Life or Death investigates the science behind extraordinary real-life medical stories and reveals the mysteries of the human body beneath the skin. This step-by-step, physiological narrative of patient rescues immerses viewers in the stories that begin as events unfold outside the human body and progress inside. Follow each patient with first-person interviews from those who were there to find out if the doctor's interventions would eventually kill or cure. The doctor's best efforts may not allow them to see the problems that lay beneath the surface, but the audience will. Follow the journey of each patient during life and death decisions. With skill and a bit of good luck, medical teams can sometimes solve a mystery illness right at the start. But is the first and immediate diagnosis always right?
My son, Joshua will be featured
in one of these hour-long documentaries
because of his rare condition.
NOVEMBER 8, 2007 1:00pm Eastern
Life or Death
Battling to Breathe
TV-PG
Eight year-old Joshua Wooten is a real mystery. When his mom takes him to the ER after finding him collapsed on the floor, doctors discover his blood oxygen level is just half of what it should be. And yet he shows no obvious signs of disease.
Born in early 1973, I grew up in a humble, Christian home with my mother, father, paternal grandmother and younger brother. We lived on 4 acres in the country raising chickens, rabbits and cats. We tended a large vegetable garden with many fruit & pecan trees. My dad, a self-employed CPA, kept an office next door to our home.
We worshipped at a Baptist church. My parents taught children’s Sunday school classes, and my mom acted as the church financial secretary. I was SAVED and baptized when I was 9 years old.
I excelled in school, participating in the Zenith program and Advanced Honors classes. I earned a full scholarship to a junior college, where I studied journalism and aspired to be a talk show hostess. I burned my right arm in an accident and dropped out of college a while. I took a few classes later and interned with a tv news station where I went on to become producer then assignment editor. During my 9 years at KOSA TV in Odessa, I lived and breathed tv news. But God had other plans for my life. I accepted an offer at a rehabiliation center to work in medical records and patient intake.
I became a mother and wife in 1994 when I married a widower. He lost his first wife in a car accident just before their daughter was a year old. My family and I knew his wife when she was a girl in our church. We all had an instant connection. Our son came along in 1996.
In 2004 my husband’s employer transferred him about a 5 hour drive away from our families and hometown. We sold our house and moved away from our familiar settings. I took the summer to settle our new home. By the time I started to look for a new job in the new city, a 24-hour local news station disbanded, flooding the market with news professionals. So, I found work with a small business specializing in Flexible Spending Accounts (Cafeteria Plans).
A few months after the move, our son, Joshua suddenly collapsed and went into respiratory arrest. We nearly lost him. It took months for doctors to find the cause of his collapse. He has a very rare & serious disorder that causes his breathing to be too shallow, stops his body from making growth hormones or properly regulating his body temperature or hydration. It has left him with a trach tube in his neck so a ventilator can breathe for him. He also needs daily growth hormone injections and other medications. What's more, doctors say there is no known cure for this disorder.
With Joshua's need for all of this new specialized medical care, and nobody else to provide most of it, I am no longer able to hold a regular full-time job.
I now change Josh's trachs, monitor his machines and vital signs, give him shots and medicines, train and manage his nurses, order his medical supplies and handle the mountains of paperwork associated with his medical care. Of course, I also care for the rest of my family, doing the cooking, cleaning, paying the bills, etc. On Wednesday nights, I help teach an AWANA class. And, I take care of the elderly parents of a fellow church member in their home weekdays (Josh comes with me when he's not in school).
I love having more time with my children - but the dramatically reduced income, and mounting medical bills have left us struggling financially.
Josh extra sleepy again, because his blood oxygen falling again.
He is admitted to Methodist Children's Hospital
Dr. Debra Weese-Mayer in Chicago has to help San Antonio doctors to make the diagnosis (during this hospitalization) of Late-Onset Central Hypoventilation Syndrome with Hypothalamic Dysfunction.
Sept 16, 2005
Josh gets a tracheostomy
Sept 19, 2005
Josh 9th Birthday
sadly, he's still in the hospital and in isolation because he developed MRSA infection.
Josh home from hospital but has to hook to ventilator at night.
we wait to hear from Rush Hospital to see Dr. Weese-Mayer who helped make diagnosis. We are hoping the doctor will agree Josh is a candidate for a diaphragmatic pacemaker so he can get rid of trach and ventilator.
Jan 29, 2006
Josh sings "I Can Only Imagine" for our church
not a dry eye in the place
Feb 2006
Joshua gets to go back to school after the school district hires a one-on-one nurse for him.
(the one before quit the first day of this school year)
the good Joshua got to go with his class on a field trip to the symphony and then had lunch in a nearby park. His special needs nurse at school took a few pictures for me since I couldn't make it for the trip (I had to stay with our little elderly couple that day).
the bad Joshua's sodium level in his blood was very high (meaning he is very dehydrated) Friday when he went to the pulmonologist (lung doctor). This can be quite dangerous, so he has to drink an extra lot of fluids - even though he doesn't feel like he needs them - and then go back Friday of next week for more bloodwork.
and other notes We got word Wednesday concerning the Discovery Channel documentary about Joshua. It comes from Amanda Hibbitts, Production Co-ordinator for Firefly Film and Television Productions (who created the documentary):
"...just to let you know that the series is looking to be aired in the first quarter of 2008. Once I have a firmer air date I’ll let you know.
Fundraiser items Joshua sold (items he sold in person) come in to the school today. We go this afternoon to pick them up. So we'll be delivering them- if you ordered from him -soon.
Joshua's class will be having an ice cream sundae party tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. I'm planning to go lend a hand and enjoy the treats with him. :)
Items Needed: Mint Candy Kiss Tea Bag Eraser Rubber Band Toothpick Chewing Gum Band Aid Pencil
Why?????
TOOTHPICK - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others. - *Matthew 7:1
RUBBER BAND - to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it will work out. - *Romans 8:28
BAND AID - to remind you to heal hurt feelings, yours or someone else's. - *Colossians 3:12-14
PENCIL - to remind you to list your blessings everyday. - *Ephesians 1:3
ERASER - To remind you that everyone makes mistakes, and it's okay. - *Genesis 50:15-21
CHEWING GUM - to remind you to stick with it, and you can accomplish anything. - *Philippians 4:13
MINT - to remind you that you are worth a mint. - *John 3:16-17
CANDY KISS - to remind you that everyone needs a kiss or a hug everyday. - * 1st John 4:7
TEA BAG - to remind you to relax daily and go over your list of blessings. - *1 Thessalonians 5:18
*Relevant Scriptures
Lord, thank You for loyal, loving friends Who are there in winter or springtime fair. New acquaintances are easy to come by, But true friendship is extremely rare.
A friend always sees the best in you, Although they've known you at your worst. They laugh with you in the good times, When storms threaten, they'll be there first.
They'll offer a shoulder to rest your head When tears are welling in your eyes. Take a walk down friendship's path with you And help chase away those stormy skies.
Lord, thank You for all the gifts You give; Each one makes our life seem more worthwhile. But one of the finest gifts you've given us Is the warmth of friendship's loving smile.
Good Morning~ May the joy of the Lord fill you with new strength to face the day and overcome any and all obstacles in your path toward total fulfillment. Nehemiah 8:10
I hope that you had a great weekend and were fully aware of God's love and favor. Please take time to read 2 Corinthians 4 sometime today. It begins "Therefore, since we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways: we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God".
Each of us are ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How effective we are depends on how closely we adhere to the word as we go about our daily lives. I encourage you to spend more time "reading the map" so that you do not waste time trying to find your way on roads that you were never meant to travel........or losing your way, all together. God loves you,....and so do we.
TOOTHPICK - to remind you to pick out the good qualities in others. -
