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

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

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

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

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.

PATHS to success Doctor forges new ground with innovative teen programs

Dr. James Fitzgibbon’s interest in adolescent medicine began after serving as a house parent in a college freshman dorm. He witnessed firsthand many of the common problems teenagers still face today, including drug addiction and teen pregnancy.

But in 1975, he struggled to find an adolescent medicine program to complete his residency. There were only a few programs in the country at that time.

Teens weren’t categorized separately. Instead, they were viewed as older children with chronic illnesses.

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, Family

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, FamilyAkron 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 Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, FamilySilas 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.

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, Family

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.

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, Family

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.

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, FamilyAt 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.

Silas Plays “Catch Up” With Providers, FamilyWe 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

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

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

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.

kmckjohnson@hotmail.com'

About Kathy Johnson

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

Home away from home For the Considines, balancing home, hospital is a team effort

William Considine is president and CEO inside Akron Children’s Hospital, but at home, he’s a dad and a husband.

He’s been married to his wife, Becky, for more than 40 years, and the 2 have raised 3 children: Michael, Cathryn and Matthew.

For Considine, it wasn’t so much about separating the 2, but more about including family into his work events. Throughout the years, Considine’s children have dressed up as characters at hospital events to bring joy to patients.

Care at Akron Children’s influenced my path to nursing

old-er

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.

Abbey Soles at age 5

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.

Abbey and her little sister

Me and my little sister Randie in 2015.

Miracles do happen

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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.

The human touch People made the best stories for retired HR vice president

Sue Reitz admits when you’re interviewing people, it’s not unusual to get all sorts of comical and bizarre answers to your questions. Candidates sometimes are nervous and under pressure to make a great first impression.

But, she certainly didn’t expect it while interviewing the now president and CEO of Akron Children’s Hospital, William Considine, for his current position.

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

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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

Alexis@noemail.com'

About Alexis Host

Inside man Chief engineer and safety officer shares most memorable moments

Jim Madden recalls the friendly rivalry between Akron Children’s President Bill Considine, an Ohio State grad, and former Vice President Patrick Hagan, a Michigan grad.

Hagan once called Madden a few days before the highly anticipated game and asked him to install his alma mater’s maize-and-blue toilet-seat cover on Mr. Considine’s toilet.

This is just one of many amusing moments Madden cherishes over his more than 45-year tenure at Akron Children’s.

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