, ever two hour. If he got a pain, I don’t know, but I does see it from he face, or sometime water does drop from the two ears in the corner, that’s all,” she added.
“This child, really…this is not the child I know. He like martial arts. He like cricket. Let me tell you, he’s a very loving child. Me ain’t got no problem. He very willing. If yuh say yuh want some water, he ah run bring it. If yuh seh yuh head ah hurt yuh, he ah run go bring tablet… all meh children know that I love this child bad because all of them know that,” she further stated.
Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization statistics show that only 25% of children with disabilities have access to education, and only 5% finish primary school, of which Matthew is likely to be counted.
As it relates to the driver, Khan said that Albert visited her during the first three weeks after the accident and offered some assistance, after which she felt he was pushing her around. “After then is like I have to call him and ask him and when I call the phone turn off it deh pun voicemail and I didn’t ask anymore,” she said.
Khan said her son used to receive therapy at the GPH, but she was given a transfer to the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre. She said she took him only once to the centre since she cannot afford the cost. “The driver help me on the first time, but after that I didn’t take him back because I got to get a taxi to take him and bring him back and that’s hard,” she explained.
Meanwhile, SHEA Charity, a non-profit organization, has since set up a GoFundMe account to help raise funds for Matthew.
President and founder of SHEA Charity, Lori Narine told Sunday Stabroek that the goal thus far is to raise at least US$15,000. However, the amount, she said, can increase significantly based on further medical evaluation.
She said, his present condition has led the organisation to believe that with advanced medical treatment, he may be able to regain some mobility. “This is our hope, but we cannot say what the outcome will be. We are working with doctors in the US and Guyana to determine treatment course, and if advanced medical intervention would help him,” Narine said.
“If he can benefit from treatment in the US, funds raised will be used for all expenses relating to his medical treatment, including, medical evacuation, housing, meals, medication, medical expenses, living expenses, etc,” she explained, while noting that if he cannot benefit from such treatment, the funds raised would be used to make him as comfortable as possible here in Guyana.
Narine also explained that SHEA is also hoping to purchase an adjustable medical bed, medical supplies, medication, therapy, and provide enough money for Khan to care of Matthew, since they currently reside in a small home without an electricity supply.
“Our main focus at this point is medical intervention in the hope that he can recover,” Narine noted.
Anyone wishing to render any form of assistance can contact Bibi Khan on telephone numbers 6596766 and 651-6095.