Once upon a time, a 12-year-old boy named Jonathon lived in a shelter with his mother and 13-year-old brother.

Right before Christmas, as the flu was leveling the shelter population, Jonathon got sick. Unlike everyone else, he didn't get better, he got worse.

Since his mom had no insurance or doctor they would go to the emergency room when Jonathon seemed dangerously sick. Each time they went they were told that he just had a bad case of the flu, rest, drink liquids....

Jonathon's mom is a trained Certified Nurses' Assistant. She was trying her best to care for her son. So did the shelter staff and other residents. Jonathon missed lots of school. His mom missed lots of work. Her son couldn't play. He just tried to get through each day. Everyone was worried as he got weaker and weaker. Finally, when again being told by the emergency room doctor that her boy just had the flu, Jonathon's mother courageously confronted the doctor. He has more than the flu, she unflinchingly asserted. She pointed to Jonathon's heart, unnaturally visible on his scrawny chest. Horrified, the doctor immediately ordered tests and found, not surprisingly, that this young boy had an enlarged heart.  . . .read more

 

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