From the time she was 3 or 4 years old, Jordyn struggled with chronic sinus and respiratory issues. By the age of 8, Jordyn’s hearing began to diminish, and her doctor determined that it would be best to remove her tonsils and adenoids to help alleviate these ongoing problems. However, after the routine procedure, Jordyn started coughing up red and white foam, and didn’t respond as expected. She was rushed by ambulance to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, where she was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Unfortunately, Jordyn’s condition worsened. The PICU team discovered that her lungs were full of fluid, but were still unsure of the cause for the response or sickness. A few days later, Jordyn’s condition deteriorated further, and she began to code due to dangerously low oxygen levels. Her doctors placed her on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to support her heart and lungs. “When Jordyn started to code, I was terrified,” recalls her mother, Karyn. “I didn’t know what was going to happen, but the calmness and confidence on everyone’s face reassured me that there was something they could do.”

During Jordyn’s time at the Children’s Center, she underwent several surgeries. One of the first was being placed on ECMO, which required her to be put into a paralytic state to keep her safe. A chest tube was inserted to drain the fluid from her lungs. After a few weeks, doctors decided to adjust the ECMO machine to focus solely on supporting her lungs, which involved yet another surgery.

Two weeks later, the doctors found that the fluid in Jordyn’s lungs was likely caused by pneumonia, which may have been overlooked before the original procedure. Thankfully, the ECMO machine gradually helped her lungs recover.

As Jordyn began her recovery journey, more people from Johns Hopkins visited her to help her understand what had happened and what she had been through. “It wasn’t just up to us as her family,” Karyn remembers. “The Child Life Department staff brought her activities to keep her engaged. She would wake up and make slime or lip gloss, and there was always an activity for her to participate in.” These activities helped Jordyn and her family cope with the situation. The team also provided emotional support by watching movies with her, singing, and accompanying her during big surgeries. Jordyn received regular visits from music therapists, therapy dogs, magicians, and occupational and physical therapists.

As Jordyn’s condition improved and she gradually recovered from ECMO, she was able to leave her room for other activities at the Children’s Center, and became the PICU ambassador for Slime Day! One of the most memorable moments was when Jordyn rode a bike through the PICU, a priceless achievement.

Jordyn was told that she might need inpatient physical therapy after leaving the hospital, but her care team taught her to walk again and she was able to go home, continuing with outpatient physical and aerobic therapy. Jordyn now proudly bears scars from the surgeries, which she considers her “battle scars.” Even though they are no longer her primary caregivers, her doctors and nurses at the Children’s Center still check in on her through text messages and social media.

“My favorite part was how patient and kind everyone was,” says Karyn. “Even in incredibly scary moments, they were confident and calm. No one seemed afraid.” Now 9 years old, Jordyn is the same bright, bubbly little girl she was before. She has aspirations to be a rock star when she grows up, but those who know her all agree that after everything she’s overcome, she already is a star.

“I’m sure that God guided us to Johns Hopkins Children’s Center,” says Karyn. “What an amazing team!”