August 26, 2014

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Read the newest “Super Star” Q&A featuring Jennifer Neidinger, Adolescent and Sports Medicine, Renal, Rheumatology and Pediatric Adolescent GYN clinics. “A Texas Children’s Hospital Super Star is someone who strives for excellence in every patient/family interaction,” Neidinger said. “Someone who leads by example and goes ‘above and beyond’ to meet the needs of our patients and families – with a smile.”

 
 
 
 

Q&A: Jennifer Neidinger, July – September 2014 Leader

Your name, title and department. How long have you worked here?
My name is Jennifer Neidinger, RN. I am the 11B Clinic Manager for Adolescent and Sports Medicine, Renal, Rheumatology, and Pediatric and Adolescent GYN services. I began my career at Texas Children’s Hospital in September 2001 (12½ years).

What month are you Super Star for?
I am the Super Star Leader for July-September 2014.

Tell us how you found out you won a super star award.
My director, Ryan Breaux, announced my recognition as a Super Star during our Leadership meeting. Following this surprise recognition, our Leadership Team hosted a wonderful breakfast for our team to celebrate together.

What does it mean to be recognized for the hard work you do?
It is such an honor to be recognized as a Super Star within an organization which is so full of Super Star employees and leaders. This recognition is so special to me because I feel so lucky to be part of such an amazing team.

What do you think makes someone at Texas Children’s a super star?
A Texas Children’s Hospital Super Star is someone who strives for excellence in every patient/family interaction. Someone who leads by example and goes “above and beyond” to meet the needs of our patients and families – with a smile.

What is your motivation for going above and beyond every day at work?
The patients and families who trust us to provide their care every day.

What is the best thing about working at Texas Children’s?
I am humbled by the strength and bravery of our patients and their families. I am honored by the commitment and compassion of the staff. I am excited about the strides in pediatric care at Texas Children’s Hospital, and I am so fortunate to work here.

Anything else you want to share?
This recognition is such an honor which I would like to share with my colleagues, the staff of 11B, my physician partners and my leadership team. I am so fortunate to be part of this “family” and am so pleased to represent the organization as a Super Star Leader.

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By Dr. Jennifer Arnold

Soon after adopting Will and Zoey in 2013, our lives were thrown a major curveball when I was diagnosed with Stage 3 choriocarcinoma. After months of treatment and finally kicking cancer into remission, I went back to work this spring as medical director of Texas Children’s Simulation Center. Returning to my job has been a big adjustment for our entire family, but it’s also worked out for the best! It’s really important to me to raise our kids as independent go-getters who work hard to achieve their goals in life. I hope that by seeing Bill and I enjoying our careers – despite obstacles that have come our way – they will learn the value of perserverance and overcoming challenges.

Being a mom is the toughest and most rewarding job. I know everyone says that, but it’s true! It’s not easy to keep up with everything at work and at home when we have so much going on – in fact, it’s a constant challenge. Here are some of the ways that I try to balance it all:

Take things one step at a time
No matter how much is going on, I have to take a deep breath and think to myself, I can only accomplish one thing at a time. Personally, I believe my perspective has changed since becoming a cancer survivor. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore but instead move towards the things that really matter. I also try not to get caught up in what other people think. I know that work didn’t stop while I was away, and I’m still trying to catch up. I’m really focused on getting back to some important initiatives we are working on in the Simulation Center. I am staying focused on what I think is important for the program and our institution. I’m constantly honing in on what needs to get done one step at a time in order to achieve our larger goals.

Prioritize and organize
Making lists and setting a routine works really well in my work and home life. Before kids, I didn’t think life could get any busier – well I was wrong. Life is crazy busy and it’s getting more difficult to keep up. I am not sure whether it’s residual “Chemo Brain,” the fact that I have turned 40, or becoming a new parent of two toddlers, but it is so easy to lose track of all the work and home “To Do’s” that need to be addressed. With my love-hate relationship with technology, I am trying to better harness tools to help me stay organized. There are so many new applications for your smart phone, tablet, and PCs that you can access anywhere to keep lists and project documents close at hand. Sometimes I have to do work from unusual places, so making everything easily accessible is key. When it comes to everything at home, it helps that Bill and I are pretty good about dividing and conquering! Prioritizing family, health and work is sometimes a struggle, but Bill and I try to keep each other in check. It’s hard for both of us to be away from the kids during work, but it’s easier because we have a good system in place with a fantastic nanny and family support.

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Don’t feel guilty for not doing it all
Sometimes you have to say no, and sometimes it’s ok to just be “good enough” rather than perfect. My best friend recently sent me a card describing how to do this. It’s a trait that I don’t think any mother is good at, but I try to remind myself that no one is perfect. This is tough for me to wrap my head around as I am a perfectionist – both as a professional and as a mom. I have to accept I can’t do everything, and I certainly can’t do it on my own. I’m lucky to have a great support system and so many people to rely on for help. First, my husband has been my sounding board when times were tough getting back into work. Second, my parents and nanny have been essential for helping us take care of the kids. Third, all of my colleagues have been so supportive and welcoming – which has helped me transition back into the swing of things. All of these people have made it possible for me to keep my family and my career on track.

Treat yourself
This one may come as a surprise, but I think it’s important to stay balanced and happy. I need to do this more often when I am stressed out. I try to make time once in a while for something that makes me happy. It can be something as small as watching my favorite TV show or getting a manicure – but I find that attending to my needs and putting myself first every once in a while makes me better equipped at dealing with everyone else’s expectations and the demands of being a working mom. Even though I often complain to Bill that filming our TLC television show on the weekends feels like one extra burden on our very busy lives, it allows us to take time to enjoy life and do fun stuff. Instead of just hanging out at the house with the kids on a Saturday afternoon, we can do something fun we might not otherwise do. I have learned that it is ok to reserve the weekends for quality family time since I’m not around much during the weekdays. I think we’re able to appreciate our time together as a family more since we have less of it with the busy demands of my career. I still feel tired at the end of the day, but at the same time, I’m so happy to get into a routine and just be boring for awhile.

82714BWJArnold640-3Be prepared
Having a Plan A and a Plan B makes me feel very comfortable about immersing myself back in work. Thankfully, we have an outstanding nanny. Kate is great with Will and Zoey, and with her background in child life, I feel comfortable that we have an expert to help care for our kids. But having my parents close by as a backup is also very reassuring. Zoey is much more comfortable, and she and Will are growing so much. They start school this fall so I am nervous, and at the same time, excited to see them flourish outside of our family unit.

Cancer kept me from my work for too long, but the silver lining was a lot more time with our newly adopted kids. When I returned to work, I was nervous about leaving them and not being around as much. It took me a few weeks to adjust, but I am comfortable knowing that little day-to-day issues won’t be a distraction since we have support and a plan (and a backup plan) in place.

August 19, 2014

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A pediatrician sees hundreds of patients a year. Some stick out in their mind more than others, but for Dr. Michael Bishop, pediatrician at Texas Children’s Pediatrics Grand Parkway, the Stovall family is one that he will never forget.

Last year, while on vacation in Galveston, Bishop experienced shortness of breath which prompted his wife to drive him back to Houston for immediate evaluation. Following a week in the hospital with more questions than answers, he was diagnosed with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), a rare genetic disease that affects kidney function. Once diagnosed, Bishop was given both oral and IV medication, but dialysis four nights per week also was required due to the failure of his kidneys to recover from the illness.

Shortly after the diagnosis, his daughters started a Facebook page to raise awareness about aHUS and the importance of kidney donation. Because the disease is genetic, none of his family members were able to donate, thus the need to broadly share his story. Patients at his practice started asking about the Facebook page and how they could help.

“The support from my patients and their families was overwhelming,” said Bishop. “I believe that I have been blessed by God to be given the privilege of taking care of children and their families. I never thought I’d receive the greatest gift of all from one of them.”

Jennifer Kennedy-Stovall’s three sons have been patients of Bishop’s since they were born. Now 10, eight and four, the boys are frequent visitors to Texas Children’s Pediatrics Grand Parkway whether for a well-child check-up or an acute illness. Bishop had been out of the office during a few of the Stovall boys’ visits and Jennifer wondered if he was battling a serious health issue. When the family saw Bishop during their next visit, they noticed that he just wasn’t the same – he wasn’t cracking jokes, he was more introverted and more than just the physical changes that occurred since his diagnosis, his personality had changed as well. Bishop shared the news of his diagnosis and his need for a kidney. Kennedy-Stovall walked out of the room and had a feeling.

“I walked out of the room and knew that I had to do something to help,” said Kennedy-Stovall. “I began the living donor kidney screening process that day.”

Kennedy-Stovall went through four rounds of intense screening to determine if she was a match for Bishop. Through blood tests, numerous blood pressure screenings, medical history reports, scans, x-rays and consultations with a nephrologist and social worker, Kennedy-Stovall found out that she was a match.

“When I found out I was a match, my husband and I didn’t hesitate,” Kennedy-Stovall recalls. “I felt like this was something I had to do from the moment Dr. Bishop told me he needed a transplant and I couldn’t have been happier to do this for him.”

Ironically, Kennedy-Stovall and one of her sons had a visit scheduled for the next day with Bishop. She went to the appointment not knowing if he had heard the news yet. She asked if he had any news to share and Bishop said there was testing ongoing, but that no match had yet been reported to him. Little did he know that, momentarily, she told him that she was going to be his living donor.

The families prepared, and the surgery was scheduled. The surgery was successful for Bishop and Kennedy-Stovall, and their recoveries were seamless. On July 16, Bishop celebrated his one year transplant anniversary and is thriving. The Bishops and Stovall families have grown incredibly close through their journey, oftentimes sharing lengthy family dinners together.

“I can’t believe it’s been a year,” said Bishop. “So many thoughts come to mind, but unpayable gratitude is at the top of the list. My patients are my second family, and they mean a lot to me. I’m so proud that I can come back to the practice and continue to do what I love because of this unbelievable gift from Jennifer and her family.”

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By Amber Jacques

Recently, we celebrated our daughter’s first birthday. It’s so amazing how fast time flies! Fourteen months ago, I remember my husband, Sam, and I, rushing to Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women for the birth of our beautiful daughter, Sydney. The contractions were getting pretty intense, but I was determined not to deliver in the car. As manager of Security Services at the Pavilion, I’ve seen moms deliver right as they pull up to the concourse. Fingers crossed, I didn’t want that to happen to me. I instructed my husband, “I am not having this baby in the car, and I don’t want to have this baby without medication. Hurry!”

82014BWfamily640 - 2Sure enough, we arrived at the hospital 35 miles later. The security guard placed me in a wheelchair as we headed up to my labor and delivery room. By that time, I was nine centimeters dilated. The nurses were wonderful and made sure I got my epidural like I requested. After a couple of pushes, Sydney made her grand debut! Our daughter was born June 8, 2013, at 7:55 p.m. weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces and 21 inches long.

For my husband, Sam, and me, Sydney is our miracle baby.

At a very early age, I knew getting pregnant would be impossible. While in my mother’s womb, an ultrasound revealed that my right ovary was severely cystic and doctors removed it when I was a mere 10 days old. As a teenager, I remember my mom telling me, “Maybe we should look into freezing your eggs if you decide to have children one day.” But, I vetoed that idea because it was a non-issue back then, since I wasn’t thinking about children.

Fast forward to 2008 when I faced another health scare that jeopardized my chances of having a baby. Out of nowhere, I started having debilitating headaches, eye pressure pain, teary eyes and uncontrollable nose bleeds which spewed out of me like a fire hydrant. The emergency room doctor diagnosed me with severe allergies and suggested I take over-the-counter medication for relief. He also discovered a tiny polyp inside my nose, but didn’t treat it at the time. So, I just packed my nose with ice to stop the bleeding.

It wasn’t until later, when my symptoms got worse, that I realized this polyp in my nose was growing out of control. When I arrived at the University of Michigan Hospital, doctors performed an MRI and noticed the tumor in my nose had grown behind my eyes, punctured my dura and grew across my face into my sinus cavity. The tumor had ruptured which caused the profuse bleeding in my nose.

I underwent two surgeries to remove the tumor and a frozen biopsy revealed it was cancer. I had a subcranial resection where I was cut from ear to ear. Surgeons cut a big chunk of my forehead and part of my nose. I ended up losing my sense of smell and taste in the process, but I was so happy to be alive.

The lengthy surgery, which lasted for 15 hours, was nothing compared to the burning pain from the radiation treatments.

I underwent radiation for my head and neck to ensure there were no miniscule cancer cells lurking, since this type of cancer – estheseioneuroblastoma – can easily spread to the thyroid gland.

Although I successfully beat cancer – which I am grateful for – the radiation treatments damaged my pituitary gland, which impacted my left ovary’s ability to function normally.

My husband and I tried for five years to have a baby, but we realized we needed help. When we moved to Houston in 2009, my OB-GYN recommended that we meet one of Texas Children’s fertility specialists, Dr. William Gibbons. She said, “I really want you to meet him. He’s not only the best in his field, but he’s just fantastic to work with.”

When we met Dr. Gibbons for our consultation appointment at Baylor Clinic – before the Family Fertility Center opened in the Pavilion – he reassured us, “It may be tough, but we’re going to make it happen. I have no doubts that we will be successful.” That’s the encouragement my husband and I so desperately needed.

Before we started fertility treatments, I underwent surgery to remove scar tissue that built up in my right fallopian tube as a result of the ovarian removal surgery I had as an infant. Dr. Gibbons wanted to make sure my fallopian tubes were flowing freely before we started intrauterine insemination (IUI).

After three rounds of IUI, which took us a year to complete, I got the miraculous news that we were waiting to hear, “You are PREGNANT!” Sam and I were so excited and shocked at the same time. After taking a whole bunch of home pregnancy tests, we called Dr. Gibbon’s office, and sure enough, an ultrasound confirmed we were expecting!

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Since the first day we laid eyes on her, Sydney has brought our family so much joy. At 14 months, she’s learning to walk, so we’re locking down the house at this point.

Sam always makes fun of me and says that I’m a paparazzo because I take so many pictures and videos of our miracle baby. But, you have to, because she is growing up too fast!

Every day, I am grateful for Dr. Gibbons and his team for helping me, and other families, conceive their dream of motherhood.

Sometimes life throws obstacles in our path, but we are bigger than any obstacle. We can triumph over any circumstance by staying positive and focused on achieving our goals.

August 12, 2014

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Young Mia Spargo clutched her stuffed animal from her seat to the microphone stand where she gently placed the stuffed cat on the floor, picked up a purple microphone and began to sing. She looked out at the audience filled with her doctors, nurses and other staff from Texas Children’s Cancer Center and sang with emotion. Her first song was titled, “God help all the kids on the planet.” The lyrics portrayed a day without cancer and a time without mothers’ tears.

“I want the staff to know they helped save my life,” said Mia in an interview before the concert.

If it weren’t for her beautiful bald head, you would never know little Mia was a cancer patient. She seems strong and energetic. Prior to the concert she was running around at full speed. She said she will never forget her doctors and nurses. Several other cancer survivors joined Mia for the Purple Songs Can Fly staff appreciation concert. The Concert was organized by the Purple Songs Can Fly group which allows children to record songs during their hospital visits on the 14th floor of the Clinical Care Center. Stephen Makia is a nine year cancer survivor who took the mic next.

“Every time I heard the word cancer, I heard death,” said Makia who credits the staff and his grandmother for helping him through the toughest days of his life.

Former American Idol contestant Christian Spear now works for Purple Songs Can Fly in a fellowship. She was a patient at Texas Children’s and dedicates her days now to the patients and staff here by using her talent of singing to bring small moments of joy.

“The work of the doctors and nurses at Texas Children’s is what saved my life 15 years ago,” said Spear who brought the audience to tears with a song dedicated to the staff.

The concert concluded with all the participants standing up to sing to the staff that has helped them make it to today followed by a standing ovation by all of the parents who stood up to thank the staff. A room filled with happy tears for the survivors who have so much to be thankful for.

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Dr. Tamara Todd was 5 months pregnant when she found out her unborn daughter had a heart defect and would most certainly need surgery within her first moments of life. Her maternal fetal medicine specialist in Hilo, Hawaii told Todd and her husband that their baby girl, whom they planned to name Kirana, had Tetralogy of Fallot. Hilo does not have a children’s hospital, and the one in Honolulu does not have regular cardiothoracic surgery services, so they decided the best option was to head to the mainland U.S for delivery and post natal care.

They chose Texas Children’s Hospital for a variety of reasons. At the beginning of her career as a doctor, Todd was a part of Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) from 2006 to 2008 in Botswana and Lesotho so she was familiar with the reputation of both Baylor and Texas Children’s.

“I knew Texas Children’s would be a great place to get the best care,” says Todd of her choice to move to Houston. “Not only is it ranked as one of the top pediatric hospitals for cardiology and heart surgery, but also my parents live in the Houston area, so it really just felt like home.”

Once the decision was made, Todd connected with Christie Moran, nurse coordinator from the Texas Children’s Fetal Center, and transferred her OB care at 36 weeks of pregnancy, and arranged prenatal consult with pediatric cardiology and pediatric surgery.

“Every single person that we interacted with during outpatient visits, my admission for induction and ultimate c-section, our time in the NICU with Kirana and, of course, the surgical team were all outstanding,” says Todd of her time in Houston. “Texas Children’s quickly felt like a home away from home for my family.”

Kirana was born on December 31, 2013 at the Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women and taken immediately to surgery to repair the defect in her heart. Dr. Charles D. Fraser led a team of specialists in surgery, including Dr. Shaine Morris from Cardiology and Dr. Erin Gottlieb from Anesthesiology. The team at the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit managed Kirana’s post-surgical care.

“We were very fortunate that Kirana’s tetralogy of fallot was prenatally diagnosed by her doctor in Hawaii. Her family was able to temporarily move to Houston and deliver at the Pavilion for Women,” according to Kirana’s cardiologist, Dr. Morris. “Kirana’s heart condition is one that we treat often at Texas Children’s, and thanks to a multidisciplinary team, led by Dr. Fraser, we were able to provide her with the best care, and Kirana’s prognosis is very good.”

Kirana’s surgery was a success, and now just a few months later, the family is back home in Hawaii with their beautiful, healthy daughter

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By Shelly Lopez-Gray

August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and every time I go online, I’ve seen pictures of different celebrities breastfeeding their babies. The last one I saw was of Olivia Wilde, perfectly perched in what looks like a diner’s booth, her dress flowing around her, breastfeeding her naked 4-month old baby. The picture is really, really lovely, but I never had one of those moments.

The first time I breastfed my NICU baby, I was so nervous. He was so little, and he was covered with all these wires and tubes and I was afraid I’d hurt him. But I knew that he needed me and I really felt like my breast milk was the medicine he needed to get better. I was so thankful that he was such a great breastfeeder for such a little guy! As a registered nurse and lactation consultant, I know breast milk alters to meet your baby’s needs. I genuinely believe that I helped him get better faster by breastfeeding him.

When I went back to work, breastfeeding became more of a challenge. There were times I couldn’t wait to give it up. Because Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women offers designated spaces for employees to pump, it was never hard finding a place to pump once I came back to work. But it took so much effort to clean the parts, store the milk and make the bottles. It was so much easier to just put him to my breast! But I kept breastfeeding and pumping because I loved being able to do something that would give my baby the very best start.

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My baby is almost a year old now. He is no longer breastfeeding, but I miss it, and if I could still do it, I would. Although I know I never looked like Olivia Wilde perched in that chair, I loved having him so close to me. I loved feeling every breath he took. I loved feeling the weight of his little baby body next to me, and I loved the way he fell asleep in that breast milk coma after I nursed him.

Breastfeeding is beautiful and selfless, and it’s a gift that only a mother can give to her baby. It’s not always the easiest thing to do, it’s not always the most convenient, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for you baby.

If you know in advance that you are going to have a NICU baby, or if you are surprised with one after delivery, the most important thing you can do is pump as soon as possible after delivery to help establish your milk supply. If you are considering whether or not to breastfeed your baby, know it’s not as glamorous as it might look in some pictures. But every ounce of effort is worth it when you hold your baby close and share a moment with him that can only be had between mother and her baby.