Jacob’s Story

Jacob was born on October 21st, 2011.  Around 10 months I started noticing that he wasn’t acting right and right away I made a doctors appointment, the doctors referred us to Nationwide Children’s. Right away they started doing some tests, blood work, MRI and EEG. When tests came back the Neurology doctor came in and told me that Jacob had epilepsy and they put him on a seizure medication right away. I was glad that I finally knew what was going on with him and that I knew how to help him more. The doctors where amazing, they gave me the information that I needed and answered all the question that I might have had. The medication helped him so much and slowed down his seizures.

We went and saw a geneticist to see what was causing his seizures they did some blood work on him and some other tests and said that he was born with an extra chromosome and that he would never outgrow epilepsy. Then in March 2014 something new started, Jacob said that his stomach was hurting, he started doubling over and passing out I rushed him up to our local hospital they did some blood work and within an hour they came back in the room and said that his hemoglobin has dropped into the Danger Zone. They said he had to be transported to Nationwide Children’s for blood transfusion; I remember being so scared. When we got to Nationwide Children’s his hemoglobin dropped even lower they put him on a IV and some medication. The next morning early they started the blood transfusion, that took 8 hours. We were in the hospital for a week. We had to check his blood every other week to make sure that his hemoglobin was staying where it should be about a month later we went back to the doctors and he checked his blood and he said that his hemoglobin dropped just a little, I remember the doctor telling me that he wasn’t for sure what what causing his hemoglobin to drop, all I remember him telling that he wanted to do a test to check for leukemia and he wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy and then we had to do another blood transfusion there at the hospital and then we got to go home.

When we had a follow-up appointment on April 1st with the doctor he checked his hemoglobin and we got the result of his bone marrow biopsy and it came back negative for leukemia; all I remember is crying, I was so happy and his hemoglobin was good. To this day his hemoglobin is staying where it should but we still get it checked every year. Jacob is now 6 years old, he is still on all his medicine and doing great. He loves to play basketball and baseball. Thank you NCH and all the staff. You guys are truly amazing and a blessing

https://flutter.nationwidechildrens.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/0821171718_Film1-e1507044365317.jpg
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  • Name: Jacob S.Jacob Smith
  • Condition(s): Anemia, Epilepsy
  • Age at Treatment: 10 Months
  • Age Today: 10/21/201112 Years

Jacob was born on October 21st, 2011.  Around 10 months I started noticing that he wasn’t acting right and right away I made a doctors appointment, the doctors referred us to Nationwide Children’s. Right away they started doing some tests, blood work, MRI and EEG. When tests came back the Neurology doctor came in and told me that Jacob had epilepsy and they put him on a seizure medication right away. I was glad that I finally knew what was going on with him and that I knew how to help him more. The doctors where amazing, they gave me the information that I needed and answered all the question that I might have had. The medication helped him so much and slowed down his seizures.

We went and saw a geneticist to see what was causing his seizures they did some blood work on him and some other tests and said that he was born with an extra chromosome and that he would never outgrow epilepsy. Then in March 2014 something new started, Jacob said that his stomach was hurting, he started doubling over and passing out I rushed him up to our local hospital they did some blood work and within an hour they came back in the room and said that his hemoglobin has dropped into the Danger Zone. They said he had to be transported to Nationwide Children’s for blood transfusion; I remember being so scared. When we got to Nationwide Children’s his hemoglobin dropped even lower they put him on a IV and some medication. The next morning early they started the blood transfusion, that took 8 hours. We were in the hospital for a week. We had to check his blood every other week to make sure that his hemoglobin was staying where it should be about a month later we went back to the doctors and he checked his blood and he said that his hemoglobin dropped just a little, I remember the doctor telling me that he wasn’t for sure what what causing his hemoglobin to drop, all I remember him telling that he wanted to do a test to check for leukemia and he wanted to do a bone marrow biopsy and then we had to do another blood transfusion there at the hospital and then we got to go home.

When we had a follow-up appointment on April 1st with the doctor he checked his hemoglobin and we got the result of his bone marrow biopsy and it came back negative for leukemia; all I remember is crying, I was so happy and his hemoglobin was good. To this day his hemoglobin is staying where it should but we still get it checked every year. Jacob is now 6 years old, he is still on all his medicine and doing great. He loves to play basketball and baseball. Thank you NCH and all the staff. You guys are truly amazing and a blessing

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