The baby swallowed a bead. She was fighting for her life.
She wants to warn other parents about the dangers of the beads.
The story of Mitchell was told to Jane.
An as-told-to essay was written by Folichia Mitchell. It has been edited to make it clearer.
The doctors saw that part of my baby's bowel was blocked when she was in the womb. They asked if she held a marble or bead.
I don't have marbles in the house because my kids aren't big enough to play with them.
I remembered buying water beads for Joshua a week before. I was hoping they could help with his sensory needs.
It was a big surprise. Kennedy, who was barely crawling, was able to swallow a bead. They inflate when you put them in water. I placed them in a bin so Joshua could play with them.
Kennedy didn't play in the kitchen or sit at the table. The doctors said it was probably a water bead because they could see it was filled with fluid.
We were terrified when she had it removed. She was only 10 months old when she thought she was going to have a surgery. We were relieved that we knew what was making her sick.
They are doing a surgery that will make her feel better. It did not turn out that way.
The beads were purchased on October 24. Kennedy was taken to the hospital. She was given a 50% chance of survival in the third operation, but is still in the hospital.
She is being fed through a tube that goes down into her stomach. She will have to wait until she's older to have a checkup.
David searched the house for more water beads. He moved the fridge and the oven to a different location. Archie was 2 years old and we were afraid for him.
We brought Kennedy to the hospital after she showed signs of being unwell. She wouldn't eat even though she wanted a bottle. She was making a loud noise. I didn't think it was teething. I didn't think she was sick because she didn't have a high temperature.
We took her to the hospital when she was sick. She began to spit bile. They did an exam on her body. She was taken to a hospital in Portland where she had surgery.
The bead was taken out by them. Her heart rate was over 200 as she lay in the recovery room, which is not normal for her age. She was breathing quickly.
She was taken to the hospital for a Septic shock. I wanted to know what was going on. A social worker said Kennedy couldn't breathe on her own and was on a breathing machine. There was an obstruction in there that the surgeons thought might have been missed. During the second surgery, they did not find anything.
We were told by the doctors that they were going to do everything they could, but they weren't sure if she would survive.
She made it. She kept getting sicker.
Her body got swollen. She was going to die if they didn't do anything. The lab work showed that her organs were failing. I told you to do whatever you have to do to save her.
The third surgery was able to remove the extra fluid and relieve the pressure on her organs.
I thought I was dying. I held on from one minute to the next. I wondered if she was still alive each half hour. The world came to a halt.
It was a success. During the surgery, a 6 inch stretch of her small intestine was taken out.
Kennedy had another surgery in November. It is her last.
During her treatments, she was kept in a sterile area. I was only able to put one of my fingers in her hand. I apologize that you're sick. I adore you.
"You're so strong," I would say. I'm so happy for you. I think in you.
She was moved from the intensive care unit to the regular children's unit after four days. The doctors gave her antibiotics after she had an abortion.
Kennedy was the subject of a TikTok video. My daughter's doctors were in charge of helping her. I asked everyone to pray for her.
I've become angry with the companies who make water beads since we found the cause of her issues. They should only be used by children over 3 years old. The makers have to warn the public that water beads could cause a problem in the bicyle that could lead to death.
I contacted the company that makes the beads I purchased. "We hope your daughter is okay," they said back to me. All of the safety requirements have been met by the product.
My song went crazy. A friend of mine set up a gofundme to help us. People have told us that they have stopped buying water beads or thrown them away. I'm benefiting from the campaign to raise awareness.
Insider didn't get a response from Chuckle & Roar.
Do you have a great story to tell? Send information to jridley@insider.com
You can read the original article.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
