By FRANCESCA MOLD health reporter
Henk Jones' parents are counting the days until the 10-month-old can clap along to music like other children.
The Wellington baby is recovering at South Auckland's Kidz First Hospital after 10 hours of microsurgery to repair his paralysed arm.
Henk needed the surgery by Kidz First plastic
surgeon Glenn Bartlett to repair nerves in his neck which were torn as he was pulled from his mother Deanna's body - because at 5.7kg (12 pounds 12 ounces) he had trouble moving through the birth canal.
Since then, the family have sought treatment for the injury, which left him unable to move his shoulder and elbow.
After seeking help in the United States and Australia, the Joneses discovered Mr Bartlett at Kidz First.
The operation on Wednesday took 10 hours and involved removing nerves from the back of Henk's legs and grafting them to the torn ends of the nerves in his neck.
The new nerves will grow along his arm at 1mm a day until they reach his hand in about six months. The nerves will help regenerate the arm muscles and the little boy is expected to eventually be able to bend his elbow and lift his arm above his head.
Henk's father, Jeff Jones, said the family were thrilled the operation had gone well and could not wait to get their son back home to Wellington, where he would begin physiotherapy.
Henk was yesterday feeling the effects of the marathon surgery and was sleeping off the remnants of the anaesthetic and painkillers.
The family said it was difficult to watch their son suffer but they were confident the operation would improve Henk's life in the long term.
They wanted to pay tribute to friends and family who have supported them in the past 10 months.
When the Joneses began their search for someone who could help their son, they consulted specialists in Wellington. Told no one there could do anything, they began a worldwide search via the internet.
A Texan hospital said it could perform the operation but that would have meant selling their house.
A specialist in Melbourne said he had already trained a NZ doctor in South Auckland, and the quest ended with Mr Bartlett.
