Health & Medicine

Seventh Grader Miraculously Saved By Presence Of Mind Of School Nurse

Savitha .C.Muppala
First Posted: Dec 23, 2016 03:00 AM EST

Isaiah Griffin is a seventh grader and is on the threshold of celebrating his birthday on Friday, Dec. 23. Fortunately, he lives to tell his tale.

The events of last week were quite a turning point for Isaiah Griffin, a student of West Bemis Middle School, reveals Krem.

A week back, Isaiah suffered an emergency medical situation at school. The nurse, Ms. Carrie Stephenson, was called to attend on him. She found him vomiting. But unlike the usual cases she encounterd, she felt this was far more serious.

Isaiah Griffin was swaying his head and was going back and forth on his consciousness. She insisted that he be rushed to the hospital.

Recalling the fateful event last Friday, Ms. Carrie Stephenson said that something about the boy's symptoms did not seem alright. Though he had provided his mother's number, which showed that he was alert, Stephenson dissuaded his mother from taking him home. Instead, she called the ambulance without delay. This decision by the nurse saved Isaiah Griffin's life, undoubtedly.

Presently recovering at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Isaiah Griffin had suffered a stroke last week. There was a blood clot at the stem. Though the clot has been removed, the teenager has an odd gait. The prognosis and outcome of his condition was good due to the timely medical care he received. He will, of course, need physical therapy to get completely normal.

Ms. Carrie Stephenson, who is currently in her third year as a nurse for the Jackson-Madison County School System, recalled that this was the first time she had dealt with a serious medical situation like Isaiah Griffin's.

Ms. Carrie Stephenson wasted no time and quickly asked for the AED machine as well as the ambulance. She was monitoring his vital signs all the time and made sure that he did not fall asleep, according to WBBJTV.

Isaiah Griffin was transported in an ambulance to Jackson General and flown to Le Bonheur. The boy suffered a stroke and was paralyzed on his left side.

"Her thinking and everything she did for him saved his life, I tell you what," IsaiahGriffin's mother said. "We could've been planning a funeral, not planning a celebration."

Isaiah Griffin, who was told he had only a 50 percent chance of survival, is making good recovery after surgery. His mother, Deborah Griffin, was very grateful to the timely medical care and team that has worked to assist her son. She was touched by the most significant step taken by the school nurse.

"This is going to be one of the best Christmases. Ms. Carrie has given me a gift," Isaiah Griffin's mother said. "It's just the most precious gift she could have given me."

 

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