When I was 7 months old I arrived at the hospital in an ambulance at around noon, in mid December. I was in the emergency room with a flurry of activity; doctors and nurses performing countless tests to determine what was wrong with me. My skin had turned blue, and my eyes were swollen shut. After a couple hours my parents finally got to come in to the room to see me for the first time since 6:00 that morning. One of the head doctors showed my parents my CT scan which showed massive bleeding in my brain. They were informed that I had retinal hemorrhaging along with brain hemorrhaging, and that the next 24 hours would be very critical. For the next several hours, I would undergo many more tests, and a surgery to place a pressure monitor inside my brain. I was on a ventilator and placed into a medically induced coma to help prevent further damage to my brain. Because I was in the PICU, I had a team of doctors, and a 24 hour nurse at the end of my bed. In the morning one of the neurosurgeons in the hospital informed my parents that my diagnosis was a severe traumatic brain injury (T.B.I.). Weeks later when I was finally released from the hospital, I was blind (due to the eye hemorrhaging, caused from my brain smashing into the back of my eyes), and paralyzed on the left side of my body (When my brain smashed back and forth inside my skull, it caused massive bleeding which built pressure inside my brain. The pressure and the trauma from the rapid deceleration against my skull caused extensive damage to my brain.). I had lost everything that I had learned up until that day that I was admitted to the hospital. I had to relearn everything such as how to eat, how to drink from a bottle, how to hold my head up. I had even lost the simplest tasks like sucking on pacifier.
I was basically a newborn again, just this time with very severe disabilities. The doctors even told my parents “Do not expect him to improve, he may never get any better.” My parents and I refused to give up on me. We decided to not believe that “it is, what it is.” So we began searching for the top specialists in our state. Since then I have been in physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, I have my own teacher, and I go to countless doctor’s appointments. I go to several hospitals across the state to see various doctors. I’ve seen multiple neurologists, and neurosurgeons along with multiple vision specialists. My pediatrician whom I’ve known since the day I was born still smiles every time I enter his office to show him the new things that I am doing. I’ve met and been seen by more doctors and nurses than I could count, and every one of them, along with all of my wonderful therapists, has done their part in helping me get better. When I left the hospital that first time the doctors told my parents not to expect me to get much better, however with the guidance of my parents, all my therapists, and doctors I continue to amaze everyone. My vision has mostly returned, even though I have to wear a patch and glasses now. I also have been working really hard to retrain myself how to use my left side.
Due to the extent of my injury my neurologist has told my parents and me that I will never be able to play sports or do anything other activity where I might fall down or take a hit to the head. I can’t partake in any activities which might include any rapid acceleration or deceleration to my brain. So this means no bounce houses, trampolines or roller coasters for me as I get older. Playing on a playground is a nightmare right now for my parents for fear that another child could crash into me. Any of these things could land me back in the hospital or worse. We won’t know for many years how badly my cognitive ability was affected, or how much I will be able to recover, but neither my parents, nor myself will ever stop fighting to give me the best chance.
It is a shame, but due to lack of physical evidence the person who did this to me may never be brought to justice or prosecuted. Many children who receive an injury like mine are too young to be able to point a finger at the person who injured them. So without a confession, often times no one is ever found guilty, or prosecuted. Then the family of the child is left to bear the burden of one careless, heartless individual who was trusted with the care of such a precious innocent baby. Anyone and everyone who reads this, please like/share this page, and do everything in your power to protect, and prevent this type of injury from ever happening to another child.
