Cole was born with a severe form of spina bifida, hydrocephalus and Chiari malformation. After several surgeries in his first couple months of life, Cole was back at the pediatric outpatient clinic at Methodist Children' s Hospital of South Texas for a check-up when his surgeon noticed Cole' s head was swollen and sent him immediately to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

Dr. Patricia Tenner, pediatric critical care physician and Director of Children' s Critical Care Specialists, was the first person to greet Cole and his family in the PICU. Her confidence and optimism had a profound impact on Cole' s mother, Susan.

Even though Cole had infected fluid on his brain, Dr. Tenner told her that it would be quite easy to treat. “That' s exactly what you want to hear. She was very confident,” says Susan.

And Dr. Tenner' s clinical expertise reassured Cole' s family even more as she easily inserted an IV and a catheter into Cole' s tiny body. “It was always so tough giving him an IV and he was pretty dehydrated but she was great.”

Children' s Critical Care Specialists are dedicated, compassionate and enthusiastic Pediatric Intensivists and Hospitalists who provide 24-hour care at Methodist Children' s Hospital of South Texas in San Antonio, Texas.