Toddler victim making recovery

(Ecns.cn)--Xiang Weiyi, three years old, was re-learning how to walk, down a slope, surrounded by leather cushions in a children's hospital in Shanghai. This was a significant moment in this toddler's recovery process.

Xiang's family call their little girl Yi Yi. Most of the time, grandpa and grandma accompany Yi Yi to therapy. Grandpa seldom speaks but quietly watches Yi Yi's baby steps, while grandma talks with other parents and gives candies to other kids.

Yi Yi was lying down then for her ankle massage and laughing at her peers who cried in pains "Look, you shed tears."

"The first several treatments at the office (OT), Yi Yi also cried and refused to cooperate," said her doctor Du Qing, reported in Southern People Weekly on December 26. "Now she behaves well," he says, "All kids here are aiming to recover from their disease, so they need to do long-distance walking and endure what for children is unbearable pain."

Last survivor of accident

Yi Yi is of such tender years, she probably has no idea what took place in the last several months.

On the night of July 23, in a thunderstorm, Yi Yi's parents were on a bullet train with her on route home. A grave train collision happened at 8:38 p.m.: her parents were killed, along with death of 33 other people, and Yi Yi was the last survivor. She was found alive in the darkness of the train wreckage 22 hours later.

Does Yi Yi remember the dark night? "Yi Yi is unable to remember the whole event, but maybe recalls some pieces." says pediatrician Zhang Jinsong. "The emotions triggered by the accident will remain and may affect her whole life. She needs long-term psychotherapy."

After a period of observation, the doctor Zhang Jinsong thought Yi Yi had post-trauma stress, but within a normal range. "When people mentioned a train, she says she doesn't want a train", says Zhang, "But she is fine with seeing a train in an animation.

Turning a corner

A Letter to Ministry of Railways was issued online by Yi Yi's uncle Xiang Yuyu on August 14, appealing to the government to extend help for the girl's treatment. This letter was clicked hundreds of thousands of times.

On August 19, Zhao Li, a senior doctor specializing in orthopedics, flewto Wenzhou and examined Yi Yi. He concluded, "Due to her injury, Yi Yi legs are not fully-functioning, but what we can do is reduce the degree of her disability."

For better therapy, Yi Yi was transferred to Shanghai from Wenzhou on August 22. Due to poor blood circulation in her left leg, it was thought for a time that she likely needed an amputation, but luckily this worst case scenario was eventually ruled out in early September.

Yi Yi went through a dozen operations, her infections were under control and the deformity in one leg has been corrected. Xiang Yuyu admits since Yi Yi's legs had been crushed in the carriage for 22 hours, they needed to face the truth of her situation rationally. At present, she is able to walk independently, but not smoothly. Because the nerves in her legs were severely pinched in the accident, Yi Yi still has a long road to cover therapeutically to get sensation back.

Where are mom and dad?

Yi Yi's uncle Xiang Yuyu and his wife will adopt his brother's orphan in the near future. Right now what bothers Xiang is when and how to tell Yi Yi about her parents.

Some day in December, while playing a game with her grandma, Yi Yi suddenly sighed: "Grandma, Yi Yi misses mom so much." Yi Yi's mom used to play the game with her.

Yi Yi has taken a shine to a male doctor at the hospital and behaves cooperatively with him, because he looks like her father.

Yi Yi clearly remembers her parents and often asks where they are. Family members tell her her parents are at work. "We have to wait until Yi Yi's situation stabilizes." says pediatrician Zhang Jinsong. Zhang adds that family members and hospital staff try hard not to fuss over Yi Yi. They require her to be polite and independent as far as she is able.

Xiang Yuyu hopes Yi Yi will grow up as an ordinary girl rather than live in the shadow of the accident.

Yiyi's mom Shi Lihong posted a microblog via cell phone at 7: 17 p.m. on July 23, saying "A small person with a big temper. Sweet baby, when will you grow up and know the world?" These were her last words to her baby girl, full of motherly love.

Shi Lihong left the world with good wishes for her daughter in her heart, and her wish has become the common wish of all Chinese for Yi Yi, and all other children, to grow up in a secure environment.