Caden Slabbert can finally breathe a sigh of relief as the nightmare which almost cost him his life is finally over.
Caden is currently recovering after he had a titanium plate put into his skull on Friday, 15 January.
In April last year Caden’s skull was damaged when the vehicle he was travelling in, together with his father and sister, was hit with a brick.
In the three-and-a half-hour operation, Caden’s neurologist and other doctors successfully reconstructed the nine-year-old’s skull with the special piece of titanium.
After spending four days in the Intensive Care Unit, Caden will be moved to a normal ward tomorrow where he will recover until he is discharged to go home this Friday.
Caden’s mother, Andriëtte Cooper, explained that the titanium piece planted into his skull is not solid but rather like a mosaic piece, “This will allow the titanium to expand as his head grows”.
“When they removed the pipe which drained the blood from his head, he cried a lot,” Cooper explained.
He will however have to return back to hospital a last time next week to remove the metal staples in his skull, “there is something between 30 and 40 in his head”.
After months of medication, Caden will also soon be weened off the various medications as he has not had a fit or seizure in over nine months.
According to Cooper, Caden cannot wait to go back to school and go on with his life, “he is so tired of hospitals, doctors, nurses and medication”.
“I wish this never happened to me,” he said to his mother in a very emotional state.
Since his operation on Friday, get well soon messages have been streaming in on his Facebook page created by his mother after the incident last year.
“Faith has carried me through all of this. This was never in my hands, but in God’s hands, and God carried Caden through this.”
Cooper says all the support from her husband, friends, family, her children, strangers and the community has really help lift the burden this past year.
“Seeing Caden recover and his super positive attitude towards life and all of this, kept me positive,” Cooper said gratefully.
Read more on Caden’s journey:
• Seun in koma na baksteen deur motorruit hom tref
• Caden se toestand wek steeds kommer
• Caden in rehab after brick incident
• Caden’s head wound finally healed
• [INFOGRAPHIC] Caden can walk but not talk
