On the morning of June 17, 2008, Rachel Nelson had the hardest time reaching her
husband, Michael.
Just two months before that day, the pair had been instructed to keep their cell
phones turned on and with them at all times. The call they prayed for could
come at any time. Their daughter’s life depended on it.
Their daughter, Michayla, 8, was set to be Vanderbilt’s first, successful pediatric liver transplant. Vanderbilt has performed six
transplants since Michayla in children ranging in age from 2 months to 14 years
old.
“It’s odd,” Rachel recalled. “You know the call is coming, but you never think it’s going to be today. I started making phone calls, but he would not answer the
phone at first.
“It was a crazy day. I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I’m not sure anyone is really ever prepared.”
For the record: she did reach her husband and the family packed up and drove
from their home in Lebanon, Tenn., to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. Upon their arrival they presented the admitting office
their golden ticket—a pass of sorts alerting the staff of the importance and urgency of the patient’s circumstances.
“During the evaluation process, the transplant team gives you golden tickets,” Nelson said. “I had one, my husband had one, and my mom had one. We had all the bases covered.
All we had to do was present that to the person in admitting and they would
take it from there.”
When Michayla was 6 months old, she was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer—hepatoblastoma. After aggressive chemotherapy, removal of the mass and further
therapy, she was given a good bill of health. Every six months, she had scans
to check her liver’s status and growth.
