My daughter Shaela has been a patient at the Sub-Acute Saratoga Children's Hospital (SASCH) for little over a year (2006). I must say I was devastated at first, as any parent would be, at the thought of her not coming home. Dr. Quintana and all the staff were very patient with my grief and helped me get through this transition. Shaela has adjusted very well to the stay there. I can say this because, just recently, she had surgery at an acute hospital, and for the 7 days she was there, her emotion was very different and she seemed restless.

Upon returning back to SASCH she was much more calm and comfortable in her surroundings. She is up daily and goes to the school provided for all the children. She participates in activities, which are very stimulating. The staff is wonderful in her physical care as well as pay close attention to her medical needs. I can rest at night knowing she is cared for 24 hours a day. The staff keeps me well informed of even the smallest changes that are made and are always there to answer any questions or concerns that I may have. I appreciate having a facility like this that my child can be at and all the hard work and patience that are provided to all the children that are in need of good care.

Edna Chamberlain
Mother

On December 11, 2003, my son Jonathan Jackson was in a car accident that left him paralyzed completely from what the doctors say was caused by a C2 fracture and lack of oxygen to the brain. It has also left him unable to talk. I could understand him, as a mother, can always understand her child through a connection no one else can encounter. Jonathan is now 7 yrs old and is doing wonderful.

Jonathan is a wonderful, high-spirited amazing angel with so much energy that you thought was abnormal. Hahahaha! No one ever thought this day would come, but no one ever knows what each day will bring; this day of 12/11/03 changed my life forever. There have always been some good days and some bad days, but the thankful days outweigh the bad days. As a mother of 3 and my only son, I can stand proud of my him and how far God has brought him and how far God will continue to bring him.

Jonathan has been moved around so much and we never knew where home would be. However, we finally found a home that I can say has had a huge impact on whom and what Jonathan has become; home is with the loving care that all the nurses and staff at SASCH. I can say that each day becomes better for him with their love. Jonathan goes to school at this wonderful place called home and each day he goes to activities. The staff is wonderful and I am happy where he is, as this is Jonathan's second home and I am blessed to have him close to me as we encounter this journey of a definite miracle.

Jocelyn Sullivan
Mother

Our family's life has greatly changed since Kohta was born. We take care of him at home. Sometimes we got tired and needed a break. Then one day we heard about SASCH. Since then, Kohta stays at SASCH whenever our family needs to go away. We feel very comfortable leaving our son in the hands of the capable staff at SASCH. They are very friendly and the environment is awesome.

Kohta got pneumonia very often and had been suffering from aspiration. One day we were told that Kohta might die within 24 hours because his lung was so weak. We got many suggestions from many doctors, who were all negative. At SASCH, after talking to Dr. Quintana, we made the best decision we ever made for Kohta and that was to trach him. Since then, his quality of life greatly improved - thanks to Dr. Quintana's professional advice and wisdom.

Hiroyasu & Atsuko Takahashi
Parents

Anthony Alfaro was 15 years old and headed down the wrong path in life. He was expelled from several schools and had even been in Juvenile Hall twice.

But the night of June 7, 2006 around 9:15 p.m. our whole family's lives were changed completely and never to be the same again. They were having a church youth group pool party and his aunt and uncle's house in Dixon, CA. Instead of being in the pool where he should have been, Anthony was playing a very dangerous game in the middle of the street when he was struck by a pick up truck. The shirt Anthony was wearing at the time caught on to the undercarriage of the pickup, which caused the truck to drag him underneath for approximately 150 feet before letting go. Anthony was taken by ambulance to the nearby high school field, where he was picked up by the life flight team and taken to UCD Medical Center here in Sacramento. He was immediately taken into surgery. He had many, many severe injuries. He had broken his pelvis, collar bone, jaw, nose and parts of his skulls were shattered. The doctors had to remove the bone flap from the right side of his head to remove some of the pressure from all the bleeding in his brain. Anthony was so unstable from second to second - they didn't think he had any chance of making it through that first night. After his second surgery they pulled us into a conference room and told us how bad he was and that we would probably only have about two hours to say our goodbyes. Of course we were completely in shock and didn't want to accept what they were saying!

Anthony made it through that first night and all the doctors were surprised he was still hanging on. His little body was so damaged! That day they put traction in his left leg to hold his pelvis in place until they could go in and do surgery to fix it. He was too unstable, even on life support. He was on machines and medications for everything to keep his body and mind going. With all the unknown damage to his head and brain, they put Anthony into an induced coma the first night so he wouldn't cause anymore damage by moving around.

At this point however, he was already in a coma. They just couldn't take the chance of him waking up and moving around causing more damage. That first week they ended up having to do surgery to fix his pelvis because he had severe bleeding that was going on around that area of his body. The surgery went great! After that surgery he had several more down the line. Anthony had many drains put in and taken out to process the spinal fluid in his body. He damaged part of the normal functions for it in the accident. He then developed pneumonia from the breathing tube and they had to go in and do a tracheotomy, which is when the breathing tube is moved to his throat.

They eventually also had to put an internal shunt from the left side of Anthony's brain down to his abdominal area. This helps his body process the spinal fluid since he can't on his own anymore. He also had to have a G-tube put in his stomach because he can't open his mouth and was losing way too much weight. Anthony got down to approximately 68 pounds. All you could see were bones under his skin. They also took him off all meds to keep him in a coma, all morphine, and some other types of meds. Anthony's body started to maintain his blood pressure and such, on his own, but he did not come out of the coma. He was in the coma for approximately 3 ½ months at UCD - still in the ICU unit. Then he was transferred to Kaiser Morse Ave ICU unit, still in a vegetative state of a coma, where he stayed for approximately 1-1/2 to 2 months. He was then was then transferred to SASCH in Saratoga.

When we arrived at SASCH the staff was very friendly and helpful. They got Anthony all settled in and made us feel very welcome as well. This was the first time someone from our family could not be there round the clock with Anthony. So it was hard and it was also very far from home, but everyone got used to it very quickly. They also have a room there on their grounds that families can rent at a very good price for the night as long as you reserve it before hand and it isn't already taken by another family. This room was very helpful for our family. It's right there not even 100 feet away from some of the rooms. The staff got evaluations going with Anthony right away in order to start his therapy and such. His therapists were wonderful and very caring! Anthony's nurses and their whole staff were very nice and caring to all of us. They helped make a difficult situation a bit easier to deal with. The facility also has a school right there for the kids to go to once they are ready. They arrange the IEP and everything. They also worked with him on a daily basis. When Anthony started to realize more of what was going and was able to move his body more he started trying to get out of his bed. They, at one point, had to put a nurse with him 24/7 for his safety until they could get him an enclosure bed. But even when he got that he wanted to get out of that bed. What he didn't realize is that he couldn't stand up let alone walk on his own. He gave them a run for their money - that's for sure. He would pull on the IV's, his trach, and even pulled his g-tube out once. They still handled him with loving care! Anthony also spent his 16th birthday there and they were very nice and understanding with us putting up a birthday card sign. They also handled our huge family very well. We always tried to have someone there at all times and they put up with us.

Once Anthony started responding more they transferred him to Kaiser rehab in Vallejo. He was sad to leave the SASCH family he had gotten to know. After all, they were the first set of nurses and such he really got to know. The staff at the other hospitals he didn't really even know was there because he was still in the coma. Anthony was in Vallejo until December 1, 2006 when we brought him home. We had moved when he was in the hospital all that time and a lot had changed within our families. He was probably really confused, but he has been adjusting to all the changes. And he has been working very hard to recover from this tragedy.

It has been a huge adjustment for all of us. I had to leave my career as branch manager and escrow officer to stay home and care for him. My husband also had to leave his job to help me because there was no way I could do it on my own. I couldn't even lift Anthony on my own. He still needed 24/7 care and it took both of us to do it. We were always exhausted. I really don't know how those nurses do this all the time. Although they don't have to work and care for the rest of their kids at the same time. I guess if it was my job and not my home life too it would be different. But I still admire the staff that does give the love and care these children need. We also have a website for Anthony. It has his status from about the week after his accident up to now. It also allows you to leave him or the family a message if you would like. That site is: www.supportcircle.com then just enter Anthony Alfaro and it will take you to his page.

Well, we are now at a year after the accident (2007). We just had a one year “Thank God I'm Alive Celebration” for Anthony. This morning I put Anthony on a school bus, where he will start his first day back at school - at a high school with a special needs program in place. He will be in summer school until the end of July and he hopes to return there in the fall for the regular school year. Anthony is still wheelchair-bound, but improving more and more every day. As a matter of fact, for my birthday last Friday, Anthony met his goal for his present to me - Anthony stood up and got out of his wheelchair on his own and walked approximately 6 steps over to me and gave me a BIG hug!!!! It was amazing to see and the best birthday present a mother could ever get!

Anthony is a true miracle and he has also changed many lives around him and through his story. If your child or any loved one is ever in the situation we were the night they told us to prepare to say our goodbyes, don't give up and trust in God! We didn't give up and look at my son today! He is shocking the world, especially his doctors that have seen him since the beginning. Anthony has proved them all wrong one step at a time.

Tammy Alfaro
Mother