Update:

Hello everyone,

First of all Evan and I would like to thank you all so much for your love and support. Your donations helped us travel to Houston so that Thomas could receive the medical care that he required. Our prayers were answered and he did not need the corrective surgery that we feared, but his journey is not over. The past few weeks have been an agonizing trial of waiting and watching, but we are finally able to provide a conclusive update to his condition.

UAB has conducted several tests and Thomas has passed them all. They were able to conclusively rule out his condition as a genetic disorder, leaving him with a clinical diagnosis of Aquaductal Stenosis. That is a type of swelling in the brain that forces the central aquaduct inside the brain to swell and compress the surrounding tissue. Scans look hopeful that the swelling has not caused any damage to his brain, but he will still be faced with many hardships to come. He will undergo brain surgery shortly after birth to correct this issue, and then he will have physical and developmental therapies for the foreseeable future.

We know that it is a lot to ask in these difficult times but we are once again asking for your support. Thomas will need to remain in UAB for an indeterminate time while he recovers and while he is monitored. If you cannot give monetarily, we ask that you send prayers our way.

And once again, we are so grateful for all that you have done and all that you continue to do. We are truly blessed to have such great support from our friends and family.

I am 24 weeks pregnant and recently received heartbreaking news about my unborn baby boy, Thomas. After visiting a women and infant specialist, I learned that Thomas has fluid in his brain and an abnormal spine. The local hospital, UAB, is unable to provide the infant MRI we need, so I must travel to Houston, Texas, for further testing. If the MRI confirms spina bifida, I will need to undergo fetal surgery to help put his spine together and give him the best chance to avoid paralysis at birth.

The funds raised will go directly toward our travel expenses to Texas, whether we fly or drive, including gas, car rental, hotel stays, and food for me and my husband. If I need surgery, your support will also help cover our living expenses while we are away from home. As a mother of two with a third on the way, I want nothing more than to give Thomas every opportunity for a healthy, happy life.

Anything you can give us to help, I and my family would appreciate it. This news was sudden and devastating—I went to my appointment on 02/02 hoping for good news, but instead learned of these serious challenges. Then, on 02/03, the children’s hospital in Texas called and told me there is only a brief window for surgery. I am a fighter, and I want to give my baby boy, Thomas, the same chance to live a life of zero limitations. Your support means the world to us as we face this journey together.