All Search Results
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Hurricane Kyle: a mother's journey through the storm of childhood cancer
Friday, August 13, 2004 is a day I will never forget. It was not only the beginning of three hurricanes back-to-back that trampled across Florida, but it was the day my 9-year-old son, Kyle, was transported by ambulance to Arnold Palmer Hospital.
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Braving breastfeeding
After my son was born at Winnie Palmer Hospital in 2008, my sister-in-law visited and congratulated me. She said to me, "Welcome to the best job in the world!" I remember feeling happy, excited, scared and exhausted all at the same time. As I was recovering from the physical events of labor and delivery, I was ready to tackle one of the first of many challenges of becoming a new mom: breastfeeding my baby.
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Protecting young athletes with proper hydration
For every person participating in athletic activities, proper hydration plays a crucial role in maintaining health and physical ability. For those of us who live in a hot, humid climate such as Central Florida, we must be vigilant to ensure that our bodies and those of our children are protected from dehydration.
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Thumb sucking: learning to let go
My little friend Harper sucks her thumb. She is the cutest and sweetest 5-year-old: funny, shy and loves on my little girl like a big sister. I never thought much of it. Some kids suck their thumb; some don’t. But, I’ve come to realize that this seemingly innocent habit can become quite a challenge for many families.
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Living through the uncertainties of Spina Bifida
Written by Amanda Kern.
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Welcome to Illuminate
Living in Central Florida for the past 10 years, it has amazed me to see the different people and cultures from all over the world represented right here in my own backyard. Many of the people that call this area home have come from places I've only dreamed of. They speak different languages, have different cultural and religious values and have totally different perspectives on the world around them. I love to hear their stories, get a glimpse into their lives and see the world as they see it.
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A safe start to swimming
As the mother of a toddler, I sometimes feel as if my day is spent preventing one accident after the next. Is she standing too close to the stove while I cook? Can she reach the cord where she might pull the iron down on her? Did I close the front door behind me? Is she splashing in the toilet? What in the world did she put in her mouth!?!
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An extra dose of hope
Most people never think about hospitals. I’ll admit that I never paid much attention either until I started working here several years ago. Very quickly, I began to realize what a special place Arnold Palmer Hospital truly is. Seeing all of the children who come here for treatment brings two emotions to the surface. The first is uncertainty because I can’t imagine my daughter getting sick. I get scared when I think about her tiny little body having to fight off serious illness or undergoing surgery.
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Fulfilling a dream: Dr. Joseph's story
If you ask any of the oncology nurses here at Arnold Palmer Hospital who their favorite doctor is, they will all have the same answer. It is Dr. Joseph. To the untrained eye, Dr. Joseph may not actually look like a doctor at all. He may look strikingly similar to an 8-year-old who is suffering from leukemia. But don’t tell him that.
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Helping teens make the leap into adulthood
Yesterday, I met an 18-year-old young man who was coming in for his yearly physical for the first time. He had previously been followed by a general pediatrician, but he felt it was time to move out of the pediatric care setting into a health home that specializes in caring for adolescents and young adults. “Why?” I asked. To this he responded, "Because I felt it was time. I am not a child anymore."
