Health Care Story of the Week - 3/17/10

Laurenda is the adoptive Mom of six girls, including 12 year old Karla and her sister. In 2003, she and her husband, Danny, took Karla in as a foster child. Karla needed to have open heart surgery, and after negotiating with Karla’s birth mother, Laurenda received permission to get heart surgery for Karla.

Laurenda made sure that Karla made it to all of her appointments with the cardiologist and the surgeon, as well as all her other doctors. When Karla went to Vanderbilt for surgery, Laurenda stayed there with her for a week. “She played games with me and even pulled me up and down the halls in a red wagon,” said Karla. “My new Mom even made a scrapbook for me of my time in the hospital so I would always know why I have scars on my chest.”

Thanks to Laurenda’s dedication, Karla’s surgery was a success. Now, “You can’t tell Karla that she can’t do anything,” said Ms. Whisenhunt. “She loves to work with my husband building things. She doesn’t have the fear of overdoing something, she has confidence.”

All of Laurenda and Danny’s adopted daughters have special needs, “but she always manages to take care of us,” said Karla. “I can’t really think of the words to tell you how special she is… All of my friends think she is the bomb.” As this family's story demonstrates, a parent's persistence and dedication to ensure that her children get the care they need can make all the difference.