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A heart-to-heart talk about lifesaving surgeryAnne W. SemmesPublished 10:25 pm, Sunday, August 3, 2014
There's a certain serendipity to Claudia Maria SaraiTujab's life story. Born with a hole in her heart in asmall town in central Guatemala, a family memberhears of an American medical team that had come toGuatemala City to perform heart surgeries on needychildren. But there's a long wait list.
Against the odds, however, her family gets the call --could they have Tujab at the ready the next day for
surgery in Guatemala City -- a five-hour bus ride from home. Yes, they could.
Once there, Tujab, who was 6 at the time, waits in her hospital bed without food for a night anda day and things are looking bleak that she'll make the cut -- literally -- when news comes thatthe child scheduled for surgery before her has a cold and can't be operated on.
Tujab is up next.
Fast-forward 19 years. Tujab, now 25, is the picture of health and wears a radiant smile. To heramazement she finds herself in America, brought here by the Greenwich-based nonprofit HeartCare International organization, founded by one of the doctors in Guatemala City on that daynearly 20 years ago and the man who performed Tujab's lifesaving surgery -- Dr. RobertMichler, of Riverside. To learn more about her story and the role Michler played in saving herlife, Greenwich Time took a Timeout with Tujab.
Q: When did you first realize you had a medical problem?
A: I was diagnosed when I was 2 months old. When I was 4 or 5, my parents wouldn't allow meto run a lot or roughhouse or get agitated. They were very protective of me. As time went on,my parents were referred to a cardiologist in Guatemala City that I went to every month foryears. It took five hours for my parents to travel there from our town of Tactic. My parentsknew what operation was needed to close the hole in my heart, that I would die if I didn't haveit. There would not be enough oxygen going to my brain and other organs and I would getweaker and weaker. There weren't medical resources so my parents could only watch and wait.To have my heart fixed with surgery in America, my parents thought to put me up for adoptionby someone in America as they couldn't afford to get a visa or the expense of the trip.
Q: How did your family get in contact with the medical team from Heart Care International?
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A: I have an aunt who worked for the Guatemalan government at that time. She heard aboutthis American team that had come to Guatemala to perform heart surgery. I was put on thewait list -- there were so many children. The wait list was prioritized by need. I was six at thetime. A week after I was listed my father got a call from the doctor asking if I could come thenext day to the military hospital where the American team was doing their operations inGuatemala City. A member of that team was Dr. Michler who did the surgery. Another memberof that team was a nurse, Betsy Tirado. She was the only one who spoke Spanish.
Q: What are the ramifications in your life in Guatemala having been given a new and healthyheart?
A: Because of my heart problem, my parents were afraid to have another child, for fear it wouldhave the same defect. They waited, after my recovery, for 15 years before they had my sisterMelanie who is 10 now. She is the love of my family. She is perfect, and mucho bonita. So mysurgery has given life to two children.
Q: So, 19 years later you're in Greenwich! How did this visit come about?
A: This May, my father reached out to Heart International by email and he found the name ofNurse Betsy Tirado and asked for the email to be forwarded to her as his email was in Spanish.He expressed my family's thanks for what they did for me, for saving my life, for changing mylife, for giving me a life of opportunity, for giving me a future. He sent pictures of me as well.My family then gets this invitation -- can I come to Greenwich. Heart Care International ishaving their 20th anniversary celebration in July in Greenwich and they want me to come to it.
Q: How did you feel about coming to America?
A: I had to get a passport, and a visa. When I first saw the visa I started crying -- I neverimagined in a million years that email would result in my coming here. I had never traveled,never been away from my family, never been on a plane. I flew here on July 19. I've been herefor two beautiful weeks. I go back on Saturday, Aug. 2. What is most important is I've had theopportunity to express to everyone involved what Heart Care International has done for me, tothank those people who were heartfelt and caring -- for the tenderness I have found here. InAmerica, what has surprised me most is the heart of the people. It's not easy to find peoplewith such a giving heart as they have. They are so giving without getting anything in return.
Q: What have you seen of the city?
A: The subway, the ferry, the Statue of Liberty, Tiffany's where I tried on an engagement ringwith a pink diamond. I had cheesecake at Juniors. I saw "The Lion King." It was very perfect. Ididn't know where to look. It was so beautiful, I was crying. Every day has been a special day. Iwas invited to come to Second Congregational Church where I was introduced. People were solovely and friendly. I thanked everyone. Dr. Michler's daughter translated for me!
Q: Your visit to Tiffany's had you trying on engagement rings -- is marriage on your mind?
A: Not yet. Right now I am an administrative secretary for a Japanese construction companybut I want to be a civil engineer. I have a college degree but every week I spend one day goingto school to become a civil engineer. I want to set an example for other children that they canhave a better life. In Spanish we have a saying -- I have a `tail', who is my little sister. I have aresponsibility towards her, to set her an example that she can have a better life.
Postcript: Serving as translator for Claudia Tujab was Eneida Tirado, sister of Nurse BetsyTirado, who was out of the country.
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