Patient Stories

Jayden has always been a fighter. He was born 1lbs and 3oz, was diagnosed with sickle cell disease, and shortly after needed open heart surgery. At just a few months old, Jayden then began having trouble breathing. He was diagnosed with tracheal and subglottic stenosis, a narrowing of the airway below the vocal cords and above the trachea. This resulted in him needing a tracheostomy. Despite the complications he endured he never gave up fighting. Jayden was first admitted to Hospital for Special Care in November of 2020, where he received physical therapy and speech therapy. Jayden’s mom knew he was in good hands, and knew he was getting the treatment he needed despite missing her son. Jayden always has the biggest smile, and it went well with his title on the unit, “Swifter King”. He cleaned everything; it was something he enjoyed. He always wanted to jump in and help environmental services taking out the trash or mopping the floors.

On September 28th, 2023, Jayden had his trach removed. This was a huge transition after being on a ventilator. This meant Jayden would soon be able to go home. On the day of Jayden’s discharge, he had a full team of support during his discharge parade. He was so excited, and his smile said it all. “He is certainly missed; the unit hasn’t been cleaned the same since,” said Nadine, clinical coordinator of pediatric nursing.