Family Story
Khadijah’s
Story – Written by Michelle
Hamilton, House Manager
7
year old Khadijah’s story begins with such a simple daily task: A bath. During
her nighttime bath on 9/24/01, Khadijah’s mom, Joyce, noticed a lump on
Khadijah’s left side. She thought it must be a bruise that had swollen but
when it wouldn’t go down, she knew something was wrong. Joyce called
Khadijah’s dad and they took her to the ER in Hattiesburg, MS. It was there
that this family’s life changed forever. Khadijah had a tumor on her left
kidney that had to be removed immediately. After surgery, Khadijah had to have
radiation and chemotherapy treatments here in Jackson, MS and that’s when she
came to the Ronald McDonald House and touched all of our lives. (I remember when Khadijah arrived at the house. It was the day
after Christmas (12/26/01) and she arrived loaded with toys she had received
from the hospital. She was so excited to be here and look around her new
“home.”)
Because Khadijah’s treatments didn’t last very long each day,
Khadijah was often found at the house. She became a faithful office assistant
helping to do anything! She would fold linens, help get a room ready for another
family, open and close the blinds in the house, really anything as long as she
was helping the RMH staff.
The only time she wasn’t helping the staff was when she was hanging out
with her new best friend – “Uncle Blackie” The RMH cat. These two formed
such a bond that when Khadijah came back to be admitted to the hospital, Uncle
Blackie was found roaming the hospital grounds, looking for her: (Something he
did not do at any other time!)
Unfortunately, in early May 2002,
Khadijah was admitted to the hospital with flu – like symptoms and continued
to have complications one after the other.
She continued to have problems throughout the summer and at times, was
receiving dialysis. At the end of September, Khadijah had accumulated too much
fluid around her heart and when they went to drain it by inserting a needle,
there were complications that caused her to need open heart surgery. At
many different times during these many months of complications, the doctors told
Khadijah’s family to prepare for the worst. We tried to prepare ourselves for
the loss of such a wonderful child. The one person who NEVER gave up – who
NEVER prepared herself for this loss, was Khadijah’s mom. She had such strong
faith that Khadijah would make it and she never lost sight of that faith. She
truly taught all of us a lesson of love, hope and faith.
Thankfully, Khadijah came through surgery
and TOOK OFF! Only a few weeks later, she was up and eating and had no more
fluid accumulation.
On 10/30/02, Khadijah got to go home for the 1st time in 6
long months!
In November of 2002, Khadijah decided it was time for her Make A Wish
party. She had had to cancel her trip to Disney due to being in the hospital so
she decided that she would have a Shopping Spree instead and she would have a
party here at the RMH, which she calls her “Jackson home.”
In May 2003, Khadijah was interviewed along with her mother, her doctors
and the staff here at the RMH and the interview was aired on WJTV here in
Jackson as part of the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital CMN Telethon.