Makiya’s Story

Makiya’s Story - by Meg

She is 11, her mother works for Project Mercy in the kitchen.  Mikaya was brought to Dr Mike in hopes that her life could be changed. She was born with an extra thumb on her right hand.

She is so ashamed and introverted that when we talked with her she would tuck her head down like a turtle and make no eye contact. When we asked her a question her answers were a mere whisper. Her mother knew her life had been and would be effected by her deformity. 

Our team decided to adopt her case and Mike approached Dr Ketema the surgeon at the hospital to add her onto the OR board our last day.  Her over night cost to spend the night in the surgical ward (room and board) was one dollar.   The medications and surgical costs would be pro bono.

Her mother was consented, her xrays reviewed and she was dressed in a thin over sized OR gown to sit and wait for the “free letter” that was required before surgery.  I found her shivering and scared in a small pre-op room and wrapped her in blankets and gave her my phone to watch a David Attenborough documentary on the ocean. She stopped shaking and gave me a tiny shy smile of thanks.

We waited together for an hour. I stepped out to try and find her mother and when I went back to her room she was bent over my phone trying to find her way back in.  She peeked up at me with a smile and said: “Games?”.  I laughed and shook my head no and thought to myself “This girl will be Ok”!

So Makiya was bravely led to the OR table a few minutes later and stoically waited to fall asleep under anesthesia. I held her hand with her extra useless thumb and wiped a few tears off her face. 

 

 

 

 

Dr Mike and Dr Ketema did a super job and after her incision was closed, I went to the bench outside the OR to bring her mother in so the two surgeons could update her.  Her mother kissed my cheek 3 times in gratitude.

 

The last morning in Yetebon I went to find Makiya to check on her recovery. She was back in school, It took an hour to discover which class she was in. A small boy led me to her during morning recess. Dr Mike was able to check out the incision and make treatment recommendations.   She was doing well and already writing with her surgical hand.  I asked her via translator if her classmates were treating her differently and she said no.  I noticed she did not duck her head and she smiled at me with direct eye contact.   She told me quietly  "I will never forget you”.   I replied the same and hugged her good bye.

Pray for this sweet girl named Mikaya: that her surgical site will continue to heal, that her insecurity will disappear, that she will grow into a strong woman who remembers that Christ changed her life.