Tuesday, June 26 2007

BABY Joshua Williams struggles each day to stay alive. Since he was born six weeks ago at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) to Maria Marcano, the baby had to be fed intravenously after doctors discovered a congenital intestinal defect.

He cannot breast feed or drink from a bottle since the defect prevents his stomach and intestines from digesting food.

His feet was burnt after intravenous fluid leaked from a needle.

A tearful Marcano held baby Joshua in her arms yesterday and wept.

“How can nurses tell me he is in a stable condition? He seems to be getting smaller and smaller as the days go by.”

Baby Joshua weighs a mere 2.5 kgs which doctors say is extremely underweight for a six-week-old child. He passes gas and excretes through two tubes attached to his internal organs.

The skin on his frail body shows signs of peeling and is red.

Doctors are hopeful his intestines would improve and he can take milk like normal babies. Marcano is feaful her baby would deteriorate.

“It hurts me to see him in this condition. He just cries and cries but no tears come from his eyes,” Marcano said.

The unemployed, single parent who suffers from rheumatic heart disease said she lives off social welfare.

She has another child. Yesterday, she pleaded for financial assistance if only so she can pay the taxi fare from her Guayaguayare home to the SFGH.