Baby Wendy

Last night, Sharon wrote about Baby Wendy. Her mother, Esperanza came in to the office in tears asking for help for her special needs baby. Right now, we are in the process of finding a diagnosis regarding what exactly her development issues are, but that has all stopped. I left the hospital here in Sololá around 6:30 last night when the doctors promised that they were sending Wendy to Guatemala City immediately in an ambulance. Just now, a social worker from the hospital in the city called to say that it does not look like little Wendy is going to make it and that we should begin to help the family prepare. 

 A huge source of debt for families in Guatemala is death. The cost of moving a body, especially from the city, and the funeral expenses are incredibly difficult to cover when families barely have enough for their own food. It is often hundreds of dollars. To come all the way from the city, pay funeral expenses, and also maintain the normal necessities of her family is not a possibility for Esperanza. 

 We are really hoping to be able to help Wendy's mother, Esperanza. She is in her thirties and has suffered violence for years. She has done everything possible to care for little Wendy and her other children and is having a very, very difficult time with the news of her daughter's condition. We still are not able to say how much the hospital will charge in the case that Wendy does not make it, but it will surely be hundreds of dollars. Please help us ease the burden of this loving, young mother and consider pitching in even just a small donation to go towards her continued care or, in the worst case, her funeral expenses.

P.S.

I just spoke with Wendy's father this morning and Wendy is still fighting! She is a little girl who really wants to live! Even though she has an inflamed liver, repeated seizures, and only one functioning lung, she is still hanging in there. Wendy is in the intensive care unit and has a slightly better prognosis than before. She will likely be hooked up to many tubes and under observation for another few weeks. The doctors say it looks like she might make it! Hopefully we can keep helping her mother with any extra medicine she might need and food for the family during this extremely difficult time.

Thank you for your care and concern for baby Wendy!

Kristen

www.mayanfamilies.org