We have received good news from Mikhail Murashev, a young boy who we helped at the end of January 2017. We’d sincerely like to thank all of the anonymous donors who contributed at BP gas station. Thanks to you, Misha’s motor skills have significantly improved.
Needed: Rehabilitation at the Federal Bureau of Medical and Social Expertise in Moscow
Cost: 52,000 rubles (approx. $ 920).
Diagnosis: Infant cerebral palsy, spastic tetraplegia.
We’d like to look back at his story according to his mother’s letter:
Misha’s unbelievable story started when he was a premature infant. He underwent surgery for a torsion and thrombosis in his right testicle. Doctors fought for my son’s life for two weeks. This has all impacted his development, and when he was one year and two months old, he was first diagnosed with infant cerebral palsy, severe spastic tetraplegia.
During the course of 9 years, Misha has learned to sit with support, hold a spoon, type with his left hand, and read. The whole family is proud of our son’s achievements; however, there is still a long way to go.
Due to his active growth, Misha’s legs became deformed. In November 2016, at the Federal Bureau of Medical and Social Expertise (FBMSE) in Moscow, Misha underwent surgery to correct the improper alignment of his feet; his legs were set in an Ilizarov apparatus for eight weeks, and then his legs were put in a cast for another eight weeks. This is how the terrible deformities in both his legs were corrected. However, the battle was not over as extensive physical therapy was planned for after the operation.
In April 2017, his mother shared the results of his rehabilitation with us:
I wanted to start by saying that we felt good when he was first hospitalized. On the first day, after they removed the polymer bandages, Misha was relieved as he could finally see and feel his straightened legs. He then had physical therapy where the magnetic and vacuum therapy procedures helped greatly reduce the pain in my son’s knees and ankle joints. He can now bend his knees up to 80 degrees.
Misha patiently endured the electrical muscle stimulation procedure (during the procedure, he didn’t move except for the current-stimulated muscle reflexes). During those first days, a mould of Misha’s legs were also made. These were used to make his orthopaedic supports. A week later, he could already stand in orthoses on his own! Now, with his straightened legs in orthoses, Misha tries to walk for up to an hour a day with support. At night, Misha sleeps with his straightened legs in special splints, not hunched over.
This is a new sensation for him, which he likes on the one hand, but on the other hand is afraid of falling. There is still a long road ahead of us but Misha has improved too much to stop now.
Thank you to everyone who supported Misha in this complicated situation! The next round of rehabilitation with even more physical exercise to actively develop movement in his legs is planned for August, 2017, at the FBMSE.
If you are interested in hearing more success stories about our children or would like to contribute towards one, click this link: https://ddfrussia.ru/en/sdelat-pozhertvovanie/