Shadrack Updates

UPDATE:WEDNESDAY MARCH 10
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Wonderful news! Shadrack is now speaking and able to swallow a bit as well.

Margaret even quizzed him a little and his memory is strong. Thank you for your continued prayers and concern.

UPDATE: SATURDAY FEB 27

Yesterday, Shadrack was at long last discharged from the hospital. He still has a tough road ahead as he recovers from his stroke-like symptoms.

Shadrack has difficulty getting around, and cannot speak or swallow. However, the doctors feel that he no longer needs to be in the hospital, because the abscess drainage issue has been addressed with the two brain surgeries.

A wheelchair was purchased and Shaddy will receive home nursing assistance for the next three months. Over that time, the home nurse will help with the feeding and Shadrack is expected to continue his recovery.

Thank you for your prayers, concern, and financial assistance. His life has literally been saved because of such wonderful friends and the contributions to his medical care. Additional donations will help with the ongoing care for Shadrack.

Below is a picture of Shadrack in the hospital wheelchair, and his new wheelchair is to the left. Mama Margaret and his grandmother are standing behind.


Below is Shadrack with a welcome smile and his grandmother in the vehicle.



UPDATE: TUESDAY FEB 23

Today Mama Odoyo visited Shadrack, he is making a bit of progress every day. They have started him on a program of physical therapy, and he was trying his best to do activities like squeeze a ball in his hand.

Shadrack is supposed to be released from the hospital soon. Even though he has not recovered fully, they believe he is ready to transition to home care.

His symptoms resemble those of a stroke victim and hopefully, in time, he'll be as good as new.

We also got the medical bill summary. After 5 weeks in the hospital, plus an MRI and two brain surgeries, the bill has gotten quite big.

Right now, we have an $800 deficit just to cover the existing bill. Follow-up care, including medicine and doctor's visits, is expected to reach an estimated $1000 in the next month or so.

If you would like to contribute, any amount would help tremendously. To make a donation, please click here. You can fill out the form (with your donation amount) as you see below:



UPDATE: SUNDAY FEB 20

Mama Margaret writes:

"Today I visited Shaddy and we put him on a wheel chair and took some pictures which I have attached.

Though he can't communicate he can hear and smile. He's still being fed through nose. I told him to smile while I took the pictures and he tried so there is hope he will be well."

Shadrack will have a CT scan early next week to see if the blood clot in his brain has dissolved.

UPDATE: WEDNESDAY FEB 17

No major change today, Shadrack is still in the hospital.

Mama Margaret visited today and said Shadrack is still being fed through a nose tube and cannot speak.

She was heartened that when she sang him some of his favorite songs, he smiled and his face brightened.

Thank you for your continued prayers and concern.

UPDATE: SUNDAY FEB 14

Mama Margaret visited today and said Shadrack is the same as on Friday. They are encouraged because he is out of the coma and hoping for more improvement.

He will continue taking blood thinners for several more days to ensure that the clot is completely dissolved.

UPDATE: FRIDAY FEB 12

The first good news in a while -- Shadrack woke up today and was able to move around a little.

Although he wasn't able to speak, he could hear and seemed to understand what he was being told. When Mama Margaret asked him how he was doing, he reached out his arms and showed he understood.

Margaret could not track down any doctors, but the nurses are assuring Margaret that we need to be patient, and that they are expecting him to recover fully.

Thank you for your continued concern and prayers for Shadrack. Please continue to pray for his progress, and also for his grandmother who has been with him for almost a month in the hospital.

UPDATE: THURSDAY FEB 11

Shadrack is still in a coma. There was concern about bleeding from the nose. If I understand correctly, they have started to attack the blood clot with medication.

Mama Margaret keeps saying the doctors want us to be patient. We all feel helpless, but Margaret says all we can do is keep praying and have him in our thoughts and hearts.

The above right picture was taken last year at the Treeside school with some of his friends.


UPDATE: TUESDAY FEB 9

The situation remains very critical.

Shadrack is still in a coma being fed through the nostrils.

The MRI scan shows that there is a blood clot in the brain. The doctors are planning to try to remove it through medication. If it doesn't work, they will perform another surgery.

UPDATE: MONDAY FEB 8

The situation has remained very serious, with Shadrack still unresponsive today. The doctors decided to transport him by ambulance to a major Nairobi hospital so that an MRI scan could be done.

The hope is the scan will reveal why the recovery is not going as smoothly as expected.

The results should be back in the next day or two, and at that point we should hopefully know more.

Right now all we can do is wait and pray.

UPDATE: SATURDAY FEB 6

Mama Odoyo visited Shadrack today. He's still non-responsive. They tried to feed him through a tube in his nose, but were unsuccessful.

Margaret was explaining more to me today regarding the purpose of the surgically-implanted tube.

It goes inside his body from Shadrack's brain to stomach, and is supposed to stay in long-term, maybe for the rest of his life. That will ensure that the fluid will never build up again. She said that the doctor's have done this procedure numerous times successfully.

Now it's just a matter of waiting and praying for his recovery.

UPDATE: FRIDAY FEB 5

The doctors were able to regulate Shadrack's temperature as the week progressed.

They also started having Shadrack do some walking around and stretching to counter the problems with being in a bed for two weeks.

The plan was to have a new tube inserted yesterday going from Shadrack's brain to stomach. I received the following update from Mama Margaret through text message. I tried to call a bit later but couldn't get through because of network problems.

Mama Margaret says: "I am on my way back from Kijabe. They fixed the tube yesterday evening. Ever since, he can't communicate, see, swallow, or move any part of the body. He is on a drip. The doctor said we will observe him for three days and he will be OK. But my heart is broken when watching Shaddy laying helpless and unconscious. I can't stop shedding tears."

Let's hope that Shadrack recovers as the doctors have indicated. Thank you for your prayers for Shadrack and those helping him.

UPDATE: MONDAY FEB 1

Because his temperature was too high and the doctors couldn't get it down, the surgery planned for today was postponed.

Hopefully, they can control it better tomorrow and finish the procedure.

UPDATE: SUNDAY JAN 31

Shadrack is getting stronger and is continuing in his recovery. He's now been in the hospital for two weeks.

Tomorrow, he will be in the operating room while they connect the tube from his brain to his stomach to help more with the drainage.

We still don't know for sure when he will be released. Thank you for the prayers and concern for Shadrack.


UPDATE: THURSDAY JAN 28

Mama Margaret visited Shadrack today. He has been moved to another ward, which is a sign of progress.

He is weak and cannot sit up for long, but overall feels OK. The tests came back and everything is as the doctors hoped.

Now they are going to have the tube run from his brain to (get ready) his stomach, where the drainage will take place though his digestive system. It sounds like nothing I've heard of before, but apparently this is something they do in the later stages of this kind of situation.

Shadrack's grandmother is still with him and doing well. Mama Margaret says she prays and reads the Bible throughout the day and is a pillar of strength despite her own poor health.

Shadrack is expected to be in the hospital for approximately another week, though a lot of things can change. The doctors want to stabilize his temperature and complete the drainage before he will be released.

UPDATE: WEDNESDAY JAN 27

Shadrack is still in the hospital. The doctors got a sample of fluid from his brain and have sent it off for tests. We are expecting the tests to come back today or tomorrow.

He is feeling well, though he has setbacks like stomach problems or his temperature fluctuates. Depending on the tests and whether he becomes more stabilized with the setbacks, he will hopefully be released before too long.

Mama Margaret has been in Kisii the past several days for a funeral. She will be visiting Shadrack tomorrow.

UPDATE: FRIDAY JAN 22

Good news, Shadrack is making progress. Although the tube has not yet been removed, the fluid is now draining clear. This is showing the doctors that the bacteria is out of the brain.

Also, Shadrack was able to stand up and even walk a little. While he was in the hospital in Kisumu, he couldn't even stand.

We don't know yet when he will be released, but hopefully we will know in the next few days. Please find a picture of Shadrack, right, with Tenderfeet's social worker, Dorothy Odoyo.


UPDATE: TUESDAY JAN 19

Here are some pictures taken of Shadrack. The first one, you can see clearly the drainage tube and some of the fluid that has been drained.

Below is Mama Margaret with Shadrack

This is Shadrack's grandmother


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UPDATE: MONDAY JAN 18

Mama Margaret and Mama Odoyo (Tenderfeet's new social worker) traveled to Kijabe today. It's about 2 hours each way. Margaret wanted to send photos but the network is too slow.

Shadrack is doing well, all things considered. The drainage tube is still inserted, so far 1 liter (34 oz) of fluid has been drained. The fluid has a lot of bacteria and is blood-tainted. The tube may be removed in the next day or two.

The doctors believe Shadrack may have fallen or had an accidental bump to the back of the head -- accompanied by an infection -- that triggered this abscess. Whereas the first one in 2007 was on the left side of his head, this one is on the right. The doctors believe he will not need further surgery in the future.

They believe all these problems can be traced to meningitis that Shadrack had as a baby.

Shaddy can speak and knows Mama Margaret, but can't remember many other things. She asked, "do you remember Ezra?" Shadrack said, "I don't know who Ezra is." Ezra is Mama Margaret's youngest child, and has been Shadrack's playmate for the past 3 years. It is possible that his memory will return over time, though.

We don't know how long he will be in the hospital, but the nurses and doctors are very kind and friendly. Shadrack's grandmother is staying with him in the hospital, though she herself is not in great health. Mama Odoyo made the grandmother a nice yummy meal, and Mama Margaret left some money to buy food.

They discussed how Shadrack's aunt abandoned him in 2007, and the grandmother was ashamed of her family for what happened and said if her own health had not been so poor, she would have gladly taken Shadrack in.

Tomorrow, Margaret's 18-year old daughter Winnie will go with Teacher Karen to visit Shadrack. Hopefully, we will have some good news tomorrow and photos will be coming as well. Thank you for your continued prayers.


UPDATE: SATURDAY JAN 16

Shadrack left last night from Kisumu by ambulance. He arrived early in the morning at Kijabe and had the brain surgery today at 11:00 AM Kenya time (9 hours ahead of central time). Big thanks go to Dan for getting the wire done on such short notice.

Margaret visited at Kijabe and they had inserted a tube into Shaddy's brain to continue the drainage. His grandmother (I didn't know she was living) will be staying in the hospital with him.

He was awake and talking to Margaret, though he was still pretty confused overall. Margaret couldn't talk to the doctors today, and the nurses weren't able to give her a lot of information. I asked a ton of questions, but mostly we won't know much until the doctors talk to Margaret.

All things considered, I think we are fortunate but now it is day by day. Thank you so much for your prayers and concern for Shadrack.
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Shadrack's Emergency Situation

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Shadrack Otieno (see photo, taken a few weeks ago) is a very special and beloved boy in the Tenderfeet family.

He is having a medical crisis right now, requiring brain surgery. You can read the full story below.

If you want to help, please donate at this link. Please make sure to type "Shadrack" in the "Donation Destination" box. All funds received will go exclusively to Shadrack's medical needs.

To see how to fill out the donation options, please scroll down for a screenshot.

Shadrack is an orphan who first came to Tenderfeet in 2006. At that time, he suffered terribly from seizures, headaches, and nosebleeds.

He was diagnosed with a brain abscess in late 2006. In March 2007, thanks to some amazing friends, he had a life-saving surgery.

Sadly, he was abandoned by his guardian while he was in the hospital. Mama Margaret became his legal guardian and he has been cared for by her ever since. He recovered completely from the surgery and has been doing great for the past three years.

His ongoing medical care and educational expenses have been sponsored by a wonderful youth group, Corby's Castle.

Over the past six months, some of Shadrack's relatives have reached out and wanted to have him come visit. These aren't the same relatives that abandoned him, and so Margaret arranged for Shadrack's Aunt Ruth (photo above, on the right) to come pick him up in Nairobi and escort him back to the Kisumu area over the Christmas holiday.

When Shadrack got to his family's home, he became very ill. Initially, it was believed he was suffering from Malaria. But his condition worsened, and he has had severe headaches and now cannot walk. He is now in critical condition.

A CT scan was done and another abscess was detected. The doctors are recommending he have another surgery to treat the problem. He will be transported by ambulance to Kijabe hospital, near Nairobi. Kijabe is a top-notch and highly respected hospital that has provided great treatment for Lucy.

The surgery and related medical costs are expected to be approximately $3500, which is roughly the same cost as the first surgery. For a brain surgery, at least by American standards, it's relatively inexpensive.

However, it is still a tremendous amount of money for a small project like Tenderfeet. Any assistance you can provide will be deeply appreciated.

To help save Shadrack, please click here or on the image below. You can donate any amount, but $50 is shown in the image just as an example. Thank you for your prayers and concern.


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First Week of School

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This past week may be the most hectic week of the entire year at Tenderfeet. The school year begins for Kenyans in January, and that makes for a busy schedule helping children in transition.

Tenderfeet is assisting four new girls in their secondary education. They are Nancy Moraa (pictured right, she is the youngest sister of Sharon Kwamboka's deceased mother), Mercy Wanjiru, Lucy Wanjiku (middle daughter of Regina Wanja from Eldoret), and Carol Ndirangu (former Tenderfeet student).

Nancy and Mercy will probably go to a boarding school in Nyahururu. Carol is starting her second year of high school, but we only recently started the sponsorship (last year, her education was interrupted because she could not pay). We are still trying to decide on the best course of action for Lucy, but she is likely to go to vocational school.

Mama Margaret has also been assisting with some other children in other parts of Kenya. She has been coordinating the payment of school fees for a boy named Dennis in Mombasa, as well as two children named Ann and Peter who have relocated from Eldoret. We also have three current high school students that are being assisted, Arian Ogo, Kevin Ochoki, and Emily Nyabura.

Meanwhile, there are new children being admitted to Tenderfeet. We will be admitting 20 new children to have 80 in all. The government educational officers have threatened to close the school if Tenderfeet doesn't have at least 40 at each of the two school locations.

There were 65 previously, but now 5 have gone on to the next level, meaning 20 have to be added. Mama Margaret has already interviewed a few families, and will continue the work next week. It's difficult because there are so many children out there in need of education, but at the same time, it's important to find ones that are the most deserving.

Finally, the 5 Tenderfeet graduates are in the process of enrolling. Brian Mungai, who lives in Riruta, is going to Bensesa school. The four other children are on the waiting list to got to Olympic Primary in Kibera, but Olympic is only admitting 20 new students and there are 107 in the queue. If they can't be admitted there, Mama Margaret will try to get them in at Soweto Academy.

This was all made more challenging because one of our wonderful Tenderfeet staff members, Mercy, has left Tenderfeet to start her own project. This left us short-handed, but we are fortunate to have a recent addition to the staff, Carol Warimu.
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