Interested in leaving a legacy at McLane Children’s Hospital through a bequest
or planned gift? You might be surprised how easy it can be and how you can
financially benefit your loved ones while giving to your favorite charity. Please call
254-899-3769 to learn how you can make an impact for generations to come!
EVERY MINUTE COUNTS (CONTINUED)
Cole spent about a week recovering in the
PICU at McLane Children’s after his
emergency surgery.
in and out of consciousness a lot. All I
could really do was play with Play-Doh
and sleep, which was all I wanted to
do anyway.”
Although he slept through many
of their visits, Cole appreciates that
his friends were able to visit him in
the hospital. “If they had flown me to
another hospital, I would have been
really lonely. All the friends and the
people I’ve grown up with who came
to visit me wouldn’t have been able to
do that,” he says.
Friends and colleagues also
kept Cole’s family up to date on his
recovery. Dr. McDonald has worked
with several of the doctors and
nurses who took care of his son, and
says they kept him informed at every
stage. Still, it was a frightening time
for Cole’s parents. “As a physician,
I knew what was going on, and I
knew he was going to have a good
outcome,” Dr. McDonald says. “But
even with that knowledge, you just
don’t experience it at the same level
that you do as a parent. It was hard
not to think the worst.”
Fortunately, McLane Children’s
trauma specialists were able to act
in time to save Cole. With the help
of his neurologist and physical and
occupational therapists, Cole is
back to normal, save for his shorter
haircut. “I almost don’t believe that
it happened to me. I can’t imagine
anyone recovering from something like
that, but I did,” Cole says.
The McDonald family is very
grateful to the McLane Children’s
staff who cared for Cole, and to
those who made his recovery possible
through their gifts to the hospital.
“I don’t want to be overly dramatic,”
Dr. McDonald says, “but I don’t think
Cole could have had better care
anywhere in the country.” “I probably
wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for a
place like this,” Cole says. “I want to
take advantage of my second chance,
and hopefully give back in the same
meaningful way some day.”
“I PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE
HERE IF IT WEREN’T FOR A
PLACE LIKE THIS. I WANT
TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
MY SECOND CHANCE, AND
HOPEFULLY GIVE BACK IN
THE SAME MEANINGFUL
WAY SOME DAY.”
Cole and his mother, Ami, play piano together in the chapel at McLane Children’s.
— Cole McDonald