Shannon Medical Center | Health Beat | Spring 2018

Shannon Miracle Kids and their families are important representatives who help share the message of the exceptional care we provide at Shannon, and how Children's Miracle Network (CMN) helps further that mission. Miracle Kids share their stories during events like the KIXY Cares for Kids Radiothon, the Celebration Telethon and with national CMN partners like Walmart. Max Fiel-Murphy will be 2 years old in May. He was born at 35 weeks due to vasa previa, a life-threatening condition. Vasa pre- via can result in rapid fetal hemorrhage of both baby and mother or lack of oxygen for the baby. Max spent about a week in the Shannon Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and utilized equipment provided by Children’s Miracle Network, including the Bubble CPAP for respiratory distress, the syringe feeder and the bilirubin light for jaundice. Max and his parents also stayed in the parent- ing suite, which gives parents an opportunity to independently care for their newborn with the reassurance of the nursing staff in close proximity. Max likes to dance, play with his dogs and eat ice cream. Save the date Children’s Miracle Network annual Celebration Telethon You can help local kids by making a simple phone call! The 2018 Children's Miracle Network Telethon will air Saturday, June 2, from 6 to 10 p.m. on KLST-TV. The Celebration Telethon provides the opportunity to recognize and thank our donors and sponsors while raising funds toward our annual wish list. Special seg- ments will feature the 2018 Miracle Kids’ stories and information about the numerous items needed to enhance care for children treated at Shannon. That simple phone call can help make more miracles happen! Every pledge benefits local children treated at Shannon. For more information, call 325-481-6160 or visit cmnsanangelo.org . 2018 Miracle Kids Children’s Miracle Network Blake Koenig was born at 24 weeks at Shannon. She was quickly stabilized in the Shannon Neonatal Intensive Care Unit before being transported to St. David’s in Austin. Blake had bleeding in her brain, a bowel perforation, bleeding in her lungs and a virus. She spent 112 days (16 weeks) in the hospital before being discharged home on her original due date. Babies born this early with multiple complications have less than a 10 percent chance of survival, but thanks to specialized training provided by Children’s Miracle Network and specialized medical staff, Blake just celebrated her first year of life. She is developmentally on track and just started walking. She likes music, cookies and playing outside. BLAKE KOENIG MAX FIEL-MURPHY CLAIRE SOCHA EMERY HOLT MATHEW WESTERMAN Claire Socha is 3 years old. Seizure activity at birth spurred her pediatrician to run tests at 2 days old.They revealed her blood sugar was extremely low, and she also had signs of pockets of blood on her brain. She was flown to Cook Children’s hospital shortly after, where she was diagnosed with hyperinsulin- ism, a condition in which the body pro- duces excess insulin, causing low blood sugars. At 5 months old, after delayed development, tests revealed Claire has two rare chromosome disorders, trisomy 10p and monosomy 9p or 9p24 dele- tion. In the summer of 2016, she was also diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Claire sees a speech, occupational and physical therapist two to three times a week and is learning sign language. She likes music, blueberries and play- ing dolls with her sister. At 1 ½ years of age, Mathew Westerman had the perfect storm of health issues—two ear infections, strep throat, mono, pneumonia and asthma. He was eating and drinking very little, causing dehydration and iron deficiency anemia. Mathew then suffered a seizure and was rushed to the Shannon Emergency Department. From there, he was transported to Cook Children’s, where he was diagnosed with heredi- tary factor 1 deficiency disease and thrombosis of the superior sagital sinus, transverse sinus and internal jugular vein.The treatment of an- ticoagulant blood thinner injections and plasma injections worked and now Mathew is completely off all medication.Thanks to funding from Children’s Miracle Network, Mathew was able to receive some of his treatments at Shannon. Mathew is now 3 years old and loves hip hop music, Batman, and playing hide and seek. Emery Holt was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on Dec. 1, 2016, at age 5. After complaining of back pain, blood work at a Shannon Urgent Care lab revealed the diagnosis. Because she was not presenting the typical symptoms associated with ALL, she spent several days at Cook Children’s undergo- ing additional tests before they began her treatment.Thanks to funding from Children’s Miracle Network, Emery is able to receive some of her treatment at Shan- non and stay at home with her two younger brothers. Emery is 6 years old and a first grader at Water Valley. She likes reading, riding her bike and chocolate ice cream. 6 HEALTH BEAT