Navigation

---

PWE NIN WAI 5 Years Old

Pwe Nin Wai is a 5yr old girl from Myawadi. Pwe Nin Wai and her mother have just returned from Chiang Mai following an operation to fix her heart. She has had this heart problem since birth. She has one brother who is three years old who is being looked after by her father. The family has not been together since December 14th 2006.

Pwe Nin Wai and her mother were in Chiang Mai for two months. She spent two weeks in hospital, including one night in intensive care and the following two months in a patient house. The family did not have to pay for the surgery or travel to Chiang Mai but personal contribution amounted to 1500 baht ($45) for food and other living expenses. Before Pwe Nin Wai left for Chiang Mai, her and her mother had to travel to Mae Sot hospital every month for seven months, in order to get propanolol medication essential for maintaining her heart. It costs 2500 kyat ($3) every time they travel to Mae Sot. However, the medicine was paid by Mae Tao Clinic.

Pwe Nin Wai had been very sick since she was two months old. The Burmese hospital could not perform the necessary heart surgery. Pwe Nin Wai’s heart problem caused much stress and anxiety for her parents. They went to the hospital in Burma many times and this was very expensive. When they could no longer afford treatment in Burma, Pwe Nin Wai’s mother bought her to The Mae Tao Clinic. This was when she was three years old. Since then they have visited about twice per month.

Pwe Nin Wai is much happier since the surgery. She is no longer short of breath or tired and can play, sleep and eat better. She is also very excited that she can now go to school. Before she was unable to go because she was sick most days and her parents were worried. She also looks healthier. She is not cyanosed (blue color of hands, feet and lips from inadequate oxygen in the blood supply) and she looks happy. Her parents are very happy too, as their daughter is now healthy and can go to school. Her mother can now go to work as she will not be required at home to constantly look after Pwe Nin Wai.

Pwe Nin Wai does not need any more surgery. She is on medications (potassium chloride, furosemide, digoxin and amiloride and paracetamol) for four months to help her heart function. When the medicines run out, she will need to go to Mae Sot hospital to get more. Pwe Nin Wai needs to return to Chiang Mai on the 27th July 2007 for follow up.

Now that Pwe Nin Wai has had her surgery, her mother hopes that she will be healthy and that in the future her daughter is able to be and do whatever it is that Pwe Nin Wai hopes for herself.

---