Nadia's Story

As I watch my 15 month old daughter, Nadia, climb the stairs with endless energy and a smile that lights up the room, I find it hard to believe that last fall she was fighting for her life at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

In September Nadia fell from her car seat onto the floor.  Although she cried for a bit and there was a small bump on her head, she appeared to be perfectly fine and was playing and eating normally.  I became concerned when she woke from her nap and vomited after having her bottle.  Since this was unusual and Nadia was becoming pale and listless, I brought her to our pediatrician.  He immediately recognized signs of a serious head injury and called 911.  We were taken by ambulance to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

What waited for me there was something I am not likely to forget in my lifetime.  There were over a dozen medical professionals all poised to care for my daughter.  A CT scan revealed a massive epidural hematoma and just 23 minutes after our arrival, Nadia was in the operating room undergoing life-saving surgery.  Nadia’s fall resulted in a skull fracture that had torn an underlying artery causing bleeding and swelling in the brain.  The neurosurgeon who performed the operation was able to evacuate the hemorrhage and control the bleeding site.  At the end of the procedure, CereTom, the only portable CT scanner of its kind in the state, was used to ensure all bleeding had stopped. After spending 4 days in the Intensive Care Unit, we were able to bring our beautiful little girl home.

Nadia was in such a fragile state when she arrived at Connecticut Children’s that, had there been even a five minute delay at any point, she would have died.  My family will be forever grateful for the skilled medical team that cared for our daughter.  Connecticut Children’s is the only academic medical center in the region dedicated exclusively to children.  Because they treat only children, they had the knowledge, expertise and equipment to respond to Nadia’s unique needs.  

The Medical Center is also a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center.  Verification as a Level 1 facility is the highest ranking that can be achieved and signifies that the center is capable of providing trauma patients with the most advanced and comprehensive care available.  To achieve this distinction, the Center must have access to pediatric subspecialists and other resources that include a pediatric intensive care unit and state of the art operating suites.

As a not for profit organization, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center relies on gifts from people like you and me to advance the clinical programs and services, like the Trauma Center, that are vital to the families in our region.


Suzanne Ali

A very grateful mom