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Adventures in Nursing: Retired nurse reflects on 45-year career at Akron Children's

Phyllis Mesko reflects on 45-year career at Akron Children's

Aris Eliades mentored Phyllis for her research project.

Some things get better with time and for retired Akron Children’s Hospital nurse Phyllis Mesko, her career is one of them.

“In 1965 the 2 most sought after careers for a woman were teaching and nursing,” said Phyllis Mesko, RN, CPN. “During study hall my sophomore year of high school I was caught visiting with my best friend. As punishment, the monitor grabbed a book off the shelf and told me to write a report on it. The book, Sue Barton, Student Nurse, was filled with adventures in nursing. I became immersed in her exciting life and was convinced I wanted to become a nurse, too.”

Phyllis graduated from nursing school in 1970.

Phyllis graduated from Idabelle Firestone School of Nursing, completed her board exams and, in 1970, set off on her own adventure in nursing at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Eight years into her career, Phyllis’ boyfriend, John, returned from the Vietnam War. They got married and had 3 children together. She switched from full time to part time and changed patient care units several times. It wasn’t quite like the adventures she had read about.

“I wasn’t advancing my career at this point,” said Phyllis. “Caring for my family was a priority and, thankfully, nursing allowed me to be a mother, have a sense of self worth, make money and have adult friendships in and outside of work.”

When Phyllis had a chance to move to the recovery room, she jumped at it.

“I was working with surgical patients, which I enjoyed very much,” she said. “I loved my unit and staff. I loved caring for my patients…I laughed and cried with them. I felt I belonged here.”

A picture is worth a thousand words

Now that she’s retired, Phyllis has more time to spend with her grandchildren.

The days and years seemed to fly by. But her son, Mark, who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder as a school-aged child, was still struggling with communication.

As a result, Phyllis stayed busy implementing behavior plans and working on picture communication tools to help him.

When Mark was first diagnosed, Phyllis carried a Polaroid camera around with her and took pictures of things that represented eat, drink and everything else. Her son was then able to communicate by pointing to the photographs.

“I started bringing in my social stories, which were comprised of pictures, and sharing them with my patients and peers to get their feedback…it was always positive,” said Phyllis. “I had no idea these picture communication tools would not only help Mark, but also go on to help me in my career.”

Nurse scholar program a win for Phyllis and patients

Her grand adventure in nursing was taking shape.

In 2009, Phylllis was given the chance to pursue her passion in the use of picture communication for children with communication barriers. She was chosen to be part of Akron Children’s nurse scholar program, which prepared nurses to participate in the research process and translate study results into practice.

“Being given the opportunity to conduct a research project on the use of picture communication tools to identify pain location was unbelievable,” said Phyllis. “It energized me.”

Phyllis presents on pain communication tool in Dublin.

Aris Beoglos Eliades, PhD, RN, CNS, associate director of Akron Children’s Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute and director of nursing research, became Phyllis’ mentor.

“The endeavor helped me gain confidence in myself, increase my expertise in the nursing field and recognize the level of support our staff and hospital have for nursing research,” Phyllis said.

Phyllis advanced to C.A.R.E. Ladder V, the highest level of achievement offered for nursing career advancement at Akron Children’s. She presented both oral and poster presentations about her research at national and international conferences.

Her research team’s article was selected for publication in the Journal of PeriAnesthesia Nursing (JOPAN). It also received the 2012 Mary Hanna Memorial Journalism Award, garnering a second place finish in the field of research.

In 2011, Phyllis was nominated for the National Magnet Nurse of the Year Award and was voted Ohio March of Dimes Nurse of the Year in the field of pediatrics in 2014.

Phyllis retired as a staff nurse in Akron Children’s post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) in 2015, but her nursing adventure isn’t over. You can still find her in the hospital working as a PRN (as needed) nurse and working with children with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers.

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, Family

Akron Children’s Hospital will forever hold a special place in our hearts. It was our precious Silas’ home for the first 110 days of his life.

On Feb. 11, 2012, after 25 weeks of a rollercoaster pregnancy, our firstborn was delivered by emergency C-section and whisked across town to Akron Children’s Hospital. Thankfully, I had already been hospitalized at Akron General and no one had to take an ambulance or helicopter ride on that snowy Saturday from our hometown of Mansfield, Ohio.

Silas settled in at the NICU and I settled in at the Ronald McDonald House for an indefinite stay. We had no idea what to expect, this was not at all what we expected the beginning of our parenting journey to look like.

I will never forget the morning, less than 2 weeks after Silas was born, that the Resident called me out of my bed at Ronald McDonald House to tell me that Silas had “taken a turn for the worst.” My son was dying and I had barely gotten to touch him.

That was the moment I realized just how serious things were. As I rushed down the sidewalk in the snow I cried to God not to take him. Thankfully, our prayers were answered and Silas pulled through.

It wasn’t our last scare, but through it all we could feel the prayers of our loved ones carrying us.

The staff in the NICU was amazing. God provided us with the most amazing nurses to care for Silas. They loved him and cared for him, while teaching us how to care for him and be an advocate for him.

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, Family

NICU nurse Shannon with Silas

I will forever be thankful that God introduced me to Shannon. Shannon became my teacher and my friend, as well as Silas’ caregiver. She empowered me to care for my son and be a mother in a most unusual situation.

While I lived in Akron, my husband commuted back and forth between Mansfield and Akron, spending a few nights at home and a few nights with Silas and me. Although I was by myself, I never felt alone.

The doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory team and other moms became my family, friends and support group. I spent my hours pumping, journaling, and doing kangaroo care. My days were marked by 3 hour assessments where I could briefly touch my son.

Silas gave the respiratory team a run for their money. He spent 7 weeks intubated and then tried every other respiratory aid available.

Finally, at 3 days shy of 3 months old, Silas moved to nasal cannula oxygen. From there we moved to feeding and on May 30, 2012, one week after our due date, we took our son home for the first time. He went home on an apnea monitor, oxygen, fortified breastmilk and 3 meds.

Home at last

Silas thrived at home. By mid-August he was completely off all meds and supports. He did, however, have a very fragile immune system and damaged lungs. Silas did not leave the house, other than for doctor appointments, for an entire year.

He received synagis shots throughout the winter as well as physical therapy at home. In many ways, this isolation was more challenging than the NICU. Although Silas was doing well, it was very hard for Mommy to be so isolated.

At Silas’ first birthday he was just starting to sit up and army crawl.
His second year was a developmental blur as he began to crawl, cruise, walk, climb and run.

Two months after Silas’ second birthday and just weeks after we brought home our second child, a beautiful full-term baby girl, Silas’ therapists discharged him from Early Intervention.

At just 2 years old, our 25 weeker, who took us on the wildest journey we had ever been on, was “caught up.” Although we were thrilled, we were sad to say good-bye to our therapists.

We were sad to let go of these people who had witnessed the miracle in Silas’ life, who had seen him go from a newborn who just struggled to look in both directions to a “normal” and healthy toddler.

There are days when I almost can’t believe that Silas ever spent time in the NICU. He is now almost 4, running, climbing, potty trained, dressing himself, doing chores, and talking my ear off! His life has been such a blessing to us and a true miracle.

We are so thankful for God’s work in our life and for the wisdom He gave to our NICU family in Akron to properly care for him.

As part of our year-long anniversary celebration, we’re telling the story of Akron Children’s through the eyes of past and present employees, doctors, donors, volunteers and patient families. We encourage you to share your own memories and stories about us.

Pediatrician’s Mom Recalls Summers Spent as Patient at Akron Children’s Hospital

Rosie Kluth marvels at how much Akron Children’s Hospital has changed since she was patient over 60 years ago.

For 73-year-old Rosie Kluth walking the halls of Akron Children’s Hospital was like a step back in time when she and her family, including daughter Dr. Lisa Eggleston, a pediatrician in the Barberton office of Akron Children’s Hospital Pediatrics, stopped by for a tour on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Rosie, who grew up near Youngstown, used to regularly travel to Akron during the summers between 1944 and 1952 to have corrective surgeries for a club foot and cleft palate. Rosie’s aunt lived in Akron and insisted she come to Akron Children’s for treatment after learning her niece wasn’t making progress under the care of doctors near her hometown.

“The bone in my leg was extremely distorted and it took dozens of surgeries and castings throughout my childhood to correct the problem since I was constantly growing,” Rosie said. “My mother never told me ahead of time when a surgery was scheduled because she didn’t want me to get anxious and worry. Instead, she would tell me the day before she got a call that a bed was available and we were heading to Akron.”

Club Foot + Cleft Palate = Multiple Surgeries

Pediatrician’s Mom Recalls Summers Spent as Patient at Akron Children’s Hospital

Rosie tours Akron Children’s Hospital with her family.

Rosie endured more surgeries through age 23 and eventually went on to pursue a career as a geriatric physical therapist. One of her first jobs was in a Cleveland hospital where she crossed paths with Dr. Ned Kluth, a dental resident, who fitted Rosie with an obturator – a prosthetic device that helped improve her hypo-nasal speech, a result of her cleft palate, which she was very self-conscious about.

“I endured a lot of teasing as a child and didn’t really feel comfortable with myself until I was a young adult,” she said.

As a gesture of thanks she invited Ned to dinner, even though she was dating an intern from New Zealand.

“My Italian mother who loved to cook commented that Ned seemed nice, but was too skinny,” Rosie recalled. “I remember telling her I just brought him to dinner; I’m not going to marry him!”

Fast forward 43 years, Ned and Rosie now have 2 adult children, Eric, a minister, and Lisa, in addition to 6 grandchildren.

Mother’s Experiences Taught Pediatrician Compassion

Ned and Rosie with their children Eric and Lisa

When asked whether her mother was an impetus for her career choice, Lisa said Rosie’s experiences have definitely influenced how she interacts with patients.

“My mom taught me compassion,” Lisa said. “As a child she spent many days alone in the hospital, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a family who loved and cared about her. I’ve learned to not be judgmental or jump to any conclusions with my own patients. ”

Lisa joined ACHP Barberton in September 2014 when she and her husband, Justin, an emergency medicine physician at Akron General and 4 children relocated to the area from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to be closer to family.

“ACHP has been a good fit for me,” she said. “It’s a great group of doctors, staff and administrators.”

In 2011 Rosie started to experience kidney failure and spent 14 months on dialysis before receiving a kidney from Ned. In 2013 she suffered a stroke.

Lisa credits her mom’s remarkable recovery from her recent health setbacks to sheer determination.

“The fact that she was a physical therapist is a big part of why she has recovered so well,” said Lisa. “She went from a wheelchair to a walker to a cane in a span of 3 to 4 months. She knew what to do to help her own rehabilitation.”

Rosie still has some coordination issues and slower reflexes, which caused her to give up driving. But overall she’s thankful for what she can do.

“I’ve never let my deficits define who I am and I’m not going to start now,” she said.

About Kathy Johnson

Kathy Johnson is a freelance writer, editor and public relations consultant with nearly 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry.

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Care at Akron Children’s influenced my path to nursing

With some co-workers in the old ER before the BIG move.

I have 13 years of service with Akron Children’s Hospital, and I am only 35!

When I was in high school I started working in my uncle’s orthopedic office, Dr. Pat Riley, Sr. This was my first exposure to working in the vast medical arena.

The day I was discharged from the hospital in 1985.

However, when I was 5, I was a patient here in the hospital for about a week. I still have the note that my nurse sent to me after I went home.

Even though I was only 5, I remember many things about that hospital stay, from the wagon rides to get a new IV started, the nurses that cared for me, and the hyper crib I had to sleep in.

I started at the University of Akron in 1998. Too scared to go after my BSN, I chose business as my major. In 1999, my youngest sibling was severely injured in a pedestrian vs. car accident. I found myself at her bedside every free moment I had.

I was in awe of the nurses caring for her, and the impact that they had on my sister and my family. It was then, while I was sitting on her hospital bed, thanking God and the wonderful staff for healing my sister, I decided to change my major and become a nurse.

From that point on I have never looked back. In the summer of 2002 I was hired to be a nurse tech in the NICU, and that began my nursing career.

Here I am 13 years later. I continue to work as a nurse for Akron Children’s Hospital and I am so very grateful to have a career that I love.

Me and my little sister Randie in 2015.

Miracles do happen

I had shared my story a while ago. I wanted to share an update.

My son is 5 years old. He is a healthy boy that loves to ride his bike, play outside, go swimming and ride his 4-wheeler.

At 28 weeks gestation, it was discovered that he had an omphalocele (a birth defect in which an infant’s intestine or other abdominal organs are outside the body).

I had an amnio which came back negative, maternal echo on him, weekly appointments, etc. It was heartbreaking. I had family try to push me to have an abortion, because of all the what-ifs.

We had no idea if he could survive, had no idea if he could get repaired, or if I would have to do a paint and wait.

The high-risk maternal fetal medicine doctor insisted he had a club foot. It was so stressful that I couldn’t enjoy the pregnancy. Fear overwhelmed me.

Well, at 37 weeks my handsome little man was born. He was in Akron Children’s NICU for only 8 days, if I recall, and repaired a week after he was born by the amazing Dr. Pittinger. He saved my son’s life.

Mikey did not have a club foot, no heart defects and no genetic issues. He is a perfectly healthy boy. I am so blessed to have this amazing hospital so close to me.

Mother never gave up hope on 24-week preemies (Video)

Charlee and Lennix’s deep bond is proven with this sweet moment – hugging the other’s poster at Walk for Babies in October.

I am the mother of 24 week twin miracles, Charlee, 1 lb., 1 oz. and Lennix, 1 lb., 6 oz. At just 2-1/2 years old they’ve endured more than 30 surgeries, a 226-day NICU stay, countless PICU stays, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and so much more.

Next month we will be celebrating 2 years of being home from the NICU as a family of 4! As we approach this milestone, we’ve compiled highlights from the 8,000,000 pictures and videos we have taken in the past 2 1/2 years into the video below.

With November being Prematurity Awareness Month my goal in sharing our story is to reassure parents that even when you feel like your world is crashing in around you to never give up hope! I hope to also bring more light to prematurity awareness month. It is not talked about as much as other life threatening awareness months, but at 25%, premature birth is the number one cause for neonatal mortality.

More on Charlee and Lennix

About Alexis Host

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Seeing the world with a new set of eyes

When my son, Max, was born 6 years ago, I certainly did not consider myself to be at risk for having a child with Down syndrome. I was 30 years old, a healthy eater, non-smoker and fitness buff.

But after we received Max’s diagnosis, I soon realized there were countless young mothers of children with DS.

Like many other parents who have received a similar shock at the birth of their child, I went through an emotional whirlwind of sadness and disappointment, which would be immediately followed with feelings of guilt…for feeling the sadness and disappointment.

I told myself early on that no matter where Max fell on the “scale of functioning,” I would do everything I could to enhance his learning and abilities. But most of all, give him a loving, supportive home.

Six years later, Max is now in kindergarten. He loves to play on our iPad where he has his own folder that he can get into and choose which game he wants. He loves going to the park and swimming. He can be quite ornery at times and makes us laugh…a lot.

Do we have “trying times” with him? Absolutely. But I also have them with my 9-year-old, typical daughter.

Of course their struggles are not the same, but all kids have struggles nonetheless. As parents, we just need to help our kids get over those struggles, whatever they may be.

Because of Max, I look at the world through a new pair of eyes. That has been a gift. I can tell you a dozen things about a person just by how they act around my son. I have lots of goals for Max, and with the support of all the people who love him, he will no doubt reach them.

Max has visited many specialists at Akron Children’s Hospital, including Ophthalmology, Hematology, Genetics, Cardiology and Neuroscience. Through all of these visits, the physicians were so kind and compassionate – many times, calming mom’s nerves as I was a wreck prior to each visit.

The care Max has received at Akron Children’s is unparalleled. I am so thankful that we have this valuable resource just 30 minutes north of our home!

Birthday gift shows impact of life-changing experience

Brianna and her fiance, Matt

Twenty-four years ago, Barbara Hunter felt that God picked the right doctors, the right nurses and the right hospital to treat her then 3 ½ year-old daughter, Brianna.

That’s when Akron Children’s Hospital diagnosed Brianna with a rare condition called retractile sclerosing mesenteritis. It damaged 1 foot of her bowel, leading to toxic shock, coma and near death.

Now approaching her 28^th birthday, Brianna is healthy and happily engaged to Matt, 31.

She’s glad she doesn’t remember the acute crisis period of her condition, but she has fond memories of her 7-year follow-up with Akron Children’s doctors, nurses and therapists in what she remembers as her “children’s family.”

Brianna’s story was featured in the Spring 1993 issue of Children’s Progress.

As a birthday present for Brianna, Matt contacted Akron Children’s to ask that her story be updated for the hospital’s 125^th anniversary. (Her story was initially told in 1993 in a hospital publication called Children’s Progress.)

Topping the list of updates is her current training to become a child life specialist.

“I never knew what I wanted to do but due to my connections with Akron Children’s I learned about this fairly new field,” Brianna said. “ I wanted to give another child what I received from the caring nurses, doctors and social workers at Akron Children’s.”

Harrowing medical journey

Before being diagnosed with retractile sclerosing mesenteritis, Brianna was a healthy preschooler, living in Canton, Ohio, with single mom, Barbara, and her 3 older brothers.

Then, in April 1991, everything changed. Brianna woke up with a stomachache, followed by vomiting, fever and restlessness. Barbara rushed her to Aultman Hospital ER, where she worked as a maternity nurse.

Brianna’s condition rapidly deteriorated. Her pulse was weak and rapid, her lips were blue, and they were unable to get a blood pressure reading.

“Brianna was dying in front of our eyes,” Barbara said.

Brianna was life-flighted to Akron Children’s Hospital, where Dr. Robert Klein, the now retired chair of pediatric surgery, confirmed through an X-ray that Brianna had a hole somewhere in her intestinal tract.

That same night, in a 3-hour surgery, Dr. Klein removed a 1-foot area of the small intestinal covering (mesentery), which was free-floating and gangrenous. When the mesentery pulled away, it dumped intestinal contents into Brianna’s abdomen, causing septic shock and peritonitis, a potentially fatal inflammation of the abdominal lining.

Even after surgery. Brianna’s diagnosis was still a mystery. In search of answers, Dr. Klein contacted an international rare disease registry, which had identified only 5 cases of retractile sclerosing mesenteritis.

Today the condition is thought to be a spectrum of conditions involving the mesentery, yet only 250 cases have been reported to date.

For weeks after surgery, Brianna’s status was touch-and-go. Her blood pressure dropped critically low, she had 13 IV lines and a breathing tube, and she had lung damage caused by aspiration of stomach contents.

“They told me she had a 10 percent chance of survival,” Barbara said.

By week 3, Brianna was still in a coma and had developed blood clots, which lead to a third surgery.

“She didn’t look much like a little girl, except that a wonderful nurse, Nelda Wilson, had put her hair in a ponytail,” said Barbara.

Another blood clot occurred in week 4, followed by a fourth surgery. By this time, Brianna had been in a medically-induced coma for 1 month.

Finally, Brianna started to show signs of improvement. Doctors cut back on her medication and she slowly began to regain consciousness.

By week 5, she was in a regular patient room and nurses worked with her to eat small amounts of soft food.

At first, Brianna had difficulty communicating with her mom but slowly she starting talking and received physical therapy to relearn to stand and walk.

She finally came home on Memorial Day Weekend in 1991.

“I was a regular at Akron Children’s for 7 years after my recovery,” Brianna said. “The things I remember most are the hugs I got from everyone – Dr. Klein, the nurses, therapists – they were all wonderful!”

Looking back

Brianna and her mother, Barbara

Brianna looks back on the experience with gratitude.

“I feel for what my mother had to go through,” she said. “She has always been there for me.”

Shortly after Brianna moved to Rochester, NY, in 2013, she had a bowel obstruction due to what a GI specialist in Rochester called a “flipped” area of intestine. She avoided surgery because the bowel area “flipped” back.

Besides that incident, she has regular visits with her physician and remains in excellent health.

Brianna points to her experience at Akron Children’s as the motivation for her passion to help others.

Matt’s impetus for requesting Brianna’s story be updated came when he saw her enthusiasm for sharing her story with her university class.

Matt and Brianna

As for Matt’s gift, Brianna calls it the best birthday present ever.

“Special caregivers don’t always realize their impact,” Brianna said. “They made a big difference in my life, which I can’t wait to pass on.”

About Melonie Michelson

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Miranda is among rarest of the rare with Koolen-De Vries syndrome

This is our little fighter Miranda. She is the rarest of the rare. One of only 100 people diagnosed in the United States with the rare Koolen-De Vries syndrome.

We started with Akron Children’s Maternal Fetal Medicine and have spent more time here at Akron Children’s Hospital in this lady’s first year of life than we have at home.

Akron Children’s literally is our home away from home. She has at least 15 specialists, including PT, OT, and feeding and speech therapy. She had open heart surgery at 2 months old as well as two other surgeries so far. She continues to defy the odds, but could not do it without our family here at Akron Children’s.

Our therapists are not only our therapists, but our friends. We could not make it without the love and compassion from Della and the volunteers at the Reinberger Family Center. They are always there with a reassuring hug and smile after a rough day. They always know Miranda by name and love her so much.

Akron Children’s saved our baby’s life and continues to do so on a daily basis. Not being able to eat, we embrace all things G-tube related, so in her first birthday pictures we wanted to show the love to the feeding tube community and the world. Here’s to Miranda’s incredible first birthday picture!

Hospital experience inspires former patient to become a nurse

My story begins in June of 2006 at 12 years old. I started to experience a sudden onset of unusual symptoms including back pain, weakness, and loss of sensation of my body.

The symptoms appeared very quickly and within hours I was losing my ability to walk. I was taken to the emergency department at another hospital only to be sent home soon after due to accusations that I was just simply exaggerating my symptoms.

The next morning I woke up to a nightmare. I could no longer feel my body. My hands were stuck in a closed-fist position and I couldn’t walk. My parents took me to our family doctor, who advised my parents to take me to Akron Children’s immediately.

I remember feeling a breath of fresh air once I arrived. I remember each and every person who walked into my room – from the nice male nurse who scooped me up from the wheelchair and placed me into the bed to the pretty brunette nurse who let me lean into her during a lumbar puncture.

I felt I was in good hands. Although I was scared and unaware of what was going on, I felt comfortable.

After multiple tests a neurologist came into my room to give us the diagnosis. I was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called transverse myelitis. I was also told it was the first TM diagnosis at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Because each TM case is unique, my prognosis was to be determined. I was admitted after this and began my journey to recovery.

Petie the Pony visits Morgan

Although there are many other places a 12 year old would probably want to spend his or her summer, my stay at Children’s was a good one. I remember feeling down and scared that I may not walk again.

Each day I had a new visitor, whether it was a dog, a volunteer, or even a miniature pony. The staff was absolutely phenomenal. I was blessed with amazing nurses, a great set of therapists, and awesome doctors.

I remember crying during a physical therapy session, wanting to stop, and the therapist encouraged me to keep going. Each and every staff member brought a little bit of sunshine to my gloomy situation and I can’t thank them enough for it.

The road to recovery was a long one but eventually I was able to walk on my own again. I’m now 21 years old and a semester away from graduating nursing school. My decision to be in the medical field and work in pediatrics was decided after my experience at Akron Children’s.

My dream has always been to work with children, hopefully at Akron Children’s Hospital, and be one of the staff members a child never forgets. I will WALK across the stage in May of 2016 and officially become a nurse soon after. It will be the same year that marks 10 years since my diagnosis.

I owe a lot to Akron Children’s Hospital and am so thankful for the exceptional care that I received.

Thank you.