The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond XXXI

Sean Michael Bourke
Scott Larivee, Teacher
Mary Lyon K-8 School, Brighton, MA
My courageous moment started on December 6, 2021. My friends and I
were at the park playing basketball. I was so happy. We decided to leave
and come to my house. We were playing on my trampoline, and we were
all having fun. The next day I had a pain in my chest and went to the
nurse. I tried to rest, but suddenly I woke up and had to vomit. After that
I went home and was vomiting a lot. The next day I was still vomiting. My
mom called the doctor, and the doctor said it was probably a stomach bug
because one was going around.
Later that day I was still feeling awful and my dad hated to see me like that,
so he brought me to Urgent Care. I walked into Urgent Care hunched
over. As soon as the doctor saw me he told my dad that I probably have
appendicitis, and I have to go to the hospital immediately. Confused, I left
Urgent Care, and I was on my way to the hospital.
When I got to the Tufts Medical Center, I waited for three hours. Then I felt
the worst pain I have ever felt. It felt like fire was in my stomach. Thankfully,
a room opened up, and I went straight in. They gave me a lot of pain killers.
They did an ultrasound and CAT scan of my stomach. They saw that I did
have appendicitis, and I needed to have surgery first thing in the morning.
I was very scared: I had never had surgery before. I had so many questions,
and I was freaking out! However my dad told me not to be scared and that I
was doing a good job so far. This gave me courage to not be scared.
The next day when it was time for surgery, the doctor and nurse wheeled
me to the O.R. I was so scared, but I tried to calm myself down by taking
deep breaths. When the doctors were bringing me to the O.R. all I heard
was the CLINK, CLINK, CLINK of the wheels on the bed. The doctors
tried to make me feel calm by giving me squishy toys to squeeze. I do not
remember anything else after that because they gave me anesthesia. When
I woke up my mom was sitting next to me. I didn’t even know the surgery
was over until my mom told me. My mom said she had bad news. Scared,
I listened and felt like my stomach turned. She said that when the doctors
were removing my appendix it had ruptured, and I had to stay in the
hospital for the rest of the week!
“I have learned to
not be so fearful
of something you
have not been
through yet.”
On the first couple days I couldn’t even walk by myself. Every hour, doctors
came in, checked my vitals, and gave me antibiotics because when my
appendix ruptured a ton of bacteria entered my body. The thing I hated the
most was when the doctors took my blood. I hate needles so much, and I hate
when I see my own blood. They did that every day.
My family came every day to check on me. On Friday I started to take my
first steps confidently. The next day I was taking my last antibiotics. I was so
happy because I had an IV, and it is a pain having to walk around everywhere
pushing it. Finally, December 12 was my last day. I watched movies, and then
my dad came to get me and my mom after being in the hospital for six days.
I was super happy after leaving the hospital because I could see my dog, my
family, and friends.
Today I am back to my normal life by hanging out with friends, playing sports
and being in school. I have learned to not be so fearful of something you have
not been through yet. I am more confident about surgery, although I hope I
do not have to go through it again. I suggest if you are going through surgery
to stay calm and do not freak out because when it is over you will feel better.
My experience changed me because, although I remember the bad things that
happened at the hospital like taking blood, needles, the bad taste of medicine,
the smell of the robe I had to wear, and not being able to leave my bed for
days, I am now more confident.
The Courage of Children: Boston and Beyond
Volume XXXI
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