A faint gargle could be heard from the corner of the otherwise quiet office of the interior design firm.
The sound was coming from two-year-old Chantelle Lim, seated in a highchair next to her mother Renee Oh, 34, who was trying to clear phlegm and saliva from her daughter’s throat as she is unable to swallow on her own.
Ms Oh, an accounts and administrative executive, takes her daughter to work most days of the week.
Once or twice a week if she is well, Chantelle goes to Yishun Park School, a special education facility run by the Rainbow Centre.
The toddler suffers from multiple disabilities including cerebral palsy, which permanently affects body movement and muscle coordination. She needs round-the-clock care.
In this week’s In Pictures, CNA TODAY spent time with parents Ms Oh and Mr Bryan Lim to understand the challenges, heartaches and sacrifices made in caring for their child, whose conditions have been assessed to be life threatening.
PREGNANCY AFTER MISCARRYING TWINS
Chantelle was born on April 12, 2022.
It was Ms Oh’s second pregnancy after she miscarried twins in 2019 eight weeks into the pregnancy.
“When I knew I was pregnant again, I was happy but I was worried that I would miscarry again,” said Ms Oh.
As her pregnancy progressed and her due date drew near, no one could have imagined the harrowing events that would follow.
Due to complications at birth, Chantelle was delivered without a pulse and had to be resuscitated.
The traumatic birth led to brain damage and she was subsequently diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy and global development delay.
The girl is unable to walk, speak, swallow and has impaired vision.
She also has dystonia, a neurological condition that causes uncontrollable muscle movements.
“At first I didn’t know how to feel, asking everyone why this happened to me. I felt it was unfair, I just wanted a stable family and a healthy child. I never expected her to be in this condition,” said Ms Oh.
