Support for Sariah
Donation protected
Life can change in the blink of an eye.
On February 14, 2018, Sariah and I were involved in a motor vehicle accident. I sustained injuries to my right leg which required surgery and left me minimally weightbearing. Unfortunately, Sariah’s injuries were much more significant. Following the accident, Sariah was in pulseless cardiac arrest at the scene and was taken emergently to SSM DePaul Hospital and subsequently transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
At Cardinal Glennon, we learned that Sariah sustained two Spinal Cord Injuries and extensive hemorrhages into her Spinal Cord. She was unable to sustain her breathing even with tracheal intubation and she was placed on ECMO (the highest level of breathing support) for four days. On February 23, 2018, she was intubated once more and underwent surgery to stabilize her Spinal Cord Injuries. Following surgery, we were hopeful that she would be able to be extubated and breath on her own, however extubation was unsuccessful and Sariah received a tracheostomy on March 3, 2018. She remains dependent on mechanical ventilation for breathing 24 hours a day.
On April 3, 2018 our journey continued to Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital where we were transferred for continued intensive medical care and with hopes for Sariah to participate in multidisciplinary therapies. We remain at Ranken Jordan to this day.
Prior to the accident, Sariah was full of life. She enjoyed dancing, singing, playing outside, art, pre-school and being with her family. She had started modeling with Images Agency in Frontenac, MO and was truly enjoying it. She was an aspiring ballerina with Best Dance Center in St. Ann, MO. She was excitedly preparing for Kindergarten in the fall.
Our life is very different now. Sariah is paralyzed from the shoulders down. She is unable to breath without the support of her ventilator. She is unable to perform any bodily functions independently and relies on a tube in her stomach for much of her nutrition and medication. Due to Sariah’s injuries, she is at constant risk for blood, lung and urine infections. She spent her 5th birthday in the hospital and missed her Pre-School Graduation ceremony.
While we face these new challenges, Sariah remains Sariah. Her smile lights up the room. She is spunky and filled with flare. She continues to sing now that she is able to speak even with her tracheostomy in place. She remains very intelligent and cares for others very deeply, especially her mom. At five years old, Sariah is completely aware of what has happened to her body. She asks difficult questions that I often do not have answers for. She is steadfast in her faith that things will change as only a five year old can be. As her mom, I have had to confront certain possibilities that seem unimaginable to me.
As we look at this very different path ahead of us, I worry that I will not be able to provide my daughter with everything she needs for her complex medical care. While health insurance coverage has been generous up to now, there are many things Sariah will need that insurance does not cover, such as:
-A vehicle that is accessible for her power-wheelchair
-A home that is accessible for her wheelchair, hospital bed, breathing equipment and that can accommodate her round-the-clock nursing care
-Specialized therapy equipment to keep her body functioning and safe
-Significant increases in electricity costs stemming from her ventilator needs
I have always been a person of faith but this experience has left me asking “why?” I try to remain hopeful that things will change, but living in the moment, and not seeing that change can be heartbreaking. My focus right now is to find a way to safely take Sariah home. I was thrown another curveball this week when I learned that I, myself, will need to undergo a second surgery for the injuries I sustained in the accident. The healing period is long and I am currently unable to work (as I have been since February). I will require significant in-home help to care for Sariah while I recover and regain my strength.
I am not a person who likes to ask for help, but today, I look at my daughter, and I know that we need your help. I want to give Sariah as much of a future and a childhood as I can and that begins with me being able to take her home.
With love and appreciation,
Shamika
(Sariah’s mom)
On February 14, 2018, Sariah and I were involved in a motor vehicle accident. I sustained injuries to my right leg which required surgery and left me minimally weightbearing. Unfortunately, Sariah’s injuries were much more significant. Following the accident, Sariah was in pulseless cardiac arrest at the scene and was taken emergently to SSM DePaul Hospital and subsequently transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
At Cardinal Glennon, we learned that Sariah sustained two Spinal Cord Injuries and extensive hemorrhages into her Spinal Cord. She was unable to sustain her breathing even with tracheal intubation and she was placed on ECMO (the highest level of breathing support) for four days. On February 23, 2018, she was intubated once more and underwent surgery to stabilize her Spinal Cord Injuries. Following surgery, we were hopeful that she would be able to be extubated and breath on her own, however extubation was unsuccessful and Sariah received a tracheostomy on March 3, 2018. She remains dependent on mechanical ventilation for breathing 24 hours a day.
On April 3, 2018 our journey continued to Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital where we were transferred for continued intensive medical care and with hopes for Sariah to participate in multidisciplinary therapies. We remain at Ranken Jordan to this day.
Prior to the accident, Sariah was full of life. She enjoyed dancing, singing, playing outside, art, pre-school and being with her family. She had started modeling with Images Agency in Frontenac, MO and was truly enjoying it. She was an aspiring ballerina with Best Dance Center in St. Ann, MO. She was excitedly preparing for Kindergarten in the fall.
Our life is very different now. Sariah is paralyzed from the shoulders down. She is unable to breath without the support of her ventilator. She is unable to perform any bodily functions independently and relies on a tube in her stomach for much of her nutrition and medication. Due to Sariah’s injuries, she is at constant risk for blood, lung and urine infections. She spent her 5th birthday in the hospital and missed her Pre-School Graduation ceremony.
While we face these new challenges, Sariah remains Sariah. Her smile lights up the room. She is spunky and filled with flare. She continues to sing now that she is able to speak even with her tracheostomy in place. She remains very intelligent and cares for others very deeply, especially her mom. At five years old, Sariah is completely aware of what has happened to her body. She asks difficult questions that I often do not have answers for. She is steadfast in her faith that things will change as only a five year old can be. As her mom, I have had to confront certain possibilities that seem unimaginable to me.
As we look at this very different path ahead of us, I worry that I will not be able to provide my daughter with everything she needs for her complex medical care. While health insurance coverage has been generous up to now, there are many things Sariah will need that insurance does not cover, such as:
-A vehicle that is accessible for her power-wheelchair
-A home that is accessible for her wheelchair, hospital bed, breathing equipment and that can accommodate her round-the-clock nursing care
-Specialized therapy equipment to keep her body functioning and safe
-Significant increases in electricity costs stemming from her ventilator needs
I have always been a person of faith but this experience has left me asking “why?” I try to remain hopeful that things will change, but living in the moment, and not seeing that change can be heartbreaking. My focus right now is to find a way to safely take Sariah home. I was thrown another curveball this week when I learned that I, myself, will need to undergo a second surgery for the injuries I sustained in the accident. The healing period is long and I am currently unable to work (as I have been since February). I will require significant in-home help to care for Sariah while I recover and regain my strength.
I am not a person who likes to ask for help, but today, I look at my daughter, and I know that we need your help. I want to give Sariah as much of a future and a childhood as I can and that begins with me being able to take her home.
With love and appreciation,
Shamika
(Sariah’s mom)
Organizer
Shamika Johnson
Organizer
Ferguson, MO
