| Greetings! |
In these dog days of Summer it's wise to be mindful of those little creatures out there that seem to cause more harm than good. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has issued a reminder that viruses harmful to humans are spreading in mosquitoes in Massachusetts. But there are simple steps you can take to protect your family. Don't know how to raise the subject with your children in a way that is interesting and not scary? Check out the Mosquito Quiz online at the DPH website. |
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Feature: Jake's story
Getting a cold or even the flu is just a part of growing up. But for Jake Rozak, it wasn't any typical mid-October case of the sniffles that ended him up in the Intensive Care Unit at Children's Hospital Boston. What started out as a cold, developed into pneumonia, and later, became what doctors called Atypical Transverse Myelitis, a neurological disorder caused by inflammation across the spinal cord. The nine year  old boy who loved to skateboard and ski couldn't lift his head, neck or arm. All doctors could point to was a virus that affected him very differently than it had others. Over the course of two weeks, he made improvements and recovered from the illness but was left with lingering paralysis. Doctors made it clear that Jake's motor nerves would improve slowly, over months, possibly years and would be greatly dependent upon the rehabilitation he would receive. Read more>> |
| Celebrating Summer |
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Summer reaches a crescendo here at Franciscan Hospital when the kids celebrate the annual Kid Fund Carnival. The Carnival is an annual event that is funded and organized by the Kid Fund - the Hospital's employee giving vehicle. Last Friday, our kids were fêted with a variety of fun activities like face painting, caricatures, spin art and a live animal presentation. We thank Papa Gino's and HP Hood LLC for supporting this event. To view photos from the event, click here >> |
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| Thank you to those readers who submitted patient stories. Please click reply and keep them coming. |
