Reason behind the webpage..

Here is Karliens story told by Daddy

My daughter 2 at the time had a accident at home on the 10th of august 2018 when me as her father tried to move the kitchen to a better location at our home. Our baby was at that time only 7 months old and as I was working late most of the nights the kitchen at its location was proving difficult for my wife to keep an eye on both kids. We got quotes to move the kitchen but quickly realise we cant afford it. As I do most of the stuff at home I decided to move it myself and that’s where it all happened. My wife took the children to visit there grandparents to give me time to cut most of the wood. By the time they came back there was one cupboard still loose from the wall that was the big one our grocery cupboard. Karlien walked across to get the screws with me to grandpa as my dad lives behind us. We came back home to fit the cupboard to the wall. Mommy was out shopping for our family holiday we book at buffelspoort the next week, it would have been our first holiday as family of four camping. As she had no kitchen to pack everything away all stayed in the bags until I was done. Karlien went thru the bags and found the easy bake cookie mix and asked mommy if they can make it and mommy said not right now daddy needs to finish and or angel decided to put it in its place THE GROCERY CUPBOARD. As I put the right drill bit in the drill and turned around as saw it happen. She tried to open the doors and the whole cupboard come down on her. I couldn’t get to her to stop it. I throw the cupboard off her and screamed for my wife. She wasn’t moving and blood come out of her ears and nose. She picked Karlien up and went to the back screaming for help. I grabed our baby and told my wife to get in the car. We rushed to the hospital closest to our home only a minutes’ drive away or so. We got there and I just started praying and crying. I can still remember on our way I told my wife the check if she is breathing and she started making a noise. The doctors and nurses was running in and out getting more equipment to stabilise Karlien and when she was stabilised they transferred us to Union. If not for what dalview clinic did that day I would have lost my child.

At union they did a ct scan and told us that its very serios. The trauma she sustained is the same as a big impact as a car crash at high speed. Its not necessary to operate at that point but they have to monitor the swelling on her brain and if it should get worse we must prepare our self’s. The next 48 hours was the toughest I have ever faced, until she started showing improvement’s. She got off the ventilator, started moving and talking, calling her Ouma gerrie first lol. All started to go well until the 20th of August she walked for the first time since the accident and later that day she had a fit. She was rushed for another ct scan and it showed her brain was submerged in blood. One of her veins burst in her brain. The did an emergency operation and fitted an external drain to help relieve pressure of her brain and she was back on a ventilator. They got her stable and had to do a couple of operations after that as well. After all of this she was doing beter to a point where she got send to rehab. We where there for close to two weeks and the family got to see her on her 3rd birthday on the 27th of October. On the 29 she stopped breathing and they had to resus her. She was rushed back to union and the found her shunt was blocked due to an infection. (The shunt was fitted in an operation to help relieve pressure build up from her brain) They replaced it. Ive never prayed that much as that day. They did another ct scan on that Wednesday to make sure all is working. And that was the most difficult day ever. The scan showed the shunt was working but had a worse story to tell.

Doctors told us to prepare as Karlien might already be gone. My whole world come to a stand still. I did not know what to do or where to go. We went back to her and hold her hand until the ICU staff told us that we had to leave. They allowed us to stay a whole 2 hours later than allowed. We came home and couldn’t sleep at all knowing what comes tomorrow. I still remember I tried to convince my self to be strong our youngest needs us now. She was staying this whole time at my wife’s parents.

The next day we come in and as we greeted Karlien she moved her head. I was shocked I didn’t want to tell my wife as I was scared that this might be something I wanted to see. Then she told me but her feet is moving and with out a thought I told her but her head is too. She started to show little improvements. Doctors told us that we should still be prepared for the worst and not to get our hopes up. I can still remember the one doctor said that he hopes to see us after Christmas.

She grew a little bit stronger everyday until we got to a point where we could take her home. But we had to build close to a icu room for her at home as she’s still on a ventilator. She’s doing better at home and I am so glad to have my family under one roof after months. But this is as father of our home where it becomes difficult. Our medical aid is supporting us with a trauma benefit for Karlien but this is only limited. Karlien’s 24 hour nursing is coming to a end the end of March and equipment she needs we have received quotes and it amounts to over a R100000 the nursing is more than R18000 a month we need. My wife and work at a small family business and it took its toll with us not being there for 5 months. My wife is still not back at work supporting Karlien at home and trying to do what she can from home. I’m back at work trying to get everything better and trying to provide for my family.

But we need help. I’ve tried to do it on my own but I realised if don’t aske for help . . . . . Karlien is doing her part and as her dad I need to do everything I can to support her. We are asking please help our daughter so that we can together aid her on her recovery road.

She is our little fighter.