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Logistical Support Area Anaconda,
Iraq - After lengthy discussions, a badly injured four-year-old
boy received life changing medical treatment to enable him to walk
for the first time. The boy was first noticed in May 2004 by 1st
Infantry Division Soldiers of Company B, Task Force 2-108, New York
Army National Guard. While patrolling the Arab Jasim neighborhood in
the Salah Ad Din Province, the Soldiers were approached by the boy’s
mother.
The child’s left leg had been
severely burned when he was an infant and the resulting injury and
treatment by Iraqi doctors had left the upper and lower leg grafted
by a sheet of skin that made the leg nearly immobile, permanently
keeping the leg in a flexed position, restricting its movement. The
family was unable to afford the treatment that was needed, so it
seemed the child would remain this way for life.
The platoon medic, Cpl. William
Provost, examined the child and took some photos to bring back to
Forward Operating Base O’Ryan for the Battalion surgeon to
examine. The surgeon, Col. Russell Zelman, concluded he could not
help the child with the current level of medical equipment at the
Battalion Aid Station. The only alternative was the Baghdad
hospital.
Shortly afterward, Company B was
relocated to a different area of operations and was unable to pursue
the matter further. One month later, attacks seemed to increase from
the area of this tiny village. Company B was sent back into the area
to quell the escalating attacks. They conducted reconnaissance,
raids and searches in the area and opened lines of communication
with the village leaders to try to eliminate the problem of the
attacks.
Once again the child’s mother asked
the Soldiers for help. Platoon Sergeant Michael Boyer managed to get
an appointment to have doctors at the Combat Support Hospital (CSH)
on Logistical Support Area (LSA) Anaconda get involved.
Col. Malaave, a senior officer at the
CSH wanted to see the child for an evaluation.
The patrol took the scared child and
his relatives to the hospital where Malaave, a plastic surgeon, was
confident she could do the necessary surgery with success. The date
was set for Monday, July 12, 04. Boyer’s patrol returned the
child and cousin to the village and made the arrangements to have
the child, mother and the cousin picked up Monday morning.
A few days later other platoon
members picked up the child, mother and another family member and
brought them to the hospital. The mother and cousin chose to stay
for the long operation.
After 6 hours of surgery, doctors had
removed the skin that restricted the leg’s movement and grafted
parts of skin from the other leg. The operation was a success. The
prognosis was excellent and it was assured the boy would be able to
learn to walk normally over time. The child would need to stay in
the care of the CSH over the next 10 to 14 days.
Upon the mother’s return to
village, she shouted with happiness to the people there, telling
them the good news.
The next day the mother returned to
the hospital with the Soldiers and the reunion with the child was
jubilant. The mother was overwhelmed with the progress the boy was
making.
More than a week later it was time to
discharge the little boy from the military hospital. The hospital
staff had assembled gifts and supplies for the family. The boy had
actually started to walk for the first time, albeit with some help.
The entire north section of the
village appeared to be out on the streets when the patrol arrived.
As the family stepped out of the military Humvee with the child,
cheers rose up throughout the crowd. Everyone was clapping and
singing. To add to the celebration, the platoon along with the
headquarters personnel handed out treats, flip-flops and soccer
balls to the crowd. It was a day of celebration in the village.
The child will have to return several
times to LSA Anaconda for follow up treatment and physical therapy,
but the doctors believe he will make an excellent recovery and will
be able to run and play and lead a normal life.
Although the battles wage on, an
Iraqi child in need of care was made better, and a mother’s hopes
and dreams came true all because a group of Task Force Danger
National Guardsmen from northern New York, who felt it was important
to make an extra effort to bring some happiness and good will to a
place that knows of despair and doubt.
“We can all leave this place
knowing that we did something good here,” says Boyer. “We made a
difference in the life of an innocent child.” |
