Nika came into the world with rather difficult circumstances. Her mother was a prostitute and when she was born, she had a number of life-threatening brain conditions.
There was one woman, however, Sarah Conque, who decided that she would rescue this baby and make sure that she was given proper medical care. The doctors from Haiti, where Nika was born, said that she had hydrocephalus.
This rare brain condition causes fluids to build up on the brain and it is not an uncommon problem among Haitian babies. 99% of the babies born with hydrocephalus do not make it past the first year. Sarah kept fighting for Nika even after she got the news but she took it a step further.
Guardian Angel
Sarah was on a two-year missionary trip in Haiti when she met Nika and tried her best to give her the care she needed. She had access to weekly free medical treatments but her mother did not make any effort in keeping the appointments of her daughter. Before returning to the United States, Sarah promised she would return for Nika and give her the help she needed.
Regaining Health
Sarah completed her Masters degree program and then returned to Haiti as promised. She was committed to helping Nika with her illness but she did not have complete access as a guardian. Her options were somewhat limited. She tried not to allow Nika’s mother to stop her mission in life to help Nika and her health.
Beating the Odds
After further medical checkups by the doctors, they also discovered that Nika suffered from hydranencephaly, a condition which a large part of the brain is missing. The area is filled with spinal fluid and this typically indicates that the baby had a stroke in utero.
Sarah talked about getting the news on Nika’s “little warrior” blog discussing what may have caused the stroke.
I learned that the mother [possibly] tried to terminate the pregnancy by drinking different types of poisons. Furthermore, the mother told me that she had tried to sell Nika to the Dominican Republic for ‘research,’ but they wouldn’t take her. Sadly, as horrific as this absolutely is, this is not an uncommon story for many children with disabilities in Haiti.
Sarah realized that there was no way the mother could have loved the baby girl if she did this so she needed someone to look after her. The mother barely kept up with treatments but Deacon was already showing signs of improvement. Without regular treatments, however, the fluids could return quickly.
New Beginnings
Sarah’s health began slipping as her mother became more inconsistent with the treatments. Sarah returned to find each other and the mother, only to find something horrible.
I entered the house, only to discover Nika completely alone in the house lying on a rice sack and surrounded by trash, circled by dogs. She was eleven months old and weighed only six pounds. An estimated three to four pounds of that weight being fluid build up.
The following day, she petitioned for Nika to be placed in the care of Danita’s Rescue. After approving the request, they did not hesitate to go to the mother’s house. The mother handed over the child and the battle was over. Diesel was moved into the orphanage with Sarah the same day and after a lot of paperwork, Sarah received custody.
Life in the United States
Months of treatments were necessary for Nika to stabilize and to get into a somewhat healthy condition. She fought for her life every day but it was worth it for this new, proud mother. She received surgeries for draining fluid from the brain, to stop it from filling in the future and a number of other complicated procedures. Then this happened:
Once again, God brought the right people to help and He made the way for Nika. In May 2015, she was granted a medical visa to enter the United States. On May 19, 2015 she arrived in America! On May 27, she had her second neurosurgery and had a VP shunt implanted. This surgery drastically improved her quality of life. Not only did her head circumference decrease by almost two inches, but she also lost two inches in height. She lost five pounds in fluid weight, too!
Things were certainly looking positive for both the mother and daughter. Despite her rocky past and grim prognosis, Nika was getting healthier.
Celebrating her Birthday
Nika was able to celebrate her second birthday in her new home, surrounded by family and friends.
A Blessing
Sara is thankful that she gets to spend time with her amazing daughter
With every breath she takes, she defies the odds and proves the impossible is truly possible with God
She truly is a miracle!
Traditions
Sara is dedicated to giving Nika a bright future. After many treatments, they get to relax and enjoy halloween
Easter
Nika gets to celebrate Easter for the first time with her Family. Sara gives thanks to God for the journey:
We believe that God makes each and every one of us according to His plan, and we choose life, every time. We know that the textbooks have a lot to say about our bodies, but we rejoice in the knowledge that we aren’t just bodies, we all have a spirit and a soul, too. We choose to love no matter the prognosis and we believe that EVERY human life has incredible value.
It’s easy to see that every life matters
We wish many years of health and happiness for Nika and her mother.
Via: Faith Tap
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