Gearld Gunder
Born, September 20,1981~heaven Bound, February 27, 2003 .
Gearld Gunder was born September 20, 1981, and died February 27, 2003 .
I am sending a picture of him that I love.
Writing this is going to rough for me but I
want his picture and story to be seen and read by other Meningitis Angles.
My name is Doris Hall, Gearld's mom. His dad is, Bruce Gunder .
Gearld has two bothers name, Bruce Wayne Gunder the Second, who is 26 and
Christopher Gunder, who is 24. He has a sister in law, Sarah and two nephews,
Cody, 6 and Nathan, 1 .
Here is his story
Gearld was born healthy child . At two months old he became ill with a high
fever
I tried to get it to go down but I couldn't. I took him to the emergency room
at the hospital. When we arrived, they packed him in ice and eventually his
fever went
down. The ER doctor gave me some medicine and sent him home. We were not home
more than an hour before his temp went back up real high and he was crying
severely At this point he couldn't move his neck that really scared me. I took
him back to the emergency room. Once again they packed him in ice and
admitted him to the hospital .
They couldn't keep his fever down. I asked what was wrong with my son and the
doctor said he didn't know. They ran some test on him and by that time his was
having
seizures so bad. I begged the doctor to please help my son.
The doctor said he didn't know what my son had and several other doctors saw
him and couldn't figure out what was wrong either.
I was one, scared mom. The doctors said, they had never seen anything like it
and didn't know how to treat him . They called around to other hospitals to
see what they could find out. Finally, a little girl was brought in to another
hospital with the same symptoms, Gearld had. Her doctor gave Gearld's doctor
a diagnosis of meningitis and information on how to treat it.
They put Gearld in isolation and me and both his bothers until they could
determine what kind of meningitis they were dealing with.
By this time my son was getting worse. I thought I
was going to loose him. I begged for them to please help him. I
was becoming
really angry with the doctors because I couldn't believe that they didn't know
what he had and how to treat him and had allowed him to become much worse
before they
did something.
We required us all to have a spinal tap. The neurosurgeon came in and told me,
Gearld
had spinal meningitis and we weren't contagious. They took us out of
isolation.
The neurosurgeon said, Gearld had fluid on his brain and they were
going to have to put
a shunt in his brain to drain the fluid off . This would enable them to see
any damage the fever might have caused to his brain. was scared. He told
me,
they would do every thing they could for him.
They took him to surgery and they about lost him twice.
I was praying so hard and crying. They put him in intensive care after
surgery and I almost lost him again.
Again they wanted to know if I would sign a paper allowing them not
resuscitate him.
I told them, I could not make that decision. I said, I have faith in God
that He will pull
my son through this terrible ordeal and He did.
Gearld lost most of his brain, was blinded and severely handicapped form the
meningitis. He remained in the hospital for three long months before he was
released to go home .
After that, Gearld never walked. He was in a wheel chair all his life.
He was in out of the hospital more times than I can count. He had a endo-tube
put
in his stomach so they could feed him. He had trache tube put in his throat .
All together he had three shunts put in his brain because the one before
would quit working.
I made his live as comfortable as possible. He was a very special and loving
child.
Thorough the years I had to put him in a nursing home because of my own health
and not being able to care for him. We saw him everyday. We loved him very
much.
Finally the day came. The nursing home asked me if I wanted to sign the do
not resuscitate paper ? I made the decision to sign it.
I couldn't put my son through anymore. I thought he had enough surgeries and
things to last him a life time. I couldn't put him through anymore. I signed
the DNR orders,
which now, I think I am a bad mom for doing but I was thinking of Gerald only
and looking out for him. I had to do what I thought was right for him.
At the end he became really sick and could not breath. This went on for a week
before he died. We spent all day and night at the hospital until he passed
away. It was the hardest thing we ever went through in our entire lives. I am
glad we were with him
when he died.
He had a beautiful funeral and we keep him close in our hearts all the time .
We love him and thank God, He is looking after him now.
The song the Minster
played at his
funeral, was called Heaven Bound. My nieces sang it.
We loved that song and still do.
Finally, Gearld can walk and play with other kids and see again.
He was a very special little boy and we miss him dearly.
There is not a day that goes by, we don't think of him and cry .
He was the joy in all of us and when you read Gearld's
story you will see why he was.
Thank you for wanting to add this story and Gearld's picture with
other Meningitis Angles. We appreciate it very much and
for all the help and support you will, I hope give us to get through this
loss.
God Bless You All, Doris Hall, Gearld's Mom.
If You Could See Me Now
Our prayers have all
been answered
I finally arrived.
The healing that had been delayed
Has now been realized.
No one's in a hurry, there's no schedule to keep
We're all enjoying Jesus, just sitting at His feet.
If you could see me now
I'm walking on streets of gold.
If you could see me now
I'm standing tall and whole.
If you could see me now
You'd know I'd seen His face.
If you could see me now
You'd know the pain's erased.
You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place.
If you could see me now
My light and temporary trials
Have worked out for my good.
To know it brought Him glory
When I misunderstood.
Though we've had our sorrows
They can never compare
What Jesus has in store for us,
No language can share.
The song on this page is called "Rise Again"
Little precious man you have rose again. Be Free in God's Love.
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