Thread by @AkhilMooken

THREAD. A long one:

I try to be open about who I am as both an officer and as a person, to show that we are in fact people just like you. I’ve shared many of the amazing things that have happened in my life, while always trying to inject some humour into it and still trying /1

to cognizant off my family’ privacy.

Recently, you met Benjamin, the newest addition to my family and you were all so excited for me, my wife and daughter.

This thread is about Benjamin. /2

I debated whether or not to share something so personal, but decided I would, to share experiences, emotions that we went through as parents and to highlight the amazing medical staff at @SickKidsNews.

What. A. Week. /3

As I reflect on the last 5 days, and think about how quickly we progressed from what we, and Ben’s paediatrician, believed was a simple referral appointment to confirm a non-life threatening condition he would grow out of, to one that found Ben in the operating room within the /4

next few days as it was believed his airway was partially blocked from a cyst.

As a parent, if that’s not a ‘Holy S***’ moment then I truly don’t know what is. Some of you may have had that feeling in your own experiences and know what I’m talking about. /5

The range of emotions that my wife and I felt is one I hope that no parent will ever have to go through but sadly, I know that somewhere in the world, there are parents that are going through that at this very moment. The somewhat simple thoughts of /6

‘Yeah, he’ll be fine. He’s just going to sound like a honking goose for a bit’ to thoughts of ‘Are we going to lose him?’ are scary and capable of evoking visible emotion from even the hardest of individuals. Me? I was so much of an ugly crier with snot dripping down my face /7

that they almost sent me for a Covid test.

What made things more difficult was that despite the fact that it’s your child in there, like many if not all hospitals, only one parent/person is allowed in with the patient to hear either the good news or bad. /8

To not be together as a family to hear the diagnosis or treatment plan? What a horrible feeling that is.

Trying to keep myself composed with all of the fear and uncertainty inside of me was a lot harder than I thought. I found myself having several moments where my mind would /9

wander to worst case scenario and I would start to feel the lump in my throat and tears starting to form, but would find a way to hold it all in.

I didn’t want to worry my wife about my well-being because I knew she was going through her own thoughts, and I wanted to put on /10

a brave front for her as a form of reassurance and confidence. I also didn’t want my emotional fragility and tears to surprise or concern my daughter, who was with us, into thinking something was seriously wrong. That and I didn’t know what the lady serving us at the street /11

meat cart would say if I just started crying in front of her.

Emotions are exhausting.

While one of us would be at the hospital with Ben, the other was at a hotel down the street with my daughter trying to keep a her occupied in a hotel room in a locked down Toronto. /12

While she knew Ben had to go see the doctor for an ouchie, she’s obviously not old enough to grasp the potential seriousness of the issue. She did however enjoy her first time at a hotel and now wants to go to a hotel every weekend...🤦🏽‍♂️ /13

In all of this, watching my sassy, intelligent and affectionate daughter know the right moments to come give cuddles, explore new things and be genuinely concerned and miss her little brother makes me realize how blessed I am. /14

Ben’s surgery went well. When they did a scope for a second time and went in when he was sedated, they were able to determine that it wasn’t a cyst, but inflammation of his cords which they can treat with medication. While in there, they were also able to see that Ben does in /15

fact have a condition called Laryngomalacia, and were able to perform a procedure to help him breathe easier, feed better and just sound like a baby goose instead of a full grown one. This should hopefully sort itself out as he gets older. /16

When he came out of surgery, his respiratory rate wasn’t at the ideal levels and that coupled with some other signs, made them concerned about respiratory distress.

Another ‘Holy S***’ moment. /17

He was placed on supplemental oxygen and over the next 24-hours, he was closely monitored one-on-one by a nurse to make sure my worst case scenario didn’t play out. Thankfully, over those 24 hours, Ben’s condition has improved significantly. We were discharged and are now at /18

home resting with follow up appointments scheduled over the next two weeks to make sure there are no issues.

We are fortunate to have amazing medical professionals and facilities here in Canada and specifically in the GTA. /19

I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge Dr. Rebecca Woolnough & her team from @HeadwatersHCC for their care for Ben & not brushing it off as something he would grow out of. Without the push to have him seen by an ENT at #SickKids, this post may have had a different tone. /20

The doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, etc. @SickKidsNews are absolutely nothing short of amazing. Their skills, experience and compassion are truly what allow kids like Ben, and so many others, to have a chance at a full and wholesome life. Specifically I’d like to /21

mention Dr. Paolo Campisi from @SickKidsNews, his residents whose names I sadly don’t remember and Ben’s nurses Linda, Lynne, Sal, Cathy and Jamie. We will forever be indebted to all of them for helping our Benjamin, or like my daughter likes to call him, “My Bennie”. /22

Now this post wasn’t started with an end result of an ask, but I think I have to. I know we are all tired of #COVID19 & the associated restrictions that have come with it. I get it. Even more so now after our experience with only being allowed one in to the hospital with Ben. /23

As challenging and frustrating that was, I completely understood why.

But I need your help so that families don’t have to continue to be separated from loved ones in the hospital during surgeries, or other potential life altering moments. Please, wear a mask, stay home, /24

follow guidelines from Public Health and stay safe, so that we don’t continue to lose people to Covid & so that we can allow our sick community members to spend time in hospital with their loved ones

Please.

✌🏽@SickKidsNews. You’re the best but hope to never see you again. /25