Tonight 10-year-old Jaheem Carr is recovering at Belize Specialist
Clinic. That's after the young boy underwent a complicated procedure to
remove a large kidney stone.
Now, you might be saying, what's a 10 year old doing with kidney
stones?
Well, apparently, he's genetically predisposed - but these cases are
rare, and the surgery is expensive and highly specialized. In fact,
much of the equipment had to be "macgyvered" for use on a paediatric
patient. Still, Jaheem was able to get the procedure done for free -
thanks to the charity of the clinic and the medical professionals. And
this morning I took a peek into his hospital room and spoke to his
doctor who had every confidence in his complete recovery.
10-year-old Jaheem Carr received life-saving surgery at the Belize
Specialist Clinic this morning. It was a much-needed intervention but one
that isn't regularly done on children. Jaheem's surgeon, Dr. Mario Miranda,
told us more about the procedure.
Dr. Mario Miranda - Urologist Specialist
"We had a 10-year-old patient I was approached by Ms. Milagro from a world
paediatric/ project I think and Dr. Gabourel from the Belize Paediatric
clinic and they told us that there was a ten-year-old child that had severe
hydronephrosis, hydronephrosis is a process by which the kidney is
obstructed completely and is losing functionality. What we did we had the
patient with a, well not huge stone, but a considerable-sized stone in the
Urethra blocking the Kidney, and what we did was an endoscopic procedure to
take care of that stone. We used special scopes and we used a flexible
scoop that is not available everywhere. The challenge here was not only the
stone or the kidney obstruction, but in reality, the paediatric patient. We
don't have paediatric urologic equipment in Belize so Dr. Gabourel offered
his hospital. I offered my equipment and we also had to adapt certain adult
urologic equipment to be able to take care of the case and fortunately, we
placed in a stint, which is a special tube that drains the urine from the
damaged kidney and I am very sure that it will regain its functionality."
But Jaheem may never have gotten the surgery. He'd been having chronic back
pain, the kind that doctors liken to the pain of childbirth. It was more
than his mother could bear to watch and sparked her desperate search for a
solution.
Melanie Trapp - Jaheem's Mother
"I messaged the Specialists here and because I wanted the best step that I
could take because I already heard my son's surgery was urgent and he
needed it as soon as possible, no. So I messaged the clinic here and got
the information that I needed in order to move on from the step, I found
out that my son had these kidney stones."
Cherisse Halsall
"What type of pain was he experiencing."
Melanie Trapp
"Some severe pain I watched him rolling and stuff like that, no. I just saw
him on the bed trying to come out of the anaesthesia after his surgery.
This is the best feeling ever because I know the surgery was urgent and I
got the assistance I think I needed for my son. Paediatric helped me a
whole lot and if I can repay Ms. Garel anytime I will. Jaheem, Jaheem born
with a lot of, Jaheem was born fully energized even with the pain and what
I know he's facing but probably he doesn't know although he's at each and
every appointment and stuff, he will get back and he will be himself again,
no."
Dr. Mario Miranda
"He's doing very good we were able to manage his condition and it was a
team effort it was teamwork. We were very successful and the patient is
doing well. He's already in the recuperation area and I believe that he
will be okay."
Dr. Mario Miranda - Urologist Specialist
Melanie Trapp - Jaheem's Mother