8-Year-Old Heart Transplant Candidate Finds Joy in Pickling During Her Hospital Stay
5 min read
Emerson Bayse, an 8-year-old heart transplant candidate, found the most unexpected source of joy during her stay at Boston Children’s Hospital: pickling. Her love for salty foods, like pickles, came out of her preparation for the transplant procedure. “Patients with heart problems generally have a fluid-inhibiting diet because, as Dr. Emil Dingel explains, ‘the heart is not able to pump efficiently and could become overloaded.’ Salty flavors are a common preference among these patients due to this characteristic. Bayse, who loves dill pickles but isn’t adverse to pickle chips either, soon became infamous for her love of pickles, and her hospital care team took that newfound passion to a whole new level in an impressive way.
The Craving That Brought Joy
Emerson’s journey at Boston Children’s began when she was still seven years old, getting care from her home in Medway, Massachusetts. She became an inpatient when school let out this past June. Her affection for pickles did not go unnoticed by hospital staff, who found ways to make it work into her care.
But one member of the hospital team was a child life specialist who began decorating Emerson’s PICC line with pickle-themed stickers. And just like that, a very intimidating piece of her hospital world became less threatening and more familiar.
Enter Chef Sarah Bryce
In June, Emerson met Sarah Bryce, Boston Children’s Hospital’s chef and program manager of culinary services. Bryce, a former patient herself at that very same hospital, uses her culinary mastery these days to bond with young patients and bring a little happier times into their daily lives. She has led everything from cupcake decorating to making nachos in the beds of kids to fashioning soft pretzels, sugar cookies, and even entire birthday cakes for youngsters at the hospital.
The personal experience that Bryce had in the hospital as a child informs her desire to create positive, memorable moments for her patients. “I wanted to make a difference, Bryce says of her decision to return to the hospital in a non-patient capacity. Now studying to be a dietitian, Bryce says she understands firsthand how powerful food can be as a tool for healing and comfort. “Just getting a child to eat something can be a huge difference.
A Pickling Adventure Has Begun
When Bryce learned from Emerson’s medical team that the young girl loved pickles, she knew exactly where to start. After some consultation with Emerson’s clinical dietitian, Bryce suggested a fun pickling activity as part of her culinary rounds. Emerson was thrilled by the idea. “Her eyes lit up,” Bryce recalls. “She was like, ‘We can do that?'” Bryce’s response: “We can do anything. If you want to do something, I’ll try my best to make it happen.
Three days later, Bryce showed up in Emerson’s room with all the ingredients and equipment necessary to make a bunch of different kinds of pickles. Due to the variety of kitchen gadgets prohibited by the rules of the hospital, such as induction burners, Bryce had to get creative to find a refrigerator-stable recipe for their pickling project. Together, they made seven different kinds of pickles with cucumbers, garlic, onions, watermelon, and even Emerson’s favorite salad dressing, Ken’s Italian Dressing.
Pickle Party Success
Once the pickles were made, Emerson and Bryce threw a pickle party, where several departments of the hospital popped in to sample many varieties. Emerson took center stage, leading guests through their options of pickles, assisting with first and second bites. She even made pickle juice ice cubes and served lemonade, a quick party favorite.
The pickle party was a huge success and, according to Bryce, “All the pickles were gone by the end.” For Bryce, it was a highlight of her work: “It was the best two hours of my life.”
For Emerson, though, the experience created in her a lasting memory amidst a difficult time. She thinks of the hospital as a place where joy and creativity can thrive, rather than just a place of procedures.
More Than Just Pickles: Emerson’s Impact on Others
Emerson’s mom, Allison Bayse praised the hospital staff who helped turn her daughter’s hospitalization into a more positive experience. “They really have made it normal for Emerson,” said Allison, as she described how something as easy as decorating the PICC line with pickle stickers took the scare out of medical equipment.
Emerson didn’t just embrace the culinary fun for herself—she extended it to others. Known to bring people together, Emerson often creates themed tables in the hospital lobby she loves to share with staff and visitors. When the hospital unveiled a new lobby aquarium, Emerson pulled together an under-the-sea-themed table replete with Goldfish crackers and blue candy. More recently, she helped create a fall-themed table.
In addition to the novelty foods, Emerson is known for her magic tricks. Her doctors and nurses call her the “unit magician.” Emerson goes by the stage name “The Magnificent Cardio.” Her shows are piped into the hospital so that the patients confined to their rooms don’t miss out on any of the action. In this, Emerson has mirrored the kindness and attention she has received from hospital staff by paying it forward in brightening the days of those around her.
Forward to the Future: Pickling and Beyond
Pickling is one of the oldest ways to preserve foods. Pickling, thus, has been an ideal activity to indulge in for Emerson while in the hospital. Further asked what else she might want to pickle sometime, Emerson thought a second before exclaiming, “Ketchup!” Her imagination certainly isn’t limited.
But there is one thing the hospital staff wishes they could keep: Emerson’s magic. Her bright spirit, generosity, and resilience have branded a mark on everyone she’s met.
Emerson found solace in her own journey, through her love of pickles and her magical performances, inspiring others in the process. And while still waiting for a heart transplant, her story serves to remind one that joy is important at the darkest moments, and simple pleasures can have a great bearing on the process of recuperation.
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