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A journey of pains for a three-year-old
By Ayodele Moradeyo
August 6, 2011 09:26PM
There is probably no better word, other than miracle, to describe the survival of Oluwaferanmi Adebawo – a three-year-old child who suffered an arrow attack to his skull. His story of escape from the valley of death is trailed by mystery, despair, competent medical attention and benevolence.
It all started on October 28th, 2010, at exactly 1pm at Itedo Apostle Obinehin, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, when little Master Feranmi, who was playing with his friends, was suddenly struck by an arrow on the right side of the forehead. Although the arrow was not fired towards the playing children, it veered towards them to strike the little boy.
He was saved through surgery at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. To confirm whether the boy has fully recovered, he twice underwent medical checkup at the UCH, with the result of the latest tests showing that the operation was a success.
According to an account of the incident, a fisherman, who was infuriated by the way a pig ate his food, in annoyance threw the arrow towards the pig. However, the poisoned arrow missed its target and went straight to hit the three-year old.
Immediately the damage was done, the boy fell on the ground, shouting and rolling in his pool of blood. The incident threw the community into confusion as the youth went on rampage, calling for the head of the man at the centre of the crisis. It took the intervention of the leader of the community, Elijah Enikuomehin to pacify the youth and arrange for medical attention for the child.
Mr Enikuomehin, who is also the spiritual leader of the community, quickly moved the boy to a clinic at Okesiri, where the nurse on duty advised that the boy should be moved to Okitipupa. Without hesitation, the rescue team moved to Okitipupa where the boy was first taken to a private hospital. But the Medical Doctor also referred little Feranmi to the General Hospital at Okitipupa. It was at the General Hospital that the doctors on duty said the boy should be moved to the UCH, Ibadan.
The group rushed to the UCH, Ibadan, almost a three-hour journey; but by the time they got to Ibadan around 10pm, there was no medical practitioner to attend to them. The nurses advised that the boy had to wait till the following day for examination when the doctors resume duty.
Mr Enikuomehin said the people who followed Feranmi to the hospital could not sleep, as the boy spent the night groaning in pains. However, the following day, the doctors examined and moved the boy to the surgery unit for the operation to save his life.
It was a close thing. Though most of the villagers were skeptical about his chances of survival, the doctors were professional and summoned the courage to carry out the surgery. They were quoted to have said that the boy was being used for experiment as the operation was tricky.
Worse, the people who took the boy to the hospital did not have the funds to pay for the treatment. So, when the management of the hospital demanded for advance payment before the surgery was carried out, what came out of the mouth of those who brought the boy to the hospital was plea and assurance to pay later.
Courage and benevolence
After three hours, the medical team, headed by Dr Adeleye ,completed the surgery. It was left for the boy to summon the courage to live and for the doctors’ efforts to yield fruit.
“At this point, we began serious prayer because it was evident that if the boy fails to survive, the entire community will go up in flames,” Mr Enikuomehin said. “Tension is already heightened as the youths are ready to attack the man who threw the arrow. Since the doctors were not sure of his survival, we have no other option than to embark on serious prayers. People at home also joined us in praying for the boy’s survival. The boy was placed on oxygen guide through-out the period. It was at this point his father, Eri Adebawo arrived at the hospital in tears.” But, the boy survived. After spending three days at the intensive care unit, his condition stabilised enough for the doctors to pronounce him safe. At this period again, the hospital management demanded for the money to foot the hospital bill. And when there was no specific answer, the Chief Information Officer of UCH, Toye Akinrinlola demanded to know the boy’s state of origin and was told that the boy is an indigene of Ondo State.
Mr Akinrinlola later put a call through to state officials, informing them of the travails of the child and his lucky escape from death. The state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, backed the pledge that the state would pay for the treatment.
Mr Adebawo, father of the boy, said it was at the point of discharging him that he got the wind that the state government had already paid for the medical bill. Mr Adebawo, who said he had been wondering where he would get the huge amount of money to offset the bill, said he could not hold back his tears at Mr Mimiko’s intervention, which he described as a great surprise.
“The governor’s gesture to us is a surprise. Without knowing whether the person is actually from his state, the governor paid for the medical expenses,” he said. “He did not even see the boy. He did not use the boy’s case for his political gain up till now and the governor has not set his eyes on the boy. So we want to tell the whole world that the governor has the milk of assistance.” The lawmaker representing Ilaje State Constituency 11 in the state parliament, Gbenga Edema, was also full of praises to the state government.
“The governor demonstrated that he is the governor of everybody, both the rich and the poor, both the high and the low,” Mr Edema said. “I am happy that at the end of the day, the boy is alive. His case is mysterious, but miraculously, God saved him.”
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5738091-146/story.cspThank GOD for HIS mercy. |
