Page 20 - Waterfall City Issue 3 March 2024

Waterfall City Health

the helicopter could easily land. My
heart stood still as I saw my son being
loaded into the helicopter, and I called
out to him, ‘Sekani,” and a moment
later, from inside the ambulance,
I heard him cry out to me – it was
such a relief to hear him responding,”
Mrs Nzima says.

HEMS emergency care practitioners
Megan Ellis and Tim Shipster looked
after Sekani, keeping him warm and
ventilated, on the journey to Netcare
Waterfall City Hospital, where a
specialist-led team was ready and
waiting.
Paediatric intensivist Dr Palesa Monyake Mrs Thandokazi Nzima pictured with her son
and Sekani Nzima, who made a full recovery Sekani while he was recovering in Netcare
“It is extremely stressful for any parent thanks to his mother’s knowledge of CPR and Waterfall City Hospital.
when their child has a serious medical the medical teamwork from Netcare 911 and
emergency. This was time-sensitive, everyone involved in his care at Netcare Waterfall
City Hospital.
and Sekani needed to be treated
at a specialist facility. We assured the first time we met Mrs Nzima and God for guiding the hands that saved
the parents we would take the best her husband was that they wanted to Sekani. From our nine-year-old heroine
possible care of their son,” Ellis says. understand what was happening and neighbour Retabile, who found him
whether their son would fully recover. in the water, and the teamwork from
“Credit is due to the Netcare 911 At that stage, doctors were uncertain the Netcare 911 operations centre,
ground crew who recognised the if their child would have a neurological ambulance and helicopter medics, and
seriousness of Sekani’s condition impairment,” Sr Nxumalo says. Dr Monyake and the team who cared
and activated the airlift protocols to for him during his stay in hospital,”
get him to the specialised paediatric “In the paediatric ICU, we walk this Mrs Nzima says.
intensive care unit at Netcare Waterfall journey with parents because the
City Hospital in the shortest possible uncertainty can be tough to cope with. “Sr Jabulile and her team kept us
time. Paediatric intensivist Dr Palesa I understand the medical environment grounded, calm and reassured,
Monyake is incredible; she and the as a nurse, but if I go into a bank, I don’t no matter how panicked we were,
team immediately placed Sekani on understand the terminology used they kept their cool and remained
an oscillator machine to support his there. So, as a team, we try to guide professional. It’s not an easy thing to do,
breathing,” Ellis continues. and support the parents and help them but the team was consistent. Our little
interpret and navigate the care their boy was loved and cared for dearly, and
“We couldn’t be sure how long child needs. Seeing a child go home to my heart is full to have gone on this
Sekani’s air supply had been cut off their parents fully recovered is the most journey with the Netcare Waterfall City
for while in the water, and so we were rewarding thing for us.” Hospital’s paediatric ICU team.”
apprehensive about the potential for
brain damage,” Dr Monyake says. “A few days later, Sekani developed Sekani’s sister, Asante, says she was
severe aspiration pneumonia from very worried about her little brother.
Sekani was placed in a neuroprotective the pool water in his lungs,” adds “I felt sad when Sekani was in hospital,
state, including a medically induced paediatric pulmonologist Dr Denise and I am so happy he is back home
coma, and his temperature was Parris, a key member of the paediatric now and can play again like before.”
kept cool to give his brain the best ICU team who kept careful watch day
chance to heal from the hypoxia. and night as the parents prayed for “Now Sekani is fully recovered and as
The paediatric ICU team led by unit their son’s recovery. mischievous as ever. Anyone who sees
manager Sr Jabulile Nxumalo is highly him now would never imagine what
experienced in the critical care of “Eventually, he turned the corner and he has been through in the last few
children. was well enough to leave intensive months. We would strongly encourage
care for high care and was discharged everyone to learn at least the basics of
“We recognised the parents’ pain and home,” Dr Parris says. CPR. Things could have turned out very
strong faith during the long days and differently for us if we didn’t have this
nights ahead. What I appreciated from “We are grateful to our ancestors and skill,” Mrs Nzima says.

18 Waterfall City Issue 3 2024