Cape Town - If an adult’s brain is deprived of oxygen for more than 10 minutes, they would most likely develop irreversible brain damage, according to conservative medical estimates.
Cayley Habelgaarn was two years old when her brain was starved of oxygen for around 40 minutes after she nearly drowned in the family swimming pool in December, 2013.
She had been playing around the pool and was found lying at the bottom by her grandfather, Leon Habelgaarn nearly 10 minutes later.
After failing to revive Cayley, the family rushed to the nearest hospital which is about 10 minutes away. .
Doctors at the hospital were about to call her “time of death”, but another doctor insisted they try and resuscitate her again.
After almost 40 minutes without detecting breath or a heartbeat, doctors were able to resuscitate her before moving her to the ICU.
The damage caused to her brain was extensive.
Now six, Cayley’s family is hoping that a deep brain stimulation operation she could undergo soon will restore many of the functions she lost as a result of the accident.
Cayley’s development was disrupted and she has been confined to a wheelchair, but over the years has slowly learnt to talk again. Her mother, Charnay Habelgaarn, said she is scared about the procedure, but hopes it will make some difference to her daughter’s condition.
The procedure will involve two holes being drilled into Cayley’s skull to implant a neurostimulator - a device similar to a pacemaker and approximately the size of a stopwatch - into her brain.
The device will deliver electrical stimulation to targeted areas in the brain that control movement, in the hopes Cayley will one day walk again.
“It is a little scary, because it is an invasive surgery. But I would want her to do it, there is no medication that will be able to take it (her condition) away. Anything that can help I am willing to take that chance. I am excited for a life she could have after that,” her mother said.
Habelgaarn said while the chances of her daughter walking again remained slim, the operation may improve Cayley’s ability to sit upright on her own and be able to feed herself.
“In the beginning she was like a vegetable and didn’t recognise any of us or talk. Then three months after the accident she started getting better. She started recognising people more. Then last year she had a movement disorder called hemiballismus , and that set her back.”
The family has spent more than R500 000 on Cayley’s hospitalisation, medication and rehabilitation, and have now resorted to raising funds to help pay for the operation.
Habelgaarn said their fundraising efforts have been going well, and a breakfast they had this past weekend was successful, raising R20 000.
“The money we raised was good, but we still have a long way to go.”
Leon Habelgaarn said they aren’t sure how much the operation and hospitalisation would cost, but said the device would cost R100 000.
“My belief is that Cayley will recover completely and we believe God will do that.”
Her grandfather said the accident and Cayley’s hospitalisation were devastating for the family.
“Me and my wife are for the surgery. If it can help her then most definitely I am keen. The mother is not so keen; she is worried about it because it is an operation on the brain,” Leon Habelgaarn said.
*For more information and to make donations, visit http://lhabelgaarn.wix.com/cayley-habelgaarn.
Cape Argus