Caeden's Story
Meet 11-year-old Caeden. Caeden’s hospital story began when he had a bike accident, landing hard on his handlebar.
Mum Aime remembers: “Thankfully, he was wearing his helmet, but the pain was intense. We rushed him to the hospital. It was one thing after another – an ultrasound revealed internal bleeding, a CT scan showed a tear in his pancreas, then an MRI.
“That night, Caeden couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned and was in a lot of pain. Emergency surgery was the only option. The surgeons warned they might need to remove his spleen or part of his pancreas. Even while in pain, Caeden joked about selling his spleen on the black market!
Caeden then met Hamish, the Therapet, and was immediately in floods of tears – which in turn made me cry too!
Caeden's mum, Aime
“The surgery was complex and filled with unknowns. They couldn’t be sure of the extent of the internal damage. We were beside ourselves with worry. Would my son have life-changing injuries just because of a fall from a bike?
“After, Caeden spent five difficult days in critical care, unable to eat and needing daily physiotherapy to get back on his feet. For days, he was fed through a tube. But with lots of support from the amazing doctors and nurses tending to him, he took small steps towards recovery.
“Thanks to ECHC, there were lots of things to keep his mind off what was happening. We took him to the Hub, where we found a pumpkin patch and Caeden was able to pick out a pumpkin for Halloween to paint in his room.
“Caeden then met Hamish, the Therapet, and was immediately in floods of tears – which in turn made me cry too! I knew that he missed his own pets at home terribly.
“Caeden continued making strides. He was finally able to eat soft foods and even made it to the hospital’s Halloween party, where he had his face painted and made some crafts. Volunteers dressed up, told jokes, and gave out sweet treats, and it really reassured me to see Caeden laugh as he joined in on all the fun.
“After a really challenging two and a half weeks, Caeden was finally discharged. He’s still got a long way to go to full recovery, and he won’t be back at school right away, but he is expected to heal completely with no lasting effects.
“We are endlessly grateful to everyone involved in Caeden’s care during this difficult time – their support made all the difference.”
