Harvey Hodges
ASMP Advocate

My son Michael Sean Hodges died from Bacterial Meningitis on May 9, 2009. He developed a severe headache on Wednesday and suffered through it on Thursday, trying but failing to stay at work both days. On Friday at 4 am, he asked his sister to take him to the Emergency Room. He was there for about five hours while they took a CAT scan and diagnosed a “raging sinus infection”. They gave him pain medication and some antibiotics and sent him home. My daughter said that her brother was crying from the pain. My son RARELY ever cried so the pain must have been intense. Their misdiagnosis was simply because Bacterial Meningitis was believed to be a “young person’s disease and Mike was not a youngster. 

Mike was transported by medical helicopter from the local hospital to a major ER Trauma Center. After quite some time, he was transferred to the NICU he was intubated for breathing and had several other machines working to keep
his vital signs going.  We all kept a vigil at his room and in the NICU waiting room along with many of his friends arriving who had heard about his condition.

Mike was a sales executive and was 44 years old at his death. He got sick on Wednesday and he died on Friday, officially on Saturday when the machines were removed.

Mike was a wonderful person, gregarious, loving, caring, and helpful. He drew people to him with his personality and they remained friends for life. At his memorial service, over 200 people came to honor his memory from as far as Seattle, other locales across the country, the local folks, and even from Bermuda. 

My son will be missed by all who knew and loved him. But he will be missed most of all by myself and his mother. Parents should not lose a child to death. It is far, far too painful for the heart and soul. Someone made the comment to me that “time heals all wounds” right after they heard of Mike’s passing. They are wrong! Time will not heal this wound; Mike’s passing left a huge hole in my heart, and it will never heal.  Often when I am very still and quiet, I can sense his presence.

My son is gone, but he is still with us in spirit.  And he has seen the face of God.