Jamie Sweeney of Charlotte, a former pediatric nurse, didn’t worry too much when her 7-week-old baby Sully first developed a cough. But over the next few days, Sully’s coughing got worse, each episode rattling his tiny body.
When Sully stopped eating and started acting lethargic on Oct. 10, Sweeney knew her son needed medical attention.
By the time they got to Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital, Sully had spiked a fever. Sweeney tried not to panic.
The emergency room was “absolutely packed,” she said. “It was a madhouse.”
An hour and a half later, Sweeney was still sitting in an overflow waiting room, and no one had looked at her son.
“I felt completely helpless,” Sweeney said. “It was a nightmare.”
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