By the time Brigham was six-months-old, we had already been to Children’s Mercy urgent care/emergency room so many times we’d lost count. We didn’t understand why our baby was so sick all the time. We were frustrated, exhausted and didn’t know what to do.
Severe double ear infections from the time he was one-month-old. Scary vomiting episodes, respiratory illnesses that included bronchitis and pneumonia, which required nightly breathing treatments. We were told he probably had reactive airway disease. This, because they don’t diagnosis it as asthma until children are older.
Nonetheless, they let us know that if the illnesses continued it would probably mean a different, less active life for Brigham.
We were always on high-alert. He slept right next to me because his coughing attacks in the middle of the night were terrifying. Oftentimes, I would just hold him in my arms the entire night, eyes burning and my heart begging for him to feel better.
At five months we saw an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor at Children’s Mercy who came highly recommended to us. He told us that Brigham had fluid behind his ears and needed ear tube surgery. The earliest they do those surgeries is at six months due to the risks from anesthesia. I prayed about it, but we were hopeful this was our answer.
Surgery day came and although we were a bundle of nerves, we trusted that Brigham was receiving the best care from one of the best children’s hospitals in the country. Yes, people told us this was minor surgery. But when it’s your baby – you want only the best.
The surgery was done quickly and like we had hoped, the changes were almost immediate. Way less ear infections and coughs and more amazing baby smiles!
Our Brigham was better because of the amazing people at Children’s Mercy.
When we started having the same problem with Sawyer at one-year-old I called Children’s Mercy and she had tube surgery with the same ENT as Brigham. We felt so calm about the whole thing because we trusted our child was getting the best care possible.
Let me tell you, when you’re a parent and you know your child can’t hear – words cannot describe the moment when you realize your baby can hear your voice!
Because Children’s Mercy has had such a profound impact on our family – I am proud to be a new Children’s Mercy Ambassador. Tomorrow I will attend the Season 2 Premiere of Inside Pediatrics:
Inside Pediatrics is a four-part, Emmy Award-winning series following the medical journeys of families and the life-changing experiences that unfold inside Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo. Narrated by Paul Rudd, the series will give viewers an look inside the hospital, where dedicated staff members treat children diagnosed with conditions ranging from the common, to the complex.
It is my hope that you will watch so you, too, can see the difference this hospital is making in the lives of children and families.
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