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Canadian Surgeon Sews Up Little Boy's Teddy Just Before His Own Operation

Canadian Surgeon Sews Up Little Boy's Teddy Just Before His Own Operation

Dr Daniel McNeely's eight-year-old patient made the special request and the neurosurgeon just couldn't say no

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

We've all been a little bit of a shit bag when it comes to operations, let's admit it. There's no shame, you're being thrown into the deep end of the ultimate unknown.

I cried having four stitches in the tip of my thumb once... I won't tell you how old I was when that happened.

Put it this way, eight-year-old Jackson McKie is a hero in comparison. Not only because of his young years but also because he has a brain condition called hydrocephalus and has been treated by Dr Daniel McNeely since birth.

Although Dr McNeely is all too familiar with Jackson's condition, he's not as knowledgeable when it comes to his furry friend.

So when the youngster requested that he fix the bear, called Little Baby, Dr McNeely couldn't refuse. If he said no, he would literally be on par with The Grinch.

According to Terrace Standard, the paediatric doctor was about to operate on little Jackson but not before performing a career first - by stitching up Little Baby's underarm tear (genuine diagnosis).

The doctor asked nurses at Halifax's IWK Health Centre to prepare a small operating table with some tools and he used some proper stitches to patch up the teddy.

He wasn't afraid to go all out either, wearing his full scrubs, latex gloves, mask and microscopic lenses. Well, if you're going to do something, you might as well do it properly.

Speaking to Terrace Standard, Dr McNeely said: "I thought if there was something I could do to help make him feel better, it seemed like a simple gesture and I was only too happy to oblige."

The tweet, which was posted last week, has since reached 27,000 likes and 12,000 retweets and left people from across the globe feeling warm inside.

Twitter/@pdmcneely

One person commented: "I hope this makes the med school curriculum for a kinder, more gentle world and the health services within it!"

Another spoke of a similar experience: "My doctor did this for me (on my stuffed Snoopy) when I was going into surgery at age 6. I'm 48 now. Proof this is something your patient will never forget."

And, just because you always get one: "Is this covered by their insurance?"

Twitter/@pdmcneely

CTV News reported that Jackson and Little Baby are both recovering well at home and speaking to CBC, the boy's family said: "It's his best buddy. When he was born, he had it ever since with him. Through thick or thin.

"He was so proud. He had Little Baby laying up in the hospital bed with him and everything. He's coming around. According to Jackson, he's a little moody, too."

Moody or not, we're just glad the inseparable duo have got each other to get them through their bout of illness and hope they're both on the road to recovery as soon as possible.

Featured Image Credit: Twitter/@pdmcneely

Topics: Inspirational, Surgery, Community