Brandon
Two month old Brandon was suffering from sever respiratory problems and
his family was nervously taking him to a public hospital
where he was receiving exams and medicines. Brandon hadn't improved at all after a few days, and while in his Mother's arms, he stopped
breathing. The distraught mother handed the baby to the father and cried out…he's not breathing! Dad responded by giving mouth
to mouth resuscitation as they rushed to the hospital where Brandon was being cared for, when they arrived, the medical staff told them
that they would have to transport the baby by ambulance to La Paz and no doctor was available to go with him. The parents knew that
Brandon would not live through the perhaps three hours of getting the ambulance and driving to La Paz, they knew their child was almost
gone and that they needed to act quickly to save his life.
Brandon's father works at La Esperanza Resort, and knew of the Amerimed Hospital through them, he knew that the hospital had the most advanced equipment available and was the nearest to where they were. He grabbed his gravely ill child and took him there, most fortunately, they found Dr. Guadalupe Garcia who immediately put Brandon in intensive care and on a respirator, she stayed with him for the next 24 hours. During that time Dr. Garcia called and asked if this child could be helped through Amigos de los Niños as the medical expenses were surely going to be beyond what Brandon's parents could manage, ADLN accepted taking Brandon as a Special Case thus insuring that the baby would continue his lifesaving care with Dr. Garcia at Amerimed.
Brandon was now much better and on his way to recovery from meningitis with serious respiratory complications…he received blood transfusions from the Santa Josefina Blood Bank, they had the emergency blood on hand when he needed it. Six donors came in from among the father's friends and co-workers at La Esperanza and donated blood so we will have it available for the next persons in need.
After fourteen days of hospitalization, little Brandon went home fully recovered, his nurses could hardly let him go, they had become so attached to this baby whose life they had helped save, all the Amerimed doctors were also there and waving goodbye, Brandon and the many people who where able to helped him touched many hearts.
But perhaps the most moving moment for us was yet to come. The day after Brandon had been admitted to the hospital his parents came to see us at the Amigos de los Niños office, we talked about Brandon's chances, the good medical care he was receiving and the parents thanked ADLN for being there for their son. The father said they would do anything they could in the future to help us with our work for the children.
Well, as we left the hospital, he slipped me a fat envelope and said, we can't offer too much, but we want to give you this, we never imagined that there were people like you who would help us in a situation like this. I said thank you, that is what ADLN is here for thanks to the many people who help us, and that it had been a pleasure to be able to touch Brandon's life in this way. I went back to the office where I told the ADLN staff about the good byes and showed them the photos, and then took the envelope out and said… they gave me this, Rebeca opened it and found inside the accumulated tips from Brandon's fathers work as a waiter, evidently his co-workers had chipped in too, Rebeca silently counted the small bills and when she looked up to say the sum she had tears in her eyes, it was almost $2,000 dollars, the tears spread as we sat in awe at this final act of love and generosity in this 'Special Case' of baby Brandon. We were all given very special gifts. It takes all of us to achieve these happy endings to such scary and life threatening situations, a father whose quick actions kept his baby alive, the Amerimed Hospital and pediatric specialist Dr. Garcia willing to take the emergency case, Amigos de los Niños, a non profit to help support the best medical care for the child, and the Santa Josefina Blood Bank to supply the emergency blood and the La Esperanza donors to replace it!
This networking and cooperation brings the different elements in our diverse community together for everyone's benefit, thank you all!
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