This article was originally featured in the spring 2013 issue of Cart Wheels magazine. When Missy Kremer was five months pregnant, she had a routine ultrasound to check her baby’s development. What she and her husband, Rob, were told stopped them cold. Their baby had a possible birth defect. “We cried and prayed a lot,”…
With a baby on the way, Ni’Eshia Andrews and her family were overjoyed. The family planned to welcome a baby girl, joining her big brother in summer 2017. Everything was going as planned until they hit a bump in the road. During a 28-week fetal ultrasound, Andrews’ obstetrician discovered she had too much amniotic fluid…
Did you know that Norton Children’s Hospital was the nation’s second site to complete an infant heart transplant … or that the hospital was founded on the heels of the deadliest tornado in Louisville’s history? You can learn about the hospital’s 125-year history by visiting “Hope and Healing: Celebrating 125 Years of Norton Children’s Hospital”…
Avery Richardson turned 3 in December, but the Shelbyville, Kentucky, girl has already been through more than most kids. Avery has undergone six operations, including two in the days immediately after her birth. Avery has spina bifida, a birth defect that causes the structure enclosing the spinal cord to fail to form properly in the…
Felicia Gross didn’t set out to work for Norton Healthcare. She already had a career as a chef and was working hard to take care of her family. Little did she know that a life-or-death experience would change that path and provide an opportunity to help others during their toughest moments. When Gross was pregnant…
At just 6 weeks old, Jerren Harrison contracted bacterial meningitis. He was treated and seemed to be doing well — except for what doctors couldn’t see. The infection had crept into the growth plates in his leg bones. When he was 2 years old, his legs stopped growing. Without radical treatment, he would grow to…
Liam Thomas is just beginning to walk. His legs are a little wobbly, so when he’s on the move, he reaches out for sturdy objects to help keep his balance. He has a curious mind — a sponge to soak up all kinds of new information, like how to say “dada” and call for his…
No parent is prepared to hear their child has cancer. Josh Collins opens up about his experience after receiving the toughest news. The silence was deafening as the early summer day wound down. Finally, all three boys had been put to bed, allowing my wife and I the opportunity to put our feet up and…
If you were to meet Ashok Raj, M.D., on the street, you would likely see a quiet and soft-spoken guy. But when you get him around his patients, it’s a very different story. “Dr. Raj is awesome,” said Matthew Walker, 14, who was diagnosed with leukemia at age 12 and received treatment at Norton Children’s…
Hundreds of glass figurines glimmer under the light at one Kentucky State Fair booth, but one person shines brighter than all the sparkle. Her name is Tracy Ely. “We were told by someone she would never read,” said Tracy’s mother, Sharon Ely. Today, at 38 years old, one of Tracy’s many passions is reading. As…
I looked up names of songs about saying goodbye. “Someone Like You” by Adele, “Hello, Goodbye” by the Beatles, “Don’t You Forget About Me” by the Simple Minds. This is exactly how I felt recently when my son, Scott, had to move on from our pediatrician of 18 years. I remember my husband and I…
Sleep had never come easy to me. I went to bed happy and tired. My parents tucked me in and I closed my eyes. But nothing happened. I could not sleep. I felt yucky. I did not know why. There was no explanation. Until one day there was. When I was in the first grade,…