8 November 2007 Acknowledgements - Malo Aupito

Picture: Tae before surgery 2 November
It is now 6 days since surgery and the recovery has been fantastic - bar some discomfort in the mouth - and just being quite tired. Her left eye is also opening up and though movement is limited there is no double vision and  she is likely to recover full use of her left eye once the muscles have adjusted to the new titanium eye socket. We have had regular visits from surgeons; John Chaplin, Nick McIvor and Richard Hart as well as daily emails from Ninian Peckitt in Palmerston North and all are happy with progress so far.  We now await the pathology results of the tissue removed during surgery.  Hopefully Tae will be out of hospital this weekend.

Picture: Ninian, Tae & John - One day after surgery.
New Zealand can be proud of the contribution made by surgeons who have contributed their time and have dealt with Tae's case with such passion. It's amazing that in a time when we needed special help, the best skills in the world with reconstruction of the face are available here.

Despite the impossible task of trying to acknowledge all who have contributed to Tae's journey we want to highlight a few of the most obvious who have taken part in the most recent treatments. To the medical team, John Chaplin, Mark Izzard, Nick McIvor, Richard Hart, John Walker and Ninian Peckitt and the theatre staff at Gillies as well as the wonderful and caring nurses at Gillies and Ascot - incredible commitment and skill - thank you for being part of our journey since 2005. Malo Aupito!

This surgery has been greatly enhanced by the involvement of Ninian Peckitts team of engineering and computer whizzes in New Zealand and across 3 continents. EAS - or Engineering Assisted Surgery - The  picture on the left is the titanium structure / implant inserted to replace the tumour affected bone around Tae's left eye. Planned in New Zealand and "printed" / produced in the USA within 7 days and shipped back to NZ for further preparation - another big thank you (more on them later). The precision of the fitting was astounding and cut much of the time in theatre as well as post surgery recovery.

To Robyn Scott Vincent and her crew at RSVP Productions - Eugene, Wayne and all those behind the scene putting programmes together - WOW.  Steven Stehlin and the Tagata Pacifika crew, thanks for committing to the screening - we hope it makes it easier for other families (especially those in the Pacific islands )who have kids that need special treatment - step out in faith - the kid is worth it all .

To special friends - you know who you are, all those who have cried with us, prayed from afar, sent emails or website comments, squeezed an arm in passing - you will never know how much you carried us through the past 3 years. We are constantly inspired and re energized by your commitment... 

The contributions in person or into the Tae Kami Fund have been amazing. We cannot track many of the contributions that appear in the fund but it has allowed us to keep up with Tae's treatment as needed. What is interesting we have never had more then the next bill in the fund but one thing that I can assure you is that each time a bill is due, there is just enough there to cover it and we have paid every bill on time in the past 3 years ...  thank you!! We paid over $16000 worth of bills on Monday to cover the surgery at Gillies and part of the recovery at Ascot - the cost  of the implant is still outstanding and we are aware of the 2-3 year journey with reconstruction ahead - this will all be covered in due time.

More on the engineering team... .   

Companies and individuals the implant design and manufacturing process are as follows:

 

Engineering Assisted Surgery Treatment Plan and Implant design / prescription by Ninian Peckitt, http://www.maxfac.com Hon Research Fellow Massey University, Clinical Head of Engineering Assisted Surgery Research Team - Massey University, (New Zealand), Director of ComputerGen Implants Ltd (New Zealand) and currently Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon for MidCentral Health, Palmerston North (New Zealand) - in close collaboration with the following Engineering Team members:

 

Chris Whittington of Camplex Ltd (New Zealand) Agent for Delcam Software. Chris catalysed / organised a 5 day research / planning session with Jason Hogan, of Delcam UK Ltd [Computer Assisted Design (CAD)]. Jason flew out to New Zealand and put in a truly enormous amount of work into the CAD design; the Engineering Assisted Surgery Research Team at Massey University, led by Prof Gurvinder Virk and Dr Liqiong Tang, who hosted the 5 day session at the Dept. of Engineering, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

 

Industrial Manufacture of the implant was made possible within a 7 day period through an extraordinary performance and quick turn around by:

 

Paul Morrison and the team from ENZTEC Ltd (New Zealand) [CAD Planning and implant manufacture to New Zealand regulatory requirements] and Andy Christensen of Medical Modeling Inc Colorado USA. Andy's team was responsible for printing the implant using the latest CAD/Metal technology. These 2 companies worked literally day and night to finish the implant for the date of surgery.

Finally - this has been a journey of faith and Tae has often amazed us with her spirit and faith in a God that loves her and has a special role for her through all of this.  She's more then a cancer battler, she is a girl on a mission!

We know this journey is not over and there is still some way to go but with all of you on board - it has been so much more a journey worth walking...

 

Comments

[Meleane]

Sina

Good Morning.I am amazed by all the people who are there in this journey and its mind boggling to see "how all things work for the good of those that love the Lord".

'Ofa lahi atu kia Tae.
Meleane

[litia]

Hi

How are all?

Thanks for the update.

Nice picture of you and Pou (I am guessing).

'Ofaatu.

[Sinai]

Hi Tae,

We miss you and pray for you all - Sina & Taholo and the girls, the medical team and all involved.

We all thank HIM for HIS guidance during this long, painful but blessing journey.

'ofa lahi atu

sinai & crew from Tonga