[♪♪♪]
At 10 days old Taylin was diagnosed with salmonella,
which led to bacterial meningitis.
Meningitis in an infant is an extraordinarily challenging condition.
It actually poses a major threat to life.
I don’t think there’s anything more...
devastating to a parent than having a sick child.
It’s scary.
Many operations were needed to try and correct
a condition called hydrocephalus
the way fluid circulates in the brain.
She’s had 14 shunt-related surgeries
to help the brain communicate better.
Because of all the scarring on her brain and the infection that the salmonella bacterial meningitis left,
she developed epilepsy.
So Taylin has had seizures that have gone from two to 90 minutes long,
absolutely horrific to watch.
So she’s had a lot going over her small 14 years of life.
There were many times when
her life was at risk from the infection
and from just the stress of going through treatment.
We’ve counted over 100 times we’ve been to Children’s with Taylin,
with 14 brain surgeries, about 20 total surgeries,
we’ve visited 15 or 16 departments,
endocrinology, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery.
We’ve actually been in every single room in the Emergency department.
She was very young, and she went through a lot of surgeries and she was in a lot of pain all the time,
still happy all the time. So I said to her, “Taylin,
Daddy wishes he could take this away from you,” and she said “No Daddy you don’t want this…”
So I assumed she didn’t understand what I meant and I said “No, the pain and the surgeries and,
I’d take it all away from you if I could but I can’t,”
and she said “No Daddy you don’t want this. I’m OK, I can do it on my own.”
She was quite happy with that burden and
still passed on this positive attitude to us.
[♪♪♪]
People at Children’s Hospital
work there cause they want to work with kids and that shows in everything they do.
In a terrible situation, they make it as good as they can be and they really provide that extra
comfort blanket for the whole family.
[Taylin and Kheya laughing]
Taylin’s infection was able to be brought under good control and in fact, was cured.
The consequences of the infection though,
have had effects on her that have been life-long.
She has difficulty with short term memory,
she has difficulty concentrating.
We take for granted the things we do day to day that are more difficult for Taylin,
and it will be challenging for her for the rest of her life.
Taylin: 20?
Kheya: 22?
Taylin: 22.
Kheya: Nice! What’s that plus four?
Taylin: Uh...
Taylin: 26.
Kheya: Yeah, good girl.
Can you find the ‘Chance’ column?
I think Taylin is one of the most well directed,
highly motivated people I’ve met.
She’ll be very successful.
Yeah, I feel really good.
I have been through a lot with Children’s Hospital
like, going through 14 brain surgeries you have a tough time
doing everything so they’ve helped me through some hard times.
It’s just really special to me.
Their doctors there are so helpful
and so nice...that
it’s just the greatest place ever.
[♪♪♪]
My sister’s motto is "Never Give Up",
and I think that relates very well to her, cause she never ever does.
No matter if it’s with school or sports or basic tasks
like cleaning that she has such a hard time with
and she can’t remember,
she’ll always come back and she’ll always get through it and just get better and better at it every day.
She can do absolutely anything she wants to do,
she needs to persevere a little bit harder than some kids,
but she never gives up.
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