Monett Times

EFCO, a Pella Company, recently presented a check in the amount of $2,182 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals of CoxHealth.

The funds will be used to underwrite the cost of a new BiliBed for Cox Monett Hospital. The BiliBed uses special blue spectrum lights to treat newborn babies with hyperbilirubinemia, or jaundice.

Cox Monett Hospital has only one BiliBed at this time, and the second one, which will be purchased with these funds, will allow more than one infant to be treated at the same time.

“We are thrilled that EFCO made this generous gift to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to benefit the Monett community,” said Tim Siebert, executive director of Children’s Miracle Network. “This new equipment will further enhance the quality of care provided to babies born at Cox Monett.”

During prom season earlier this year, the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital staff threw a last-minute prom for a teen patient who’d miss that iconic high school event because of her hospitalization.

Around Halloween, the staff led the tiny patients down the halls with trick-or-treat bags.

And during this Christmas season, Santa will visit the children, most of them worried St. Nick won’t be able to find them at the hospital. The staff, said Coordinator of Child Life Services Rana Post, cushions stays for the often critically ill children and worried parents spending the holidays in the hospital.

“We really don’t want them to think that they won’t get their presents because they’re here,” Post said of the 10 to 15 children there Friday. “We try to make their stay here as normal as possible, especially over the holidays. We try to get them home, but that’s not always possible.”

The hospital serves a 32-county area and reaches as many as 100,000 children. The hospital’s Care Mobile does immunizations and screenings.

But when children and families are admitted for one of the 32 beds in the ward — six of them reserved for the pediatric intensive care unit — the hospital focuses on making them as comfortable as possible, said Executive Director Tim Siebert.

“Our job is to lift their spirits and to meet them where they are,” Siebert said. “A sense of normalcy helps with the healing process.”

Chris and Becky Davis of Ozark were in the ninth day of their most recent hospital stay with their year-old son Elijah, who suffers from a congenital brain malformation that has caused epilepsy, as well as developmental and feeding issues.

“We’re just so thankful,” Becky Davis said. “This was such a huge blessing.”

Becky Davis said she was especially thankful for one of the comforts the hospital provides — meal trays for the families of patients. Not being home to cook could mean running out to buy expensive meals, “and that can really add up.”

Chris Davis said the facilities and the comforts have helped them cope. The playroom down the hall, for example, makes it easier for them to entertain Elijah’s big sister Adrienne, who’s 3-and-a-half.

“It’s wonderful to be able to have Adrienne here,” Chris Davis said. “Being separated from family is one of the worst parts of being in the hospital.”

The hospital also schedules regular visits from wise-cracking doctor clowns with painted faces and white lab coats. They have a group of therapy dogs that interact with the children.

The dogs, Post said, are especially positive. She’s seen children who’d been fighting for consciousness rise up in their beds to pet the dogs.

“Especially if they have a dog at home,” Post said. “It’s very theraputic.”

But these efforts take on another level of urgency around the Christmas holiday season, she said.

For example, the staff is preparing a Christmas party for Wednesday featuring Santa. They’ve been wrapping presents and attaching the names so Santa can call each of the children up to him by name.

For those who can’t leave their rooms, Santa will pull a wagon of toys into each room.

Juanita Olsen was set to receive the ultimate present, her 6-month-old daughter Rebekah’s release.

Rebekah had spiked a temperature so her doctor suggested Olsen bring her in. The results from a spinal tap were abnormal, so her doctor admitted her. By Friday, the baby had rallied to fight off what had just been a virus. The doctor said Rebekah looked awesome.

A sense of relief washed over Olsen’s face as she smiled. It’s difficult enough having a child there, but being a nurse added to her frustration. She continually fought her urges to be a nurse while needing to be a mommy taking care of her baby.

“Everyone here has been really great,” Olsen said. “They’ve been taking care of me and taking care of her.”

Battling cancer is not easy, especially at the tender age of three. On Aug. 25, 2005, Brooke Kincaid was taken to the Emergency Department at Cox South. She was running a fever and her parents noticed a large knot on the side of her head. After a CT scan, doctors found what appeared to be a tumor in Brooke’s skull. She was rushed to St. Louis Children’s Hospital where neurosurgeons confirmed that is was tumor and it was critical that they remove it as soon as possible.

Three days later, the tumor was removed and Brooke was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer in infants and children, is a malignant tumor that develops from nerve issue and is not limited to any specific part of the body.

After surgery to remove the tumor, Brooke had a MRI that revealed tumors on her leg and adrenal gland. Brooke immediately underwent six rounds of high induction chemotherapy. She lost all of her hair after the first round. Amazingly enough, no surgery was needed to remove the tumor in her leg – it disappeared on its own. In January 2006, she had surgery to remove the tumor on her adrenal gland and as soon as she had recovered from surgery, she had a bone marrow transplant. She was prescribed a medication that has demonstrated efficacy in preventing the growth of recurrent and metastic cells.

Today, Brooke remains in remission and is able to call her a cancer survivor! However, with Neuroblastoma there is an 80 percent chance of relapse so she is constantly monitored. She walks with a limp due to the damage caused by the tumor in her leg, but overall Brooke is doing great. She continues to see specialists in St. Louis, but the major battle is over.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals helps families cover expenses to travel to their child’s out-of-town doctors appointments. Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals needs your support to continue to provide travel assistance to families like Brooke’s. If you would like to make a difference in the life of a child, please contact our office at 417/269-KIDS!