My baby nearly died after swallowing a water bead. It inspired me to become a nurse to help others.

"The procedures were complex, but I was determined to learn from the hospital team to understand what Kennedy was going through. As a parent, it was important for me to stay involved at every step. I spent hours online reading medical literature about her condition, which was caused by a single toxic bead expanding and lodging in her gut. I didn't just sign the permission forms without asking the doctors to fully explain the pros and cons."

"It's hard to believe that she was fighting for her life in the pediatric ICU after accidentally swallowing a water bead toy while crawling on the floor at 10 months old. Her oldest brother, Joshua, then 9, had been playing with the beads, which inflate in water, and we thought it must have rolled off the kitchen table onto the floor."

A 10-month-old swallowed a water bead that expanded in her gut, causing intestinal blockage, organ failure, and septic shock. The child required five surgeries in November 2022, including removal of a six-inch section of small intestine and a procedure with a 50% survival chance. The mother closely followed treatments, researched medical literature, and insisted on clear explanations of risks and benefits. Nurses recognized the mother's medical engagement. The child made a full recovery by age 3½, and the mother began training to become a nurse to give back.

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