My son was born completely healthy and normal. All my appointments while pregnant went great. There was never any worry that something would be wrong.
At the end of September 2014, when he was 15 months old, he seemed to have a respiratory virus.
He had RSV when he was 7 months old so I recognized the symptoms and called our pediatrician. The nurse listened over the phone to his breathing and immediately sent us to Akron Children’s ER.
We were whisked back and admitted immediately. They gave him fluids and told us he would be admitted for observation and some IV antibiotics.
There was a black spot in his right lung on the X-Ray that was thought to be bacterial pneumonia.
Eventually, when his breathing was normal enough for him to handle being sedated, he was given a CT scan. The CT scan showed his right lung was only half inflated. His intestines were in the space of his lung. He needed surgery to fix what was thought to be a diaphragmatic hernia that he would have been born with.
We came in for surgery in mid-October. The 2.5 hour surgery turned into 5.5 hours. The diaphragmatic hernia turned out to be an esophageal hernia. His surgery went well and he recovered well enough to be discharged 3 days later.
We’re back home with a healthy, rambunctious little boy. There’s no indication any of this even happened to him but for the 6 tiny incision scars.
Akron Children’s saved my son’s life. If it weren’t for the insistence of the first doctor to have the CT scan done, none of this would have been found until it was an emergency years down the road.
The care and kindness we received during our stay will be with me forever. The nurses, doctors and surgeons give their whole heart and soul to these precious babies.
I will never forget how well they cared for the most important part of my life, my son.
As part of our year-long anniversary celebration, well be telling the story of Akron Childrens 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.