Navigating Life's Detours
Finding the right path for a teen with special needs
Tag: family centered care
The J.P. Story: Hospital holidays
It was beginning to look like we may be spending Thanksgiving and Christmas in the hospital in 2018. Unexplained pain and recurrent vomiting had sent us to the hospital in October and again in early November. We were discharged after a five-day stay and returned to the emergency room that night.
World of change
It was British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli who first said that change is inevitable, and I’ve seen plenty of it over the past three years. When I last posted to this blog, I was leaving my life in TV news to reinvent myself as… Continue Reading “World of change”
Following my heart
From a very young age, I always knew what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was fascinated with television and spent my childhood dreaming about working at the TV station. Saying “the TV station” above is not a mistake, because there… Continue Reading “Following my heart”
Hospital lessons learned
As the parent of a child with special needs, I’ve learned a great deal about how hospitals work, what gets a care team concerned and the things to monitor closely during a hospital admission. But each hospital admission comes with unique circumstances and situations… Continue Reading “Hospital lessons learned”
Pushing for family-centered hospital care
Anyone who knows me will tell you I’m passionate about two things in life: My family and the care my son receives at Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando. We spend a great deal of time at the hospital — both inpatient and outpatient… Continue Reading “Pushing for family-centered hospital care”
Karina visits J.P. before discharge
J.P. tolerated his feeds well and was able to be discharged Wednesday afternoon. It was a really interesting day because Karina was able to spend the day with J.P. in his hospital room. I was very happy with the way she behaved in the… Continue Reading “Karina visits J.P. before discharge”
J.P. wakes up with smile
J.P. was awake and smiling Tuesday afternoon after surgery to repair his shunt earlier in the day. He had reason to smile after his fellow students at Canine Companions for Independence got together and purchased him a big stuffed dog and card to let… Continue Reading “J.P. wakes up with smile”
Preparing for surgery
It’s always nice to have two superheroes pulling for you on the day before surgery. J.P. got to meet Batman and Catwoman on Monday afternoon at Florida Hospital for Children. It is looking more like J.P. won’ be returning to his Canine Companions training… Continue Reading “Preparing for surgery”
Friday Fun: ‘Frozen’ fever hits hospital
My aim with this blog is to be transparent about the joys and struggles of raising a child with special needs. Sometimes the times when you’re really struggling all of a sudden turn into a memorable moment. I’m going to try to share some… Continue Reading “Friday Fun: ‘Frozen’ fever hits hospital”
Making the hospital hospitable
I shared a bit earlier about how all the time we’ve spent in the hospital over the past 11 years turned into almost a second job for me. Florida Hospital for Children is practically a second home, and there are plenty of employees there… Continue Reading “Making the hospital hospitable”
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Navigating Life's Detours 