Doing what comes naturally — going the extra mile for a patient — led Mary Jo Irvin to earn the lasting loyalty of a local family. Mary Jo, a surgical technician at Norton Children’s Medical Center, helped care for a young girl who had a condition that caused her muscles to contract. The girl wore…
At age 8, Scharnese Cook was very active. She ran track at school and was involved in various activities. In May 2015, she began to have trouble breathing. At first, it appeared to be a severe asthma attack. The situation became critical when emergency medical personnel found that her pulse was much too rapid. A…
Social media and technology can increase communication and access to a world of possibilities, but they also can contribute to bullying and dangerous activities. Do you know what apps your teen is using? We’ve created a list of the four most popular apps to be aware of. Instagram Rated 8 out of 10 on safety…
The eighth annual Bourbon & Bowties event on June 8, 2017, honored 13-year-old Mason Christensen. Doctors diagnosed Mason with Type 1 diabetes in 2013 when he was 9 years old. That’s the same age his dad, Tony, received his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. While Mason appears healthy, his body is always fighting to maintain blood…
When I was 14, I knew a boy who was playing with what he thought was an unloaded gun. He and his younger brother were taking turns waving the weapon at each other. The older brother pointed the gun at his sibling and pulled the trigger. The gun went off, and the little boy died….
Spending time outdoors in the summer means there’s a risk for ticks. Jameel T. Clark, M.D., with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Dixie notes that you may not notice a tick bite right away. But that doesn’t mean you should start worrying once you notice a bite. While ticks sometimes spread diseases, merely getting a…
Jill Bennett has never stitched a wound, prescribed a medication or explained a medical condition. She isn’t a doctor or a nurse. Nevertheless, she is confident that her job in medical records makes a difference for families who come to Norton Children’s Hospital. “I don’t see patients, but I do see their records,” Bennett said….
He had struggled from the beginning. Dale Howser, now 11, was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a serious defect that prevents the left side of the heart from developing or functioning properly. HLHS is a complicated diagnosis that often requires multiple surgeries, multiple medications and, in Dale’s case, a pacemaker. Like many of…
On Nov. 6, 2008, Norton Healthcare employee Casey Phillips got the call no parent ever wants to receive. It was his father-in-law telling him he needed to get to the Shelbyville emergency room as fast as he could. His 14-year-old had tried to hang himself. “My heart stopped,” Phillips said. “As I was walking out…
As the coordinator of health and wellness for Norton Children’s Prevention & Wellness, I hold teen wellness workshops at local high schools. They cover a wide range of health and safety topics, and each workshop concludes with students presenting a media campaign to raise awareness among their peers on a particular health behavior of their…
It’s been making national headlines this week — a teen in South Carolina died after consuming a heavy dose of caffeine. Reports indicate he drank a large Diet Mountain Dew, a café latte from McDonald’s and an energy drink just hours before his death. Dying from caffeine? Experts say it’s highly unlikely (there’s speculation other…
Quinton Higgins barely survived the deadly bus crash in 1988 and was treated at Norton Children’s Hospital. Quinton and his nurse, Judy Eberenz, still a Norton Children’s Hospital nurse today, recall the harrowing journey and how they share a bond 30 years later. Quinton: I always describe it as the best day of my life…