Erik Near Drown July 2004
Update: Sept. 2004 Erik is now saying sentences! He has one treatment per week. He is still going forward. Some Doctors do not know he was once a near drown and given only days to survive. Truly a miracle from God!
My son Erik fell into our swimming pool on the 26 of January 2004. He was fifteen month's old at the time. It was estimated he was in the water three to five minutes. I gave him CPR until the paramedics arrived and he started breathing on his own. Somewhere between our
house and the hospital he went back into cardiac arrest. They were giving him CPR from the ambulance into the hospital. The emergency room Doctor estimated that they gave him CPR for twenty to thirty minutes before they established a pulse. He was in NICU for 10 days
on both a oscillating ventilator and a standard ventilator. His MRI IN ADDITION, MRS both came back poor and the neurologist said he would be lucky to open his eyes. He started breathing on his own and opened his eyes shortly there after. They move him to the therapy department
of the hospital for a two-week trial period to see if, he would progress. They put a NG-tube in a couple of days later and he had tone throughout his body. After a couple more days, he started to swallow
food on his own. He stayed in the therapy unit for about seven weeks. They removed the NG-tube two days before we were released from the hospital. His tone was reduced about 80% throughout his body. At this time we thought he could hear ,but did not know if he could see.
He would look in our direction, but it looked like he was looking right through you. The doctors tested to see if the connections were there for vision and hearing. They said the connection were there but were not sure of the interpretation. After being released from the
hospital on April 1, we started outpatient therapy.(PT,OT and SP) We also started hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Since then his vision has Improved tremendously he can recognize family members from across the Room. He can now sit on his own and reach and grasp toys. He can feed
himself cheerios. He can communicate by babbling mama, dada,baba etc. Just last week he took his first steps since the accident. Also a couple of the therapist has said they expect a 100% recovery. We still has a lot of work ahead of us and time will tell. To say there
was a silver bullet that helped my son. I don't think so! I think it was the power of prayer,family,freinds,doctors, nurses,therapists and HBOT that gave us a second chance. You are all in my prayers.
Parents of Erik
Near Drowned Child July 2004
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