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“He is very weak and he keeps trying to pull in more air. He gets tired and starts crying and has to breathe even harder. His skin is becoming very dark – our own breath hurts when we see our baby suffer so much.” - Raju, the baby's father.
Vijaya and Raju's baby was born without a left ventricle in his heart. This means the blood in his heart rushes to the lungs with a lot of pressure and the rest of his body doesn't get enough blood. What he needs immediately is a small surgery so his lungs can be saved. His father, a daily-wage worker, does not have enough time to arrange for funds.
The changing weather is deadly for this newborn
Raju and Vijaya were thrilled to have their first child. Their happiness was replaced by a pain and anxiety when they found out that their baby had a severe heart defect. The part of the heart that pumped blood to the rest of his body was simply not there. Every day their baby grows weaker. The danger to his life is only increasing.
“It is rainy season and the weather is cold, so the doctor has told us to be careful that the baby doesn't catch a cold. With the pressure on his lungs, an infection could make him very sick. He is very weak and an infection is something his body can't handle.” - Raju.
An immediate surgery is this baby's only chance to live
Raju says that the baby likes to be picked up by his parents. He starts crying whenever he is put down. Nothing prepared these first-time parents to deal with their baby having such a serious heart defect. They have already borrowed heavily for checkups and the baby's medicines. They have nothing to arrange for a surgery that will let their baby breathe easier.
“I paint walls for a living and for a day's work, I earn Rs 300. Till last year, (de-monetisation), I didn't even have a bank account. What little I managed to save is spent on the checkups. The baby needs three surgeries, but he needs this first surgery to live long enough for the next two surgeries.” - Raju.
