Thanksgiving — it’s a time when we count our blessings and offer gratitude for the people and things that make our lives special. This past holiday season, Amanda Fitzpatrick, former news anchor at WWAY- TV, LLC in Brunswick County, NC, and her husband Yusef, a member of law enforcement, had a scare that reminded them both just how much they had to be grateful for.
Sick for the Holidays
While many families were making plans to gather for the holiday, Amanda, instead, spent two grueling and emotional weeks caring for her 11-month-old baby, Naomi, who was experiencing a high fever, fatigue, runny nose, swollen eyes, lack of appetite and vomiting.
Amanda took Naomi to her local pediatrician’s office as well as the emergency department in her area. They administered a COVID-19 test as well as a respiratory test, but nothing was discovered. As baby Naomi’s fever lingered on, and she succombed to severe fatigue and malaise, Amanda, overwhelmed with fear, brought her daughter to the WakeMed Children’s Hospital, hoping that our medical teams could help.
Baby Naomi Receives a Diagnosis
On November 23, shortly after Naomi was admitted, they performed a CT scan and found that she had a very serious sinus infection — acute sinusitis. She was also diagnosed with autoimmune neutropenia, which is the presence of abnormally few protective neutrophils in the blood. This made Naomi more susceptible to infection.
Amanda says, “The next day she went into emergency surgery and spent nine days at the WakeMed Children’s Hospital Pediatric Unit.”
Sinusitis is rarely severe, but it can require surgery if something blocks the flow of mucus from the sinuses. Surgery can remove blockages and make the sinus openings bigger. This helps the sinuses drain, preventing more infections.
Amanda says, “We were told acute sinusitis is rare in babies. Our phenomenal physician cleared out the infection during the surgery.”
Compassionate Care for the Family — From Surgery to Food Service
While this could have been a sad time, the health care workers at WakeMed Children’s Hospital made it special for Amanda and Naomi. Over the course of their stay, Amanda experienced the compassionate and professional care of the many people who make up the WakeMed family.
Dr. Nathan Calloway was the ENT — Head & Neck surgeon who performed the sinus surgery with resident Drew Crenshaw.
Dr. Calloway says, “Babies have sinuses, but at that young age, they are not fully formed. We performed a limited sinus surgery, which was appropriate for her condition and age.”
Dr. Scottie Pate, the WakeMed Community Pediatric Hospitalist, made regular rounds to check on baby Naomi and answer the family’s questions.
Amanda says, “Dr. Pate would always take the time to listen to our concerns and even would stay in our room and talk with us after her visit. I never felt rushed or like she didn’t care. For that, I am truly grateful.”
The nurses and staff also made Amanda, Yusef and Naomi feel right at home.
“We received such fantastic care. Wonderful nurses and staff made us feel so cared for while we were at the WakeMed Children’s Hospital Pediatric Unit.”
She also remembered the critical staff that made it possible for health care teams to offer the highest quality patient care.
“All of the nurses and aides were great, and I managed to get some of their names. They are Kat, Emily, Deidre, Gina, Dori, Tonya and Barbara (aide). They were a few of the shining stars during our stay, yet no one slacked or didn’t do a good job. Even the housekeeper, Miss Dorothy, brought a friendly smile to our room and played with my baby from a safe distance.”
Amanda credits the staff in Food Services for providing them with delicious holiday dishes and five-star, attentive service over the course of the Thanksgiving season.
Amanda says, “I will never forget how kind Carole from Food Services was to me and my family. She always made sure that we had our correct food trays and even helped me when I had to hold my baby on my lap and try to eat. She moved my tray closer, handed me a fork and put some pepper on my food. I felt so taken care of, and it really warmed my heart!”
A Happy Birthday for Baby Naomi and a Family Overflowing with Gratitude
The date of Naomi’s discharge was a joyous day, not just because Naomi was well and headed home with her mom and dad, but also because it was Naomi’s birthday. Amanda and her family were especially grateful to celebrate the life of their child, the blessing of good health and the support of our WakeMed Children’s Hospital family.
About Dr. Nathan Calloway
Dr. Nathan Calloway is an ear, nose and throat surgeon with clinical interests in pediatric otolaryngology, otology (ear disease), sinus disease, the thyroid and parotid and cancers of the head and neck.
While at Boston University earning his medical degree, he engaged in research at Massachusetts General Hospital, served as president of his medical student government organization, and developed an interest in surgery. Specifically, he was attracted to the broad range of surgery that an otolaryngologist is able to perform, from treating children with hearing loss to adults with head and neck cancer.
About WakeMed Children’s Hospital
WakeMed Children’s Hospital is proud to be the only pediatric inpatient care provider in Wake County, caring for thousands of babies and children each year and always providing the highest level of care and caring to our youngest patients.
WakeMed Children’s Hospital unites pediatric specialists, and the specialized services they offer, under one roof to ensure area families have access to the care they need and deserve.
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