Since birth, Kal Kidan had constant trouble with constipation. Several times, it was so acute that her parents brought her to Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, for medical care. After many months and several trips to Addis, a ten-hour bus ride over two mountains and down into two canyons, Kal Kidan was finally diagnosed with Hirschsprung's Disease. This is a congenital disease where the affected part of the large intestine is unable to transmit coordinated peristaltic waves and to pass fecal material along its length. The bowel right above this area becomes distended and the fecal material accumulates.
Kal Kidan was 14 months old when she was diagnosed, and had a severely distended abdomen, was very weak and becoming dehydrated. She was close to death before she finally had surgery. It had been postponed due to lack of space and a full surgery schedule in the only hospital that could do a colostomy on a child. After receiving the colostomy, her health greatly improved. She gained weight, energy, and smiled a lot more again. This hospital has no colostomy bags or related equipment, so Gosheway and Imebate were told to tape a plastic bag to the ostomy (opening).
I knew the surrounding skin would soon become irritated and infected. I obtained some colostomy bags from another hospital, and then wrote a friend in the United States to purchase about 100 for me. She was put in contact with Friends of Ostomates Worldwide - USA. FOW contacted me and sent me, without charge, 100 bags with related colostomy materials. Gosheway and Imebate were thrilled when I delivered the colostomy supplies and taught them how to use the related materials.
When I gave her a Hollister ostomy doll that FOW included for Kal Kidan, she cuddled it and smiled. Her parents were a bit awed and tickled when I showed them the doll's colostomy and bag. They had huge smiles and tears in their eyes. Imebate takes very good care of Kal Kidan's colostomy. The skin remains clean, dry, and in good shape. That is a real plus in this primitive culture where there is no running water and not much to work with.
Kal Kidan is now 18 months old and has returned to her northern highland town. She will return to Addis in September to have the second of three surgeries. The second surgery will hopefully repair the affected colon. This surgery could have been done now if the surgery schedule had not been full until September. The third surgery will re-connect the colon. If all goes well, Kal Kidan will no longer have a colostomy in about nine months.
Gosheway, Imebate and I greatly appreciate the Friends of Ostomates Worldwide-USA for the materials they donated. Without these materials, Kal Kidan could not have a healthy colostomy and her surrounding skin would be in terrible condition. Thank you for your help! Kal Kidan has once again brought her mother and father the promise of joy and hope.
(Kal Kidan's Story was received by Joan Loyd of OA Greater Chicago from an ET Nurse is Ethiopia.)
