Just arrived back from Bali less than an hour ago, and feel compelled to write of an experience that will live with me for the rest of my life.
Before we left for Bali our little organisation was asked to help a two and a half year old girl who had cerybral palsy, a growth in her head, and was a "watermelon head". (correct term Cyrebral Meningitis, water on the brain) She had been given one month to live, so we agreed to help pay for the operation. The day after we arrived we went to see her in Sangla hospital, she was a fragile good looking child with big brown eyes you just sank into. She had had the shunt put in her head which drained the excess fluid from the brain cavity down to the bladder. She was alert but very frightened especialy seeing white people she didnt know looking at her. The parents were poor humble but very thankfull people, and never stopped saying thank you. Komang Ria had her big operation two days later, a lump the size of a golf ball was to be removed from her brain. It was sucessfully removed and she spent two days in intensive care, during which she developed a bleed. We were asked if we could afford a blood transfusion, we told them to go ahead, Komang responded and after a day in ICU came out into a general ward. She then developed breathing problems and a trachyotomy was performed. At 2 am on Sunday morning Komang lost her fight and she passed away. We were asked to visit the family when Komang was brought home.When we saw her, she was placed in plastic, surounded with ice and looked at peace. The mother and father told us they had nothing to give us as a thank you, except Komangs ID card from Sanglah Hospital.I have that ID card,its right next to my puter, and its worth more than anything to me. Ill never forget that brave young girl lying in the hospital bed, with those big brown eyes staring up at us. Her memory will drive me on to do as much as our organisation can do for the extreemly disadvantaged of Bali.
My very sincere thanks go out to Scully, Smudge and Eva for there support and friendship during this trip.