Jyiare’s story as told by his mother…
On August 3, 2023, my 6-year-old son, Jyiare, faced a harrowing health crisis. While I was at work, my sister called with alarming news – Jyiare had fainted and experienced an involuntary bathroom incident, behavior not normal for him. Despite appearing well upon waking up, my instinct made me leave work early and immediately take him to the emergency room.
At the children’s hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, initial tests and vitals seemed normal. Jyiare was talking and seemed fine, leading me to believe we were in the clear. However, our relief was short lived. After a brief stop at the store, I returned to find Jyiare unresponsive. Instinctively, I raced back to the emergency room, disregarding traffic lights, consumed by the realization that something was profoundly wrong with my son.
Upon reaching the hospital, medical professionals worked tirelessly for 90 minutes to resuscitate Jyiare, who had been diagnosed with myocarditis and suffered a stroke on the right side of his brain during those critical minutes. The doctor informed me that an ECMO machine was necessary to support his heart, and he was placed on a ventilator. For an agonizing five days, Jyiare remained on life support.
August 8th marked the day he was finally removed from the ECMO machine, though he still required breathing tubes and other support. Afterwards, he underwent therapy, and we stayed at the hospital for a week before being discharged. The journey since then has been very hard; Jyiare now takes heart medication and occasionally complains about chest discomfort. Yet, he has made remarkable strides, earning him the title of a “miracle child” from the doctors, and me “super mom.”
I share our story with gratitude for the recovery he has made. The progress is nothing short of a miracle. The medical professionals have become an integral part of our journey. I am immensely thankful for the opportunity to spread awareness about the severity of myocarditis. Almost losing my son to an ailment I was entirely unaware of has been a frightening ordeal, and I want the world to understand the impact it can have on families. Thank you for allowing me to share Jyiare’s story.
