Being a left-handed shooter throws off Jonah Martinez’s opponents on the basketball court. But it was a scramble for the ball and an unintentional kick to the head that threw him and his family far out of their routine and comfort zone.
The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB Health) was there to get Jonah back on track — or, rather, back on the court and back to being a typical 9-year-old.
It was just another July Sunday in the life of a young athlete and his family. Jonah’s team was playing an opposing team at a tournament it was hosting in League City and preparing to head to Dallas for a national tournament.
His team was winning. Then, with just a minute left in the game, “There was a loose ball, and we all went for it, and somebody kicked me in the head,” Jonah said.
But things like that happen in sports, and Jonah seemed fine, said Jennifer Martinez, Jonah’s mother. The family went out to eat and left a few days later for Dallas, where they played in the basketball tournament and went kayaking and go-karting with no problems.
But then the headaches started. Days-long headaches. Then Jennifer found a bump on Jonah’s head, and Jonah realized that jumping made the pain worse. When he woke his parents in the middle of the night in so much pain that he couldn’t lay his head on his pillow, the family knew something was very wrong.
An unimaginable diagnosis
They took Jonah to the UTMB Health Clear Lake Campus Hospital, which has its own pediatric unit. A CT scan revealed that Jonah had a brain bleed.
“I looked at Jonah and we both started crying,” Jennifer said. “It was definitely not anything that we could have ever imagined happening.”
Emergency room nurse Jason Barnette came on shift and stepped in right away to help calm Jonah and comfort the family.
“He’s super nice, and I just feel more comfortable being around him,” Jonah said of Barnette, who knew the family from a previous hospital visit.
After that, things moved quickly. Jonah was taken by ambulance to the pediatric intensive care unit at John Sealy Hospital in Galveston, where he was met by the hospital’s pediatric neurology team. Then the news got worse: Jonah also had a skull fracture.
“The doctors explained the injury likely caused a slow brain bleed over several days, which led to the headaches,” Jennifer said.
Calming care
Jonah remained in the hospital for four days. The Martinez family is thankful for the care he received, but that’s not all they’re thankful for.
During Jonah’s stay, the hospital’s child life specialists — Regina Burdett and Zoe Murden — were by his side, offering activities to break up the monotony of a hospital stay and help him feel like a kid. He played with Legos, created art, and spent time with visiting therapy dogs.
“When kids are agitated and focusing on what’s going wrong, we can help them get through it by distracting them with things they love, like games or painting,” Burdett said. “We are not counselors, but child life specialists are trained to support families going through medical trauma. Both Zoe and I completed child-related bachelor’s degrees, finished a 600-hour internship under the supervision of a certified child life specialist, and then passed a certification exam.”
Jennifer credits those specialized pediatric services with changing the trajectory of Jonah’s recovery.
“They made a huge difference,” she said. “They helped him feel like a kid despite being in the hospital. Having all those things made his stay less scary and more comfortable. It was all really helpful and crucial in his recovery.”
Jonah admits that he was afraid at first, as any kid — or adult, for that matter — would be.
“But the longer I stayed there, I got more comfortable,” he said, adding that his favorite part of the stay was interacting with the therapy dogs.
Following his discharge from UTMB Health, Jonah was put on strict rest for six weeks, meaning no running or sports, which turned out to be a real test of patience for the energetic young athlete and his parents. He kept himself busy with Legos, but it was hardly the same.
Full-court recovery
Jonah was cleared to return to full activity and is back on the basketball court. His father, Jonathan Martinez, who is also his team’s coach, is grateful his son is healthy and able to play again.
“I’m much more cautious now and check in with him often to make sure he feels OK,” Jonathan said. And looking ahead to a future that very possibly could have been destroyed by a head injury, he adds, “I hope he stays competitive, follows what he loves, and continues to grow — both as a player and as a person. It’s about more than basketball; it’s about building confidence and character.”
Jennifer and Jonathan have nothing but admiration and thanks for the team at UTMB Health who cared for their son, both physically and mentally. Jennifer said she was a patient at the pediatric ICU at John Sealy Hospital more than three decades ago and that the lifesaving care and compassion she received then made it possible for her to be where she is today.
“I felt good knowing that UTMB Health is still here, providing the same level of care for people today as they did when I was here as a kid in 1990,” she said.
As for Jonah, his advice to another child facing a hospital stay is simple: “It’s going to be OK. Guys, you have the right team to help you.”