Children’s Miracle Network: Meet Charlotte Suess

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Charlotte Suess was just two days old when her parents Jacob and Kayla felt something was off.

“The constant cooing, like I knew in my heart something was wrong,” Kayla Suess explained. “I just didn’t know what, and she couldn’t tell me because at that point she was two days old.”

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Charlotte was admitted to the emergency room and then the NICU at Cox.

She had bacterial meningitis, and the fluid in her brain wasn’t draining properly.

Charlotte was moved to St. Louis Children’s Hospital and spent about eight weeks there.

Kayla stayed with her. Jacob stayed in Springfield.

“I was going back and forth to work. I was going up to St. Louis on the weekends. Coming back to Springfield during the week and working. Trying to help cover all the bills,” Jacob Suess said.

Charlotte has had two major surgeries, including a shunt to drain the cerebrospinal fluid from her brain.

She also has hearing loss from the meningitis and had to get cochlear implants in mid-September.

Kayla and Jacob said one of the nurse managers at Cox encouraged them to fill out an application for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and they were approved.

CMNH has covered thousands of dollars in medical bills and travel expenses.

“They’ve been a true life saver,” Kayla said. “I can go to bed at night and be like, ok, I can breathe, I know that bill is going to be covered. One way or another.”

It’s been a challenging year for these first-time parents. But they say thanks to CMNH they can focus on Charlotte.

“She’s always been our fighter. That’s our nickname for her, our little fighter. She never gave up. There were times I wanted to throw in the towel and I was like, no. She’s beating the odds,” Kayla said.

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