Melih Dogrukol, a retired Turkish air force pilot, and his family are facing a dilemma.

The family may be deported back to Turkey once his work visa expires.

He and his wife, Birtane, are looking for any way to extend their stay on account of their physically disabled 12-year-old daughter, Melis, whose condition has improved since they first came to America six years ago. All of her medical expenses have been covered by her father’s health care plan through his work.

In 2005 Melis Dogrukol was six years old and weighed 26 pounds when her family came to America from Turkey.

Wheelchair dependent, she suffered from seizures, lung infections, breathing difficulties and vomiting.

If she wasn’t in intensive care at the hospital, she was confined to her home and required constant supervision.

Her father, Melih, 47, and mother, Birtane, 41, had been previously told by doctors in Turkey that surgery to correct these problems was too risky to attempt.

When they took her to the Seattle Children’s Hospital, however, the doctors told them it would not be a problem.

Melis underwent surgery in 2006, and the results were immediate.

“Her weight doubled immediately,” Melih Dogrukol said.

Now 12 years old, Melis’ weight has tripled. A student at Jenkins Creek Elementary, she receives regular physical therapy and hydrotherapy.

Melis’ medical disorders

The Dogrukols come from the center of regional Turkey, where Melis was born with holoprosencephaly, a medical disorder in which one of the brain’s hemispheres fails to develop either completely or at all.

“The doctors said she wouldn’t make it a week,” Melih Dogrukol said. “But she did.”

For the first year of her life, Melis spent six months in the hospital, mostly in intensive care. Her disability required her to receive her food from a feeding tube, but because of stomach issues she kept vomiting the food up.

“She was so skinny and light,” Melih Dogrkuol said.

They would have operated to fix the problems, but, “The doctor’s over there said because of her lung infection and seizures if they put her under anesthesia she might not wake up,” Melih Dogrukol said.

Then, Melih Dogrukol was given the opportunity come to come to the United States to work for Havelsan, a Turkish software and systems company based in the nation’s capital, Ankara. The company has several satellite offices in the United States, including Seattle. A test engineer was needed for the 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC), which Havelsan-USA Inc. was working on in conjunction with The Boeing Co. as part of the Peace Eagle program.

Melih Dogrukol said he immediately saw the job as a way to bring Melis to America, where surgery was possible.

“It was a unique chance to come here,” he said.

After he was approved for a work visa, he flew to American alone and made the necessary preparations for Melis to receive care once she came with her mother, Birtane.

Finding a new home for them in Kent, Melih enrolled Melis at Kent Elementary in kindergarten. It was there he first met Cheryl Hupalo, who at the time was working as the school nurse.

“He (Melih Dogrukol) had all of his ducks in a row,” Hupalo recalls. “He had all of the Turkish medical paperwork translated and prepared for us.”

Soon after, Birtane and Melis finally came to join Melih. Hupalo, who is now retired, says Melis’ first year at Kent Elementary was hard.

“Her (Melis) health was so fragile,” she says. “She had a couple of seizure episodes where she had to go to the hospital.”

Eventually, a one-on-one nurse was needed to watch Melis continuously throughout the day.

Fortunately for the Dogrukols, they were referred to Seattle Children’s Hospital, where Melis had a Nissen fundoplication performed on her stomach to prevent vomiting.

In a fundoplication, the upper part of the stomach is wrapped around the esophagus and then stitched into place, which helps prevent stomach acids from entering the esophagus.

The Dogrukols said they were amazed at the effectiveness of the operation.

“She did not throw up once,” Melih Dogrukol said. “It was that good.”

Doctors also found adenoids in Melis’ throat to be the cause of her breathing difficulties, which left her blood oxygen at around 80 percent. A normal level is 95 to 100 percent. The adenoids were eventually removed from her throat with a laser. In August, she is scheduled to have her tonsil’s removed as well.

Melis’ medical expenses are paid for by the Dogrukol’s health insurance plan through Havelsan-USA Inc.

Melih and Birtane Dogrukol praise the medical treatment their daughter has received, pointing to the rapid decline in hospital visits they have had to make. Though Melis continues to have health problems, she has only been put in intensive care three times in six years.

In addition to seeing a physical and hydrotherapist, Jenkins Creek Elementary in Covington has a special education program available for children with disabilities. Like her health care, the Dorgrukols feel Melis’ education at the school has helped her live a life outside of a world of repeated hospital visits.

“They are so helpful,” Melih Dogrukol said. “They are great, especially for the last two years. We can see the progress.”

Huaplo has also stayed in touch with the family and said her development at Jenkins Creek Elementary has exceeded all of their expectations.

“The work they’ve done there is amazing,” she said.

The Dogrukols specifically praised  Rebecca Lamendola, the special education teacher for her work with Melis.

“She is a dedicated person,” Melih Dogrukol said.

Unfortunately for Melis, however, the Kent School District has recently move her due to the lack of school nurses, a decision which upset the Dogrukols. Melih Dogrukol explained Mesil has made steady improvements with Lamendola, who has helped her with facial recognition. He is afraid Mesil will lose it at her new school.

“I don’t know who is going to be her teacher now,” said he. “It was going to be her last year (at Jenkins Creek). To me, it looks like we will waste the year.”

Facing deportation

As Melih Dogrukol’s work at Havelsan-USA Inc. comes to a close, however, he is now looking for a way to extend his visa and allow Melis to receive further care. His work visa only allows him to be in the U.S. as long as he is employed.

Now that his contracted work is almost completed, Mehil said he and his family will be forced to return to Turkey at the end of the year unless he can find a company who can sponsor him.

Though he is ready to work any job, he said his skills and proficiencies are suited chiefly for jobs that require security clearance, which he does not have.

This has put him in a predicament. To get a security clearance, U.S. citizenship is required.

“I can’t work in American company because I don’t have clearance,” he said. “And they’re all looking for U.S. citizenship. If I look elsewhere, the same rules applies.”

Melih Dogrukol stated he would do more work for Havelsan-USA Inc., but because he is retired he is only able to do a limited amount of work. It would also be a temporary solution, as he would be required to find another job as soon as the contract was completed.

The only other option has been to enter the lottery and hope he will be selected for a green card, which so far has been unsuccessful.

“They have tried year after year,” Hupalo said.

Melih Dogrukol said he loves his native country, but feels compelled to stay in the U.S. where certain medical care is available to Melis.

“She’s getting care that she won’t get anywhere else in the world,” Hupalo said.

Additionally, the Turkish education system does not have programs for children with disabilities like Melis.

“She will be forced to stay at home with me,” Birtane Dogrukol said.

Describing them as “responsible, hard workers,” Hupalo said they are the kind of immigrants America wants to have.

“We love being here,” Melih Dogrukol said. “And if there is way, we want a chance to stay here.”