Keith Woodhurst

Keith's Story
by Bev Woodhurst

I was 17 years old and in labor with my first child. After 18 hours of pain, I finally gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, 7 pounds, 5 ounces and 22 inches long. He had all his fingers and toes and looked just like his daddy. The one thing he didn’t have was his health.

He was gasping for air and making a gurgling sound. I knew right then something was wrong as they whisked him away to the nursery, but little did I know what was ahead.

After about 4 hours, the pediatrician came in and told me I had a very sick baby. I had just spent over 18 hours in labor, no parents were with me, and his dad had gone home to rest after being up all night long.

I was told he had fluid in both lungs and also an infection in his blood that he could die from.

I was given choices of hospitals to have him taken to, as the local hospital could not meet his needs. He was flown by helicopter when he was 6 hours old and I had not even had the chance to hold him yet. Day in and day out, he was tested, poked, probed, and x-rayed. As it happened, he also had an ulcer and hydrocephalus.

For 56 days, we went back and forth to the hospital and sometimes were told not to even talk to him or touch him because they needed to run tests that my voice or touch would interfere with. As time went on, I felt like dying myself. I couldn’t do anything with my own newborn that most moms get to do with theirs. I could only do what the nurses said to do.

Finally, the day he was 8 weeks old, we got to bring him home! His dad and I were a nervous wreck! We took turns sleeping so that the other one could sit up and watch him breathe. After being on a ventilator for 6 ½ weeks, we weren’t sure he could do it on his own at that point.

The day after we came home, we had a visit from a nurse from what used to be “Crippled Children’s”. What a wonderful lady she was! She came in and checked him out. She listened to what we were concerned about, his medication routine, and his feedings. She was so compassionate and I wish to this day, I could remember who she was so I could contact her and tell her how important it was that she came that day.

There were so many things to remember and I felt like at some point I would forget something and might make him sick or have to go to the hospital. Regardless, even though I was only 17, she assured me I was a good mom and to never be afraid to ask for help or ask questions.

On Keith’s first birthday, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. I immediately came home and called the Bureau because I knew that they would have answers for me.

From that time on, the program changed from time to time, budgets were increased and cut back, and we had different service coordinators but they all were very nice to us and concerned about what we were concerned about. They were always respectful and as my son got older, our needs changed and they were always able to assist us if nothing more than providing phone numbers or information for me.

My son Keith is now 17 years old. He attends school 5 days a week. He is a typical teenager. He has a younger sister Darcy, who is almost 14, a brother Tanner, who is almost 12, and a brother Evan who is 8. Turned out Tanner also had issues at birth and needed some surgery and the Bureau was there for every step of it.

For the last 4 years, Keith has received nursing assistance and personal care assistance off and on so that I may work. I would not have been able to do the things I needed to do for my family if this service was not available. His dad has had two back surgeries and can’t lift him.

I don’t know what other families have experienced with their children, but I can certainly say that regardless of what the program is called, it has been a lifesaver for me and my family in a sea of uncertainty. No one knows what the next day will bring, but I know I can call at any time and either get information that I don’t already have, or have two ears to simply listen to me and get me through the day!