Janay Mary Faustine Trabucco is one
of the exceptional angels on this earth.
In November of 1978, at the tender age of 5, she was admitted to
Seven Hills at Groton, then known as Montrath Pediatric Nursing
Home, with diagnosis’ of severe brain damage, cortical blindness,
epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and failure-to-thrive, to name a few.
After her birth, Janay did not neurologically progress as a normal
child, and was closely attended to by many specialist doctors, in
various Boston hospitals. One neurologist from Children’s
Hospital stated that if Janay was skillfully cared for by professionals
throughout her lifetime, her prognosis to live a long life would
be successful; even though her brain was constantly seizing and
was experiencing grand mal seizures with her entire body.
While daily attending the Professional Center for Handicapped
Children in Andover, Janay’s medical status did not change.
Due to the fact that her body was growing, she continued to endure
much more abnormal seizure activity. Janay needed daily anti-convulsant
med changes, and was quickly treated. She began to sleep all day
in school, and stay awake all night. She also began to develop decubiti,
as she preferred to sleep in only one body position. She adamantly
refused to be in any other position, through extremely loud vocalizations,
which kept the entire neighborhood awake at night.
One cold winter day while ambulating with Janay in my arms to
transfer her to her seat in the school bus, I slipped on a tiny
piece of ice, and Janay flew out of my arms, with both of us landing
on cement in different directions. Janay sustained a neurological
concussion from the fall, and remained in the hospital for a week.
Within weeks, she had acquired whooping cough, transmitted thru
other children unknowingly. Her pediatric neurologist had recommended
not to administer the pertussis vaccination, which most like would
cause more severe convulsions to Janay. While receiving IV antibiotic
therapy as an inpatient, Janay continued to convulse in the hospital.
A long search began for a long-term placement for Janay. One social
worker informed me, that in one facility, she would not place her
dog there, and she greatly disliked her dog.
Janay continued with declining health, while at home. She also
acquired at this time bilateral pneumonia, and began to refuse nutrition
& hydration, resulting in a great weight loss & exacerbation
of her failure-to-thrive. Once again, she slowly recovered, only
to acquire more acute respiratory illness’ which required
more hospitalizations.
After her admission to Seven Hills, Janay began to improve, medically.
Adjustment to the new facility took close to one year, and she received
highly nutritionalized, pureed foods & fluids, and never endured
respiratory illnesses anymore. She was daily receiving highly-skilled
nursing care. Many recommendations were made for G-tube placement.
With Janay’s failure-to-thrive at bay, her entire body flourished,
but with many orthopedic abnormalities. Within years, she needed
multiple orthopedic surgeries for her L) hip, which had dislodged
from her hip socket. A few years later, Janay’s spine had
become so abnormally deformed due to her non-ambulatory status,
that all her internal organs were threatened with potentially fatal
consequences. After more orthopedic surgery with 150 hooks &
rods to her spine, Janay was skillfully cared for by a highly skilled
nursing staff, at Seven Hills at Groton, requiring transfers from
bed to her custom-made wheelchair, with a Hoyer lift. Further orthopedic
surgery was required when the top of the spinal rod began to protrude
thru her neck, and had to be trimmed.
With the Seven Hills at Groton new building, built with the highest
medical technology & medical equipment, in October 2006, Janay
responded to this transition from the old building, very negatively.
She began again, to adamantly refuse to eat & drink, due to
a change in staff & environment for her. Once again she lost
weight, and became dehydrated & required IV therapy thru hospitalization.
Janay’s failure to thrive, had arisen again. With quick skilled
nursing care, she was closely monitored & treated by nursing
at Seven Hills at Groton for any further medical problems, and presently
is. Her weight has stabilized once again, and her failure-to-thrive
is not a threat currently.
Janay had already experienced the “transitional trauma”
which could have ended in her fatality.