Walk Down Memory Lane – Train Up a Child

I've joined Lynette for another Wednesday's Walk

Train Up a Child--

There is a little guy I think about from time to time who had a traumatic brain injury due to “Shaken Baby Syndrome”.

For those of you who don’t know what that is, here is a link that describes Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Emily had been ill and was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of our local hospital. While we were there a little baby was admitted in the room next to us and he was very very ill. As family gathered around this precious little guy the doctors told them that the news wasn’t good. His brain was swollen from bleeding, and he had irreparable brain damage. They really didn’t think he would survive.

When I walked by his cubicle in the PICU I could see tubes going in and out, and all sort of monitors beeping and alarming. The only movement was from the nurses who attended his lifeless little body.

In a day or two Emily’s health improved. She’d had pneumonia, and with the medication working round the clock her damaged lungs were getting better. While packing to leave the hospital I said a prayer for the lifeless little guy next door. Little did I know I would meet him again in just a couple of weeks.

Emily had been recovering nicely and I received a phone call from the foster care placement desk. They needed a home for a little guy who had severe brain damage. He was just barely off life support and the hospital could do nothing else for him. He was going to be placed in foster care while the authorities sorted out what had really happened to him.

I’ll never forget walking into the hospital room and seeing the same tiny little guy with a bandage on his head from where the built-up fluid had been drained. He was trying to cry but only a small kitten sound came through his tiny little lips.

The nurse went over his medical history with me. The most important thing to watch for would be the swelling. She was fairly certain that he would need more fluid drained from his head by next week, and a shunt to divert the fluid would probably need to be placed within the month.

I picked him up and held him and a seizure took control of his face and body. He twisted in my arms and I secured my grip. I knew what type of care he needed, and I sang to him softly.

To be continued…..

(Sorry, Emily has a doctor appt in just a bit. I’ll write some more for tomorrow)