In Loving Memory

Jasmine Danielle Atkinson


 
Sunrise

September 30, 1993
Sunset

August 24, 1998


 
In Memoriam...

Little girls are made of giggles and grins, and sugar and spice and everything nice. They're joy and mischief, fun and noise. That's how it is. An so it was with Jasmine Danielle Atkinson, the little angel born unto Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Paul Atkinson on 
September 30, 1993, in Rockdale County, Georgia

She was blossoming so beautifully into childhood, very happy and smart, wore a smile constantly, even during her illness, lovable and a favorite among many including her nurses. She was selected to be the 1998 CNN Champion by Children's Miracle Network of Atlanta. Her story was featured on a national television program on May 30, 1998.

"Jasmine's Wish"

I wanted to rest and be at ease,
But I wanted to make sure my family was at peace.
I have fought a good fight and lived a precious life,
Although life was unfair, I went through it like a breeze.
The Lord stretched forth His hand,
And now, MoMo, I can be at ease.
I reached out to Him without even a twinkle of an eye,
Now I am an Angel in Heaven,
MoMo, please don't cry.
I AM TRULY AT PEACE.

(Jasmine's wish to MoMo, her grandmother, 
Mrs. Gloria Mobley, whom she cherished.)

Four-Year-Old Jasmine Atkinson travels down road to recovery with lots of Support.

Watching cartoons on Saturday mornings and putting on a favorite dress for Sunday church are things that millions of little girls take for granted. But for Jasmine Atkinson, they are the newly rediscovered blessings of being a healthy, happy 4-year-old.

A near-fatal reaction to a basic fever-reducing antibiotic shot sent Jasmine to Egleston in August 1997. Her body's extreme response to the usually harmless medication escalated to the point where her skin, intestines and lungs were gravely damaged. The severity of her reaction prompted Egleston critical care specialists, under the direction of Dr. Robert Pettignano, to place Jasmine on extra-corporeal membrance oxygenation (ECMO), a heart-lung bypass machine, to help her lungs heal. 

Onita Atkinson, Jasmine's mother, said that the dedication and compassion of her daughter's medical care team helped carry them through those difficult weeks when Jasmine was struggling to survive. 

"We prayed day and night for Jasmine," Mrs. Atkinson said. "Dr. Barbara Weissman, Dr. Burton Lesnick, Dr. Gerald Teague and everyone on the 5th floor were so understanding. They would take time to explain every procedure and every machine and make sure I knew exactly what was going on."

After a three-month stay at Egleston under the care of pediatric specialists in dermatology, critical care, gastroenterology and rehabilitation, Jasmine was able to leave Egleston and enjoy the holidays with her family.

While continuing her recovery, Jasmine is now able to laugh and play with her many Cabbage Patch dolls, and loves to cuddle and watch Barney the dinosaur cartoons and movies with her mother. Jasmine is also looking forward to wearing her new frilly dresses to church and running and playing outdoors.

With continued daily medications, oxygen therapy and regular check-ups with Egleston specialists, she should be able to take her new bicycle out for a spin very soon.

Her miraculous recovery will make Jasmine a star on the Children's Miracle Network telethon in May. He upcoming appearance on the national fund-raiser will help raise money toward the kind of high-tech equipment that helped save her life.

`Winter 1998 - The Small Street Journal
Egleston Childrens Hospital
Jasmine's continued recovery was not to be. Her lungs and heart were too severely damaged by the reaction her body had to the antibiotic. Jasmine was on the waiting list for a heart-lung transplant when the angels came. She struggled for one year...and was very tired.

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