WATCH: Third time lucky for Baby Marno
Marno has also been taken off his oxygen machine, and the next step in his fight is the turning on of the implant, three weeks after the operation.
After two unsuccessful attempts at having a cochlear implant inserted into his right ear, baby Marno Greyvenstein has finally received it!
Marno has had numerous problems with his health in his short time on Earth. Born in 2016, he has already undergone nine open-heart operations. He was born with sever micronathia, has had a pacemaker inserted into his chest, was born deaf, with three kidneys and only 11 ribs, and has even flatlined on the operating table for 45 minutes.
Yet, somehow, baby Marno is still fighting the long fight and always has a smile on his face. The most recent obstacle he’s had to overcome is the third attempt at having a cochlear implant inserted into his ear with the hope that it could help him hear.
Also Read: Baby Marno fighting for his life from day one
The first attempt at having the cochlear implant inserted came on 25 February, when doctors came across a severe middle-ear infection while Marno was on the operating table. They then had to clean that out and wait another six weeks before attempting the operation.
The second attempt was due for mid-April, but the medical aid declined the operation. The second attempt finally was scheduled for 4 June, but once again, it was cancelled as Marno’s blood platelet count was too low. This meant that if he somehow began to bleed out there was no natural clotting agent, so it was too much of a risk.
The magic moment finally came after he was admitted to Netcare Waterfall City Hospital on 29 June, four days before the scheduled operation, to allow enough time for the appropriate tests to be conducted. Marno finally went into theatre at 8.30am for what was supposed to be a two-and-a-half-hour operation that turned into a seven-hour waiting game for Marno’s parents.
“Once they opened up the ear to begin operating, doctors realised that Marno’s cochlea was at an angle which was extremely difficult to operate on,” said his dad, Emile.
Due to the now difficult nature of the operation, doctors recruited the help of a doctor who had landed from London that day. The specialist drove straight to the hospital to assist in the operation. Throughout the operation Emile and his wife Mynette were constantly reassured that everything “was okay, but technically difficult,” and eventually at 3.30pm Marno came out of theatre.
“Marno never does it by the book, if there’s a 0,5 per cent chance of something, it’ll happen with Marno,” Emile chuckled.
He was discharged from hospital the following morning, and was soon back home in the comfort of his room.
“He’s recovering really well, and for us to see how far he’s come is absolutely amazing,” said Mynette, Marno’s ever-supportive mother.
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