Ivan, a three-month old boy struggled quietly to survive. Despite being dismissed by the clinic on her reservation, his mother knew instinctively that her son was in distress. With nowhere else to go, she returned home with her son. But three days later, his fragile body went limp in her arms and all she could see were the whites of his eyes.

For two painful hours, Ivan’s mother journeyed on foot to find a kind soul to take her and her child to a hospital. A Good Samaritan brought her to Cardon Children’s Medical Center where doctors found that Ivan had been born with an autoimmune disorder that kept him from absorbing the critical nutrients he needed from his mother’s milk. Once he was stabilized, he was transferred to Hacienda Children’s Hospital where he and his mother could finally begin to heal.

Our loving nurses held him and loved him as they helped coax his little body through the process of learning how to absorb nutrients. Ivan maintained feeding schedules while Mom kept her own follow-up appointments to monitor her postpartum surgical recovery. Our nurses educated Mom on Ivan’s fragile condition and taught her how to care for him at home. When the time for rest came, Mom slept comfortably on a pullout bed in Ivan’s private, spacious room.

At Hacienda Children’s Hospital, Ivan and his mother received the invaluable gift of time. Time to heal, time to rest, and time to learn. Today, Ivan and Mom continue to thrive at home.