When life gives you lemon...

“Help! Help! Somebody help my baby!” I screamed as I ran through the double doors with my precious child in my arms. It felt like a scene straight out of a movie. The memory still lives with me and makes me cry to this day. It all happened on December 29, 2025, at 2:20 a.m.

The night before, my son had a fever. We gave him Tylenol, wiped him down, and got him ready for bed. I woke up at exactly 2:00 a.m. and noticed that we were out of medicine. I immediately woke up my husband and sent him to the store. When he returned about 10 minutes later, we gave our son the Tylenol. My son was walking around the house and waking everyone up because he wanted to play. One minute, he was laughing. The next minute, he was screaming and twitching.

I picked him up because I thought he had become frightened by his own shadow. As soon as I carried him, his body went limp in my arms. His eyes rolled back, and the right side of his body began twitching.

Screaming for help, I ran to my mom. I immediately handed him to her because my body had become numb. I could not speak. All I could do was cry. I did not understand what was happening. Why was this happening?

My husband started the car, and without even changing our clothes, we drove to the nearest hospital, Guam Regional Medical City. Inside the car, I prayed and prayed.

“Drive faster! Faster!”

As we passed the Iglesia ni Cristo church, my son suddenly began vomiting. When we arrived at GRMC, I ran inside, pleading for help. That morning, I realized that I do not handle emergency situations well. I also realized how much composure my husband has. While I was panicking in the back seat, he remained calm and focused on getting us safely to the hospital.

At least five nurses attended to my son right away. They cut his shirt open and tried to intubate him, but they did not have a tube small enough to fit his tiny throat. Instead, they placed an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth to help him breathe.

They informed me that they were giving him Ativan to stop the seizure. I told them, “Okay, do whatever you need to do.”

The seizure did not stop immediately. They gave him at least three doses of Ativan before it finally stopped. Afterward, I was informed that we would have to transfer to Guam Memorial Hospital because GRMC did not have a pediatric ward or a pediatrician available at the hospital. I was hesitant because of GMH’s reputation, but the situation was beyond my control.

At 6:00 a.m., an ambulance arrived to transfer us. It was the first time, and I hope the last time, that I would sit strapped to an ambulance bed while holding my unconscious child in my arms.

When we arrived, the medical staff briefed us, but I was not listening. I only wanted my son to wake up. I continued praying, pleading, and bargaining. At 10:40 a.m., he finally woke up with a smile on his face.

For three days, he was given antibiotics. The doctor later informed me that no infection had been found in his body. My “spider senses” tingled, and I asked, “Why are you still giving him antibiotics? Could that be the reason he still has a fever? Could that be why he is still so weak?”

That same day, the nurses stopped the antibiotics. Sure enough, my son became much more energetic. They continued giving him Tylenol and ibuprofen at scheduled intervals.

By December 31, 2025, he was finally walking, babbling, and playing again. We thought we were going home, but we were informed that the doctor wanted to observe him for one more day. That was fine with me. I would rather stay another day than go through the same frightening experience again.

My mom, sister, and brother brought us food shortly before midnight so that we would have something to eat while celebrating the New Year. The next day, we received the good news that we were finally going home.

Despite GMH’s reputation, the nurses were wonderful. They treated us with respect and showed empathy throughout our entire stay.

This experience taught me to be stronger. It gave me the courage to speak up and ask questions whenever something is bothering me. I never used to do that before. What people say is true: there is nothing a mother will not do for her child.

This experience also taught me to love more deeply and appreciate the people around us. It reminded me to be more cautious when someone is sick and to pay closer attention to warning signs. Overall, this experience strengthened my faith in God and in humanity.