Mentor, Ohio, USA
The McCracken family of Mentor, OH was enjoying a friendly game of baseball in their yard last week when 7 year-old Morgan was accidentally hit with the ball. Her parents, Donald and Connie, put ice on their daughter's head to reduce the goose-egg swelling that immediately followed the injury. Within hours, the swelling was down and Morgan was back to her happy self. She went back to school the next day and aced a spelling test.
Two nights after the accident, like many of us, Donald and Connie saw the tragic news story of Natasha Richardson's sudden death from a seemingly minor head injury. The actress, mother, and wife had suffered a bump on the head, talked and joked about it with no apparent trouble, and, within days, died. The McCrackens were immediately worried for Morgan, who went to bed that night complaining of a headache. They decided to call their daughter's doctor, just to be safe.
"Because of Natasha, we called the pediatrician immediately. And by the time I got off the phone with him, Morgan was sobbing, her head hurt so much," reports Donald. The McCrackens rushed to the emergency room, where Morgan was given a CT scan to determine whether she had a brain injury. The scan confirmed her parents' worst fear: Morgan had an epidural hematoma, just like Natasha Richardson.
Unlike Natasha, however, Morgan made it to the emergency room in time. She was air lifted to a hospital in Cleveland for immediate treatment. "I knew it was bad when she had to get there by helicopter in six minutes, instead of the 30 minutes it would have taken to get to Cleveland in an ambulance," said her father.
Morgan received life-saving surgery that night, and, after five more days in the hospital, she returned home. And this time, she really IS fine. It was a very close call; According to Donald McCracken, "Dr. Cohen told us that if we hadn't brought her in Thursday night, she never would have woken up."
In the wake of Natasha Richardson's heartbreaking story, there is some comfort in knowing that a child's life was saved as a result. And for the McCracken family, it is more than comforting; it is miraculous.
For more on this story, and for tips on recognizing serious head injury symptoms, visit http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/26/head.injury.emergency/index.html
Showing posts with label miracle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label miracle. Show all posts
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Pet's Sixth Sense Saves Infant's Life
The Goose would like to bring you a special story today, provided to us by author Jean Barto. The following is an excerpt from her latest book, (POD) PET WONDERS:
"With joy and anxiety, we brought Alicia, our preemie, home from the hospital. We were happy to have our baby home, but anxious because her physical condition necessitated a heart monitor.
Now another baby, Mandy, an 80 pound Old English Sheepdog, who had had attention plus until Alicia arrived, was a little put out that she was not allowed near the baby. She was a bright, silly, sometimes stubborn dog, but lovable. She had always been fastidious before, but now she started pooping and peeing all over the house. I guess negative attention was better than no attention at all. After a few days, we allowed Mandy to come close to the baby and even lick her face. That changed everything. Using the rug as outside grass and a chair leg as a private fire hydrant stopped. She must have felt that, finally, she had a place back in the family inner circle.
The baby's room was next to ours, and we kept the doors open in case the heart monitor sounded an alarm. Days went by, and all went well. One night, Chuck felt Mandy scratching and pulling his arm. She was barking and whining to awaken us. Chuck jumped up. Mandy ran into the baby's room, Chuck close behind. The monitor had malfunctioned. The alarm had not sounded. Alicia had gone into cardiac arrest. We grabbed her and immediately started CPR. We brought her back. Thank God and Mandy.
Alicia is now a healthy college student. We will always wonder how Mandy knew something was wrong. Had Alicia made a sound or was Mandy so tuned into her labored breathing that she sensed a change? We'll never know, but will always be extremely grateful to our shaggy friend."
Told by Valerie Rayca
Written by JSB
A special thanks to Ms. Barto for contributing and spreading the good news!
"With joy and anxiety, we brought Alicia, our preemie, home from the hospital. We were happy to have our baby home, but anxious because her physical condition necessitated a heart monitor.
Now another baby, Mandy, an 80 pound Old English Sheepdog, who had had attention plus until Alicia arrived, was a little put out that she was not allowed near the baby. She was a bright, silly, sometimes stubborn dog, but lovable. She had always been fastidious before, but now she started pooping and peeing all over the house. I guess negative attention was better than no attention at all. After a few days, we allowed Mandy to come close to the baby and even lick her face. That changed everything. Using the rug as outside grass and a chair leg as a private fire hydrant stopped. She must have felt that, finally, she had a place back in the family inner circle.
The baby's room was next to ours, and we kept the doors open in case the heart monitor sounded an alarm. Days went by, and all went well. One night, Chuck felt Mandy scratching and pulling his arm. She was barking and whining to awaken us. Chuck jumped up. Mandy ran into the baby's room, Chuck close behind. The monitor had malfunctioned. The alarm had not sounded. Alicia had gone into cardiac arrest. We grabbed her and immediately started CPR. We brought her back. Thank God and Mandy.
Alicia is now a healthy college student. We will always wonder how Mandy knew something was wrong. Had Alicia made a sound or was Mandy so tuned into her labored breathing that she sensed a change? We'll never know, but will always be extremely grateful to our shaggy friend."
Told by Valerie Rayca
Written by JSB
A special thanks to Ms. Barto for contributing and spreading the good news!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Out of the Holocaust, a Hollywood Love Story
At just 12 years old, Herman Rosenblat lived a life of hardships. A Jewish boy in Nazi-occupied Poland, his life and his family dissolved around him each day. He was forced to leave his home with his family and live in a ghetto. Soon thereafter, his father fell ill. The doctor they snuck into their dwelling was unable to help; Mr. Rosenblat was dying of typhus. Before he passed, he said something which Herman never forgot: "If you ever get out of this war, don't carry a grudge in your heart and tolerate everybody." It was hard advice to remember in the coming months, when the rest of Herman's family would be sent to labor camps and he would be separated from his mother forever.
In Schlieben, Germany, nine year-old Roma Radziki posed as a Christian with her family to escape persecution. The Radzikis lived near a labor camp; Roma walked passed the chain link fence every day. Once, she caught the eye of a handsome boy on the other side. Asking herself what she could do to help him, Roma threw the boy an apple she was carrying. It was the beginning of a daily ritual that would last until Herman was scheduled to be transferred to a different camp. He told the strange girl he wouldn't be back at the fence the next day. "I won't see you anymore," she said. "Right, right. Don't come around anymore," he replied. Years passed, Herman's camp was liberated, and the two children forgot each other.
Herman eventually moved to New York, where ran a television repair shop. One night a friend offered to set him up on a blind date. Herman was not enthusiastic about meeting a strange girl, especially without knowing what she looked like, but he agreed. The strange girl was Roma.
After dinner, the two of them got to discussing their wartime experiences. Roma told Herman about the handsome boy who used to catch the apples on the other side of the fence, and Herman was astounded. "That was me," he said. He proposed that night. Roma thought he was crazy. But, two months later, she agreed. This summer, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
To read the full story, visit http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/10/13/holocaust.love.story.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
In Schlieben, Germany, nine year-old Roma Radziki posed as a Christian with her family to escape persecution. The Radzikis lived near a labor camp; Roma walked passed the chain link fence every day. Once, she caught the eye of a handsome boy on the other side. Asking herself what she could do to help him, Roma threw the boy an apple she was carrying. It was the beginning of a daily ritual that would last until Herman was scheduled to be transferred to a different camp. He told the strange girl he wouldn't be back at the fence the next day. "I won't see you anymore," she said. "Right, right. Don't come around anymore," he replied. Years passed, Herman's camp was liberated, and the two children forgot each other.
Herman eventually moved to New York, where ran a television repair shop. One night a friend offered to set him up on a blind date. Herman was not enthusiastic about meeting a strange girl, especially without knowing what she looked like, but he agreed. The strange girl was Roma.
After dinner, the two of them got to discussing their wartime experiences. Roma told Herman about the handsome boy who used to catch the apples on the other side of the fence, and Herman was astounded. "That was me," he said. He proposed that night. Roma thought he was crazy. But, two months later, she agreed. This summer, the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
To read the full story, visit http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/10/13/holocaust.love.story.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Ping Pong Ball Saves 2 Year-Old's Life
Sydney. Australia
An Australian surgeon took a daring step in a liver transplant recently; He implanted a ping pong ball in the patient! What sounds like a medical mishap was, instead, an innovative measure taken to save a life. 2 year-old Mackenzie was on the operating table to receive a portion of an adult liver in place of her own. With donors rare, in Australia, surgeon Albert Shun had no back-up options when the transplant organ proved troublesome. The liver's size and shape caused it to rest on Mackenzie's blood vessels, creating potentially fatal pressure. In an almost MacGyver-like fashion, Shun placed a $2 ping pong ball inside hie patient to prevent the liver from obstructing her blood flow. "There shouldn't be any complications." Says Shun. "We are in a unique situation in Australia because we have a low donor rate so we have to be adaptable." While the unorthodox technique came as a shock to Mackenzie's parents, who found out about it after the surgery, they insist are happy to see their daughter alive and well. "She is so normal now," says mother Letice Darswell, "she is a happy kid."
To read more, visit http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24393387-5006009,00.html
An Australian surgeon took a daring step in a liver transplant recently; He implanted a ping pong ball in the patient! What sounds like a medical mishap was, instead, an innovative measure taken to save a life. 2 year-old Mackenzie was on the operating table to receive a portion of an adult liver in place of her own. With donors rare, in Australia, surgeon Albert Shun had no back-up options when the transplant organ proved troublesome. The liver's size and shape caused it to rest on Mackenzie's blood vessels, creating potentially fatal pressure. In an almost MacGyver-like fashion, Shun placed a $2 ping pong ball inside hie patient to prevent the liver from obstructing her blood flow. "There shouldn't be any complications." Says Shun. "We are in a unique situation in Australia because we have a low donor rate so we have to be adaptable." While the unorthodox technique came as a shock to Mackenzie's parents, who found out about it after the surgery, they insist are happy to see their daughter alive and well. "She is so normal now," says mother Letice Darswell, "she is a happy kid."
To read more, visit http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24393387-5006009,00.html
Monday, September 15, 2008
Assistance Dog Calls 911, Saves Man's Life
Phoenix, AZ, USA
The frantic sound of a dog whining and barking may not be what Chriss Trott is accustomed to hearing when he answers 911 calls, but it was enough to save the life of Joe Stalnaker on Wednesday when he suffered a seizure.
Stalnaker's home is flagged in the 911 database as having a trained assistance dog who may call for help in an emergency. Buddy, Stalnaker's faithful German shepherd, has been trained since puppyhood to recognize the symptoms of a seizure, get the telephone, and press specially programmed numbers that contact the 911 emergency hotline.
"It's pretty incredible," says Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark "Even the veteran dispatchers — they haven't heard of anything like this."Clark further reports that Mr. Stalnaker spent a couple of days in the hospital, making a full recovery from his seizure thanks to Buddy. Man's best friend, indeed.
To read more, visit http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jeDqeOQlgzwM4VjSCR1TETh6rM4AD936NST82
Thanks going out to Papa Goose for this story!
The frantic sound of a dog whining and barking may not be what Chriss Trott is accustomed to hearing when he answers 911 calls, but it was enough to save the life of Joe Stalnaker on Wednesday when he suffered a seizure.
Stalnaker's home is flagged in the 911 database as having a trained assistance dog who may call for help in an emergency. Buddy, Stalnaker's faithful German shepherd, has been trained since puppyhood to recognize the symptoms of a seizure, get the telephone, and press specially programmed numbers that contact the 911 emergency hotline.
"It's pretty incredible," says Scottsdale police Sgt. Mark Clark "Even the veteran dispatchers — they haven't heard of anything like this."Clark further reports that Mr. Stalnaker spent a couple of days in the hospital, making a full recovery from his seizure thanks to Buddy. Man's best friend, indeed.
To read more, visit http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jeDqeOQlgzwM4VjSCR1TETh6rM4AD936NST82
Thanks going out to Papa Goose for this story!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Cat Survives 16 Mile Journey Under the Hood of a Running Car
Irvine, CA
After driving 16 miles from Anaheim to Irvine, CA, an anonymous driver pulled her Honda over when she heard odd noises issuing from under the hood. When she got out of the car, she realized that the loud wailing sounded just like a cat. After popping her hood, the driver was stunned to find an adult black cat who had somehow wedged himself behind her right headlight, beneath the hood. The woman immediately called 911.
When rescue workers arrived, the car's engine was still so hot that they were unable to access the trapped kitty. Eventually, loosening the car's headlight gave way to a crack wide enough for rescuers to tranquilize and, eventually, extract cat.
Miraculously, "Miles," as the cat has now been named, survived the ordeal without a scratch or even a burn. Miles is micro chipped, however thus far his owners have not come forward. He is currently up for adoption in Irvine.
For the full story, visit: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/09/11/dnt.ca.cat.wedged.in.engine.kcal
After driving 16 miles from Anaheim to Irvine, CA, an anonymous driver pulled her Honda over when she heard odd noises issuing from under the hood. When she got out of the car, she realized that the loud wailing sounded just like a cat. After popping her hood, the driver was stunned to find an adult black cat who had somehow wedged himself behind her right headlight, beneath the hood. The woman immediately called 911.
When rescue workers arrived, the car's engine was still so hot that they were unable to access the trapped kitty. Eventually, loosening the car's headlight gave way to a crack wide enough for rescuers to tranquilize and, eventually, extract cat.
Miraculously, "Miles," as the cat has now been named, survived the ordeal without a scratch or even a burn. Miles is micro chipped, however thus far his owners have not come forward. He is currently up for adoption in Irvine.
For the full story, visit: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/09/11/dnt.ca.cat.wedged.in.engine.kcal
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Wisconsin Man Rescued After Treading Water for 12 Hours
Green Bay, WI, USA
Despite being an experienced sailor, 56 year-old James Nelson was caught in a nightmarish situation on Sunday when he was knocked from his 23-foot sailboat into Michigan's Green Bay. A sudden rush of wind knocked the vessel's boom into Nelson's head, sending him flying into the water without his life jacket, which he had laid in the seat next to him. The same wind blew his boat hopelessly out of reach as Nelson drifted far out into the Bay. That night, his wife reported him missing at about the same time the coast guard found his boat, adrift with its motor still running.
For 12 hours, Nelson had been swimming, treading water, and resting frequently in a dead man's float, hoping and praying for rescue. In an interview with Fox, Nelson said that he tried to focus on his family and how he wanted to get home. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard sent seven boats and two helicopters to join a group of recreational boaters in the search for the missing man. At around 3:00 in the morning, one of the helicopters' crew finally spotted Nelson, who was so exhausted that a diver had to be sent to help him hold on as he was lifted out of the water. "When we heard a survivor was spotted in the water, you'd have thought we won the Super Bowl from the cheers," said Chief Mike Weisenbaugh, officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Green Bay.
James Nelson was treated for dehydration at St. Vincent's Hospital, before finally getting home safely.
To read more, visit http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gvu8VYab2kZ8YljiHJcMo8BAX0DwD92LCL9G2
Despite being an experienced sailor, 56 year-old James Nelson was caught in a nightmarish situation on Sunday when he was knocked from his 23-foot sailboat into Michigan's Green Bay. A sudden rush of wind knocked the vessel's boom into Nelson's head, sending him flying into the water without his life jacket, which he had laid in the seat next to him. The same wind blew his boat hopelessly out of reach as Nelson drifted far out into the Bay. That night, his wife reported him missing at about the same time the coast guard found his boat, adrift with its motor still running.
For 12 hours, Nelson had been swimming, treading water, and resting frequently in a dead man's float, hoping and praying for rescue. In an interview with Fox, Nelson said that he tried to focus on his family and how he wanted to get home. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard sent seven boats and two helicopters to join a group of recreational boaters in the search for the missing man. At around 3:00 in the morning, one of the helicopters' crew finally spotted Nelson, who was so exhausted that a diver had to be sent to help him hold on as he was lifted out of the water. "When we heard a survivor was spotted in the water, you'd have thought we won the Super Bowl from the cheers," said Chief Mike Weisenbaugh, officer in charge of Coast Guard Station Green Bay.
James Nelson was treated for dehydration at St. Vincent's Hospital, before finally getting home safely.
To read more, visit http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gvu8VYab2kZ8YljiHJcMo8BAX0DwD92LCL9G2
Monday, August 18, 2008
Rodeo Fall Survivor Called "Walking Miracle"
Farmington, NM, USA
20 year-old Blake Arp wasn't too concerned when he regained consciousness on the ground on July 26th, after being thrown off a bull in the National High School Finals Rodeo. The cowboy has built his life around the rodeo, and even plans to attend Clarendon College in Clarendon, Texas on a full rodeo scholarship. He's spent enough time in rodeos to know that sometimes, you get thrown. His biggest concern as he came to was over the state of his hat.
But Arp's C1 vertebra, known as the "atlast," had been fractured. If the C1 sounds familiar, you could be remembering actor Christopher Reeves, who broke his in 1995. But while Reeves was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his live, Blake Arp is making a recovery his doctors call miraculous.
As Arp lay on the ground after his fall, he realized that while he could move his legs, he wasn't able to get up. He was transported to the San Juan Regional Medical Center, where his doctors held few hopes for his recovery. According to Arp, “They didn’t know I could walk for a long time. One day, they started to move me from my bed and I saw that they were having trouble and I said ‘I can get up and lay down on the bed.’” He continues, “When I got up and stood up they were like, ‘You can’t walk yet.’ They thought it was a miracle that I was standing up walking.”
Apparently, they thought it was a miracle that he had even survived. Immediately following Blake's accident, “The doctor came in and told me that it was a miracle that I could even breathe,” Arp said. “They said that if I had moved my neck side to side when I was on the ground that it would have cut off my air supply and killed me.”
Instead, Blake will spend the next few months in the euphemistically named “halo” which keeps his head from moving side-to-side, and after that, a neck brace. His full recovering will take about a year. And then, he plans to get right back into the rodeo ring. “Being out a year is worth a lifetime,” Arp said. “I’d rather sacrifice one year than my whole rodeo career.” His scholarship at Clarendon will be waiting for him, when he's ready.
To read more, visit http://www.cedartownstd.com/pages/full_story?article--A-walking-miracle-Arp-recovering-from-rodeo-injury%20=&page_label=home_top_stories_latest&id=182725--A-walking-miracle-Arp-recovering-from-rodeo-injury&widget=push&instance=home_latest_1st_left&open=&
20 year-old Blake Arp wasn't too concerned when he regained consciousness on the ground on July 26th, after being thrown off a bull in the National High School Finals Rodeo. The cowboy has built his life around the rodeo, and even plans to attend Clarendon College in Clarendon, Texas on a full rodeo scholarship. He's spent enough time in rodeos to know that sometimes, you get thrown. His biggest concern as he came to was over the state of his hat.
But Arp's C1 vertebra, known as the "atlast," had been fractured. If the C1 sounds familiar, you could be remembering actor Christopher Reeves, who broke his in 1995. But while Reeves was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his live, Blake Arp is making a recovery his doctors call miraculous.
As Arp lay on the ground after his fall, he realized that while he could move his legs, he wasn't able to get up. He was transported to the San Juan Regional Medical Center, where his doctors held few hopes for his recovery. According to Arp, “They didn’t know I could walk for a long time. One day, they started to move me from my bed and I saw that they were having trouble and I said ‘I can get up and lay down on the bed.’” He continues, “When I got up and stood up they were like, ‘You can’t walk yet.’ They thought it was a miracle that I was standing up walking.”
Apparently, they thought it was a miracle that he had even survived. Immediately following Blake's accident, “The doctor came in and told me that it was a miracle that I could even breathe,” Arp said. “They said that if I had moved my neck side to side when I was on the ground that it would have cut off my air supply and killed me.”
Instead, Blake will spend the next few months in the euphemistically named “halo” which keeps his head from moving side-to-side, and after that, a neck brace. His full recovering will take about a year. And then, he plans to get right back into the rodeo ring. “Being out a year is worth a lifetime,” Arp said. “I’d rather sacrifice one year than my whole rodeo career.” His scholarship at Clarendon will be waiting for him, when he's ready.
To read more, visit http://www.cedartownstd.com/pages/full_story?article--A-walking-miracle-Arp-recovering-from-rodeo-injury%20=&page_label=home_top_stories_latest&id=182725--A-walking-miracle-Arp-recovering-from-rodeo-injury&widget=push&instance=home_latest_1st_left&open=&
Thursday, June 26, 2008
After 8 "Deaths," Kristy Sanderson Looks Forward to Sweet 16
15 year-old Kristy Sanderson must be part feline, because she's living her ninth life. Born with serious heart problems, she was expected to live only a few weeks. Doctors attempted open-heart surgery on the infant with disastrous results; she died a total of 8 times on the operating table. Miraculously, the surgeons were able to resuscitate baby Kristy and fit her with the world's tiniest pacemaker.
Kristy's had to have the pacemaker changed out a few times since then. And, for the rest of her life, she'll have to get a new one every 8-10 years. Still, says the teen, "There’s barely a day that goes by when I don’t think how lucky I am to be alive."
Kristy is able to lead a normal life, and is looking forward to her 16th birthday.
Read the full story at http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/49709/Sweet-16-the-girl-who-died-8-times-as-a-baby
Kristy's had to have the pacemaker changed out a few times since then. And, for the rest of her life, she'll have to get a new one every 8-10 years. Still, says the teen, "There’s barely a day that goes by when I don’t think how lucky I am to be alive."
Kristy is able to lead a normal life, and is looking forward to her 16th birthday.
Read the full story at http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/49709/Sweet-16-the-girl-who-died-8-times-as-a-baby
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Miracle Baby Beats the Odds
Nottinghamshire, England
Jodie Percival lost her first son, Thane, to multicystic dysplastic kidneys (MCDK), which causes cysts to grow on the kidneys of an unborn baby. Her second son, Lewis, was born with serious kidney damage and now lives with just one kidney. Despite being on birth control, Percival became pregnant a third time. She and her fiance were heartbroken to learn that the baby would likely inherit the untreatable MCDK, and, eight weeks into the pregnancy, decided to terminate.
It seems, though, that the baby had other ideas. Some weeks after the procedure, Percival felt a fluttery sensation in her stomach. She was astounded to learn that the embryo had survived the termination and she was 19 weeks pregnant.
Doctors performed a scan one week later which revealed the baby's kidneys to be unhealthy, but they predicted that it would survive. Percival decided to give the baby another chance.
Late last year, baby Finley was born three weeks premature. Although he had suffered some kidney damage, doctors expect him to live a normal life.
For more information and an adorable picture, visit http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1024297/Mothers-anger-turns-delight-baby-survives-abortion.html
Jodie Percival lost her first son, Thane, to multicystic dysplastic kidneys (MCDK), which causes cysts to grow on the kidneys of an unborn baby. Her second son, Lewis, was born with serious kidney damage and now lives with just one kidney. Despite being on birth control, Percival became pregnant a third time. She and her fiance were heartbroken to learn that the baby would likely inherit the untreatable MCDK, and, eight weeks into the pregnancy, decided to terminate.
It seems, though, that the baby had other ideas. Some weeks after the procedure, Percival felt a fluttery sensation in her stomach. She was astounded to learn that the embryo had survived the termination and she was 19 weeks pregnant.
Doctors performed a scan one week later which revealed the baby's kidneys to be unhealthy, but they predicted that it would survive. Percival decided to give the baby another chance.
Late last year, baby Finley was born three weeks premature. Although he had suffered some kidney damage, doctors expect him to live a normal life.
For more information and an adorable picture, visit http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1024297/Mothers-anger-turns-delight-baby-survives-abortion.html
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