Cole Davis was a long-awaited gift from God, his parents say, after many years of hoping and trying to have a baby. Ryan and Lydia, who live in Green Cove Springs, got the good news that she was pregnant on their 10thwedding anniversary.
When their sweet blond-haired, blue-eyed baby boy was born, they were thrilled. Like most babies, Cole had his share of ear infections and minor colds. Mom Lydia said, “We spent a lot of time at his pediatrician’s office this year!”
Last winter, Lydia took Cole to Orange Park Pediatrics after the baby couldn’t shake fevers related to a respiratory illness. Right there in the exam room, Cole began having seizures. A pediatric nurse in the office scooped Cole up and ran him over to the Wolfson Children’s Emergency Center next door, where pediatric emergency physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists immediately took charge and went to work to try to stop his seizures.
“I was terrified,” remembered Lydia. “I didn’t know what was going to happen!”
In the specially equipped pediatric resuscitation room, the Wolfson ER team had to intubate Cole to get him breathing again as his seizures continued and couldn’t be controlled. They contacted their colleagues at Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville, and arranged for Cole’s emergency transport via the Kids Kare Mobile ICU to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). There, Cole would have access to University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville pediatric critical care physicians, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care pediatric neurologists, and other children’s specialists to determine quickly why Cole was having seizures so they could treat them as quickly as possible.
An overnight stay at Wolfson Children’s Hospital and close monitoring gave doctors the time and tools to determine that Cole didn’t have epilepsy, which could’ve been life-threatening, but was experiencing febrile (high fever-related) seizures. He has had no lasting effects and is a healthy, happy toddler today.
“We were so relieved that Cole was OK and to find out so quickly why he was having seizures,” remembered Lydia. “I can’t imagine going anywhere else with Cole but Wolfson Children’s Hospital. We are so blessed in this community to have two Wolfson ERs and a dedicated children’s hospital to take care of children like ours. They saved our baby’s life!”
Community support of Wolfson Children’s makes kids’ care better
As a not-for-profit children’s hospital, the only one in Northeast Florida, Wolfson Children’s Hospital relies on the generous support of Moms and Dads, Grandmas and Grandpas, and others who care deeply about the health and well-being of kids in our region. Your charitable gift ensures that kids like Cole have access to the best possible care, right here in our region.
How can you help? Make a secure online gift, talk to the Baptist Health Foundation by calling 904.202.2919, or request more information by emailing us at [email protected].
Want to help even more? Follow Wolfson Children’s Hospital on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to read more inspiring stories about children and families in our community, and to talk to us about the impact Wolfson Children’s has made on your life or your family’s.
Watch Cole’s Story Here
Thank you to Wolfson Children’s Hospital for sponsoring this post.
