ready with all the resources and training she needed for a successful transition from hospital to home. “When they told me she was ready, I said, ‘OK, what’s next?’ and they told me to come in for training,” Ana recalls. “They said she would go home with a feeding tube, so that was something I had to learn, but they also said that when she’s home, she’s going to be so loved that she’s going to heal so much faster.” Amanda’s nurses taught Ana how to gauge the amount of food she needed, how to use the feeding tube, how to keep track of her caloric intake, manage her medications and what to do in case of a feeding emergency. Ana took video of it all and shared it with her parents and her siblings, so she’d have the comfort of knowing her support system was as educated as she was. “It was so much to learn, but the nurses showed me everything and then gave me a pop quiz—I got straight A’s,” she jokes. “It was all very overwhelming, but that’s part of the process of being a parent with a baby that has high medical needs. You have to expect the unexpected. Even though Amanda came home earlier than expected—and I didn’t expect that I could handle all of this—I did, and she’s not only surviving, but she’s also thriving!” Now two-and-a-half, Amanda is still under the care of her Rady Children’s team, which includes a cardiologist, neurologist, otolaryngologist (ENT) and dermatologist. “We had so many different specialists and therapies, and so many people caring for us at Rady Children’s—they’re like a second family,” Ana says. “Throughout it all, they were so amazing. They are considerate and they really listen to you. Amanda was a little human who couldn’t speak for herself, but now she’s so strong and sassy and happy. She has no idea all that she went through—all she knows is what she wants and what she doesn’t want, and she’s not afraid to let you know!”
On Amanda’s second birthday, she and her mom brought donuts to the Hospital to celebrate with the CTICU team that had cared for Amanda. “This was a thank you to the team who took care of her 24/7,” Ana says. “That day I felt it all come full circle, because she wouldn’t be here without them. We wanted to show them the significance of what they do. They truly save lives, and Amanda is living proof.” Amanda was a little human who couldn’t speak for herself, but now she’s so strong and
sassy and happy. She has no idea all that she went through—all she knows is what she wants and what she doesn’t want, and she,s not let you
18 HEALTHY KIDS MAGAZINE SPRING 2024
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