Anus for Nappie JR.

The red sausage thing you see is Nappie's rectum: exposed, prone to accidents.

He has Hirschsprung's disease. Hirschsprung's disease, or congenital aganglionic megacolon, involves an enlargement of the colon, caused by bowel obstruction resulting from an aganglionic section of bowel (the normal enteric nerves are absent) that starts at the anus and progresses upwards. The length of bowel that is affected varies but seldom stretches for more than a foot or so.

I remember the day I came to know about Nappie Gallo Jr. I was at the medical records section of the Philippine General Hospital waiting for my turn to get my certified true copy of my recent operation last March. To kill time, I was chatting with the people, bored like me.

So there was this somber looking woman in her late 30's or early 40's. She told me about her boy Nappie. Nappie is 3 years old. Unlike any normal children, his movements are limited: he can't enjoy play to avoid accidents especially in his middle part of the body, he can't enjoy food that may later cause constipation, he simply can't enjoy life.

Like any normal kid with all the body parts intact, Nappie was born without an anus/rectum. When he was an infant his stool actually came out of his mouth because of his non functional rectum. Doctors made no choice but to make an opening in his stomach in order for him to have any semblance of a normal life. Still, Nappie has to undergo two surgeries: abdominal sugery to create a new rectum and anus.

But how can they do it when his father earns P180.oo per day in Tagum, Davao as a construction worker and there are 7 children and 9 mouths to feed? We may chide them for lacking wisdom by having 7 children, Nappie being the youngest. But the fact still remains "mahirap ang maging mahirap sa Pilipinas" ( it's hard to be poor in the Philippines). It has brocken my heart many times that "Philippines is working againts its people". Mahirap maging Pilipino ( It's hard to be a Filipino). You are being denied of basic maedical attention, and of all the basics for our existence. Much worse is the case of Nappie Jr. The family knew they could not afford the P60,000 pesos worth of medicines and other hospitals needs for the operation. They are on the charity ward which means the doctors fees are free. We all know that they can't rely on the government. That is why they are here: cyber space to look for people who would be willing to help them.

His mother makes a makeshift colostomy bag every one to two days (P300 to 400 a piece) of lid of nescafe coffee, garter, clean cloth, plastic. But how long will this last? She has to leave her husband and 6 children in the province to seek help in Manila for Nappie. They have been in Manila since October 2007 and until now no help is evident.

Until I met her. Until you have read this.

(I personally emailed Brian Gorrell for help as I have admired him so much, his gut and spunk. Like him, I also want to start a new life, somewhere else not here in the Philippines for obvious reasons. Same reason that every Filipino encounters, daily, every minute, everywhere except the Gucci Gang and those vultures in the goverment seat).

I can't wait to see Nappie finally normal. Until he undergoes 2 operations, and i can smell how his stool stinks coming from his anus, my life is on hold. Until then will I be able to go to Singapore to start a new life.

You may contact the folowing:

1. me celebrate_zoedio@yahoo.com

2. Amelie Gallo (Nappie's Mother)/Leony Canete (Nappie's Aunt)

129 F. Zobel St.

Makati City Poblacion

Landline: 870 4184

Mobile: +639282303152