Update on Rusul and her surgery

Photo: Rusul and her dad at the Greenville Airport.

On Wednesday this week, I posted (on Daily Kos) a diary about Rusul and her upcoming surgery. I am happy to say that all went well! Rusul is now back "home" - that is the Ronald McDonald House in Greenville, SC. She reports no pain at this time, but she did say the IV hurt her arm. I have an update from Ann Cothran, who is the National Community Coordinator for No More Victims.

Ann wrote this in her email report yesterday evening:

"Hello everyone! Just wanted to give you the update on our little girl! She went through the surgery yesterday with flying colors; they removed her foot and the bottom bone of her ankle and she's in a neon pink full leg cast. Today, she's happy and laughing and has already been discharged from the hospital! Can you imagine? Foot cut off one day and home (she and Abu Ali definitely consider Ronald McDonald House "home") the next! She amazed the doctors and nurses at Shriners by never asking for pain medication; she says she has "no ouch"! Her only complaint was the IV and she loves to show off the bandaid where the IV needle was. I said, "This little pinprick had pain, but THIS (tapping her leg cast) is no ouch?" But, just like her big sister, there hasn't been a word of complaint and she points to the "no pain" smiley face if they ask for her pain level."

Rusul is not due back at Shriner's Hospital until mid-August. She will start on the fitting of a foot prosthetic and physical therapy at that time. Ann told me that Rusul was sent home early from the hospital because of a planned power outage. Rusul's father found that hysterically funny, and said that in Iraq no one tells them in advance when the power will go out!

Ann also sent an update on Salee, who is Rusul's sister. Salee was also injured in the US missile strike, and lost both of her legs above the knees. Salee was in Greenville last year and got double prosthetics. She is back in Iraq now and going to school. As per Ann's email (Abu Ali is the father):

"Abu Ali says that his wife is going to send photos of Salee and the rest of the family to Jordan and I should receive them via e-mail soon, so I'll share those when I have them. He was telling me today about how happy Salee is, putting on her backpack for school in the mornings and rushing off to walk to school, no crutches and moving fast! He said it's just amazing how well she walks! He said that every morning Rusul would put on her backpack too, hoping that she could go as well, but of course, she couldn't. I can't imagine how happy she'll be when she gets home and can go to school! She's an amazingly smart little girl and so longs for an education!"

I have to admit that I don't understand why Rusul could not go to school. She did manage to hobble around on her damaged foot - so clearly she could not walk far or get involved in sports - but don't kids spend most of the time sitting on their behinds at school? I sure did when I was a child.

Anyway, No More Victims is still in need of donations to help Rusul and Salee and their family back in Iraq. There are other medical problems in the family - one child has diabetes and the baby has a heart condition (which is reportedly not serious, thank goodness!). The child with diabetes does have some serious medical issues, and No More Victimshas provided the family with a generator to keep the insulin he needs cold. They also help with the cost of fuel.

In short, they are in need of funding and fund raising ideas! If you can help out, that would be great!