Headaches and nausea have plagued Bima* for countless days and months. Waking up with blinding headaches, which often measure 3 or 4 out of 5 on a pain scale, is his daily reality. Standing in the morning assembly in school fraught with nausea or vomiting is often the tragic shame he wears.
Bima, 11 years old, lives with his grandmother after losing both his parents to a disease that he now lives with. He has a loving and attentive grandmother, the only family member he has left. But Grandma tires easily now; exhausted in part from the battle every morning and night with Bima, the coaxing and cajoling to convince Bima to take his medications. Persuading a teenager to do anything is trying at the best of times, it is even more challenging when faced with a teenager in pain, and angry with life. Bima does not understand why he has to live with this reality, why does he have to take these medications that he believes make him sicker? And nobody can guarantee him that the headaches and nausea will go away if he takes his medications every day… so why should he obey?
When Rachel House’s nurse, Dadan, first met Bima and his grandmother, he immediately noticed the absence of food in the house. Dadan later found out that Grandma earns only Rp. 80,000 (US$ 5.50) a week. While working methodically and systematically with Bima’s specialist at the hospital to determine the source of the chronic headaches and nausea, Dadan rallied support from Rachel House’s team of community health workers to provide assistance for Bima’s grandmother.
It took patience and persistence, both to convince Bima to undergo the various tests at the hospital, and in advocating for doctors to persist with the investigation and not cast him aside.
Earlier this month, 5 months after Bima’s admission to Rachel House, something extraordinary happened – Bima agreed to go to the hospital accompanied by our community health worker – Diah, without any resistance.
While the day started with a boring old visit to the hospital, Bima was promised a delightful excursion after the hospital visit. Once the tests were completed, Bima and Diah began their adventure. They first made their way to lunch, followed by the exciting ride on Jakarta’s brand new mass rapid transit (MRT) to experience the incredibly speedy train around town! After the giddy experience, Diah and Bima managed to squeeze in an ice cream treat, before taking the bus to go home to a worried Grandma. All this, without one moment of headache!
For Diah and Dadan, it was an immense joy for them to see Bima play and explore life like any boy his age. To see wonder and excite, not pain and sadness, in his eyes. We are grateful for every moment when these little ones are able to play and enjoy life as they deserve, for every moment is precious for these young lives.
If you would like to help give sparks of joy to the children we care for at Rachel House, please donate to support our work.
*All names have been changed to protect the privacy of patients and their families.