By Sarah Campbell
scampbell@salisburypost.com
A fourth-grader who swallowed a set of magnets and ended up in the hospital last week returned to school Wednesday.
Andre Bercerra, 9, is back at Woodleaf Elementary after undergoing surgery to remove the magnets from his intestines.
“He’s doing great,” Alicia Bercerra said. “He’s tired and definitely sore, but other than that he’s totally back to normal.”
Bercerra feared last week that her son may not be able to return to school at all this year because of the damage to his intestines.
“He had one night where he seemed to go downhill, but the doctors changed his medication and he’s doing much better,” she said.
Andre spent five days at Presbyterian Hospital recovering from the surgery.
Bercerra said she was both surprised and thrilled to see her son make such a speedy recovery after doctors.
She said when doctors told Andre he could leave the hospital if he was able to eat solid foods, he got immediately got to work.
“The first things he ordered was a double cheeseburger with bacon, french fries and ice cream,” she said.
Bercerra said Andre won’t be skateboarding or playing on the playground at school anytime soon, but he’s on the way.
“He’s got the will to do those things, but he just needs to take it easy for a couple of weeks.”
Bercerra said Woodleaf Elementary has completely banned the magnets, which Andre and other children were using as an imitation lip and tongue rings, from school grounds.
“Woodleaf has just done an outstanding job getting the word out about the dangers of these magnets,” she said.
Contact reporter Sarah Campbell at 704-797-7683.