‘Baby Aki’ and mom recover after liver transplant, to return home soon

Life continues for the brave one-year-old “Baby Aki” and his donor mom, as they underwent liver transplant surgery at the Apollo Hospital in India on Friday, July 5.

The baby is winning his battle against biliary atresia, a chronic liver disease he was diagnosed with last October 2018.

Photos of Aki’s father, Antonio Detablan, went viral in March. In the photos, he was seen carrying “Baby Aki” while selling banana cakes at the side of a street in Calamba, Laguna.

The good news of his operation has been told to INQUIRER.net by Aki’s mom, Jabee Imano Galindes on Tuesday, July 9, and their family is now hoping for his speedy recovery.

Aquiro Jazz “Baby Aki” Detablan is recovering in a private room at the Apollo Hospital after he underwent a liver transplant on Friday, July 5. Images: Jabee Imano Galindes/Facebook Messenger

Galindes was transferred into a regular room in the hospital four days after the operation. However, Baby Aki needs to stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) where he will be watched closely for 26 days until he fully recovers, as per doctor’s advice.

“Sabi ng doctor doing well naman daw po si Aki kaya po ito, paspasan po ang [aming] panalangin na sana ay ibigay po kay Aki ang tuluy-tuloy na kagalingan niya,” Aki’s mom said.

(According to the doctor, Aki is doing well, which is why we are constantly praying for Aki’s continued recovery.)

It took them over 40 days to prepare for Aki’s liver operation since they arrived in India on May 20.

Aki was admitted in a private room at the Apollo Hospital on June 13. He had to take medications and undergo Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) testing along with his mom.

The Detablan family will be returning to their hometown in Calamba, Laguna as soon as Aki fully recovers. JB

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