Kids Have Strokes Too

The world’s most handsome little boy was born May 22, 2013, the pride and joy of his whole family.  He was happy, healthy and all seemed well.  Three days later, the Nabors went home excited to begin their life as a family of 4! Soon after he came home, Ben and Rebeca began to notice some strange behaviors that they had never experienced with their older child.   He was very fussy and extremely hard to soothe and despite my endless breast feeding he wasn’t gaining weight or growing.  Also, he would never look towards the right or respond to loud noises on the right side.   They brought all these concerns to his doctor and they diagnosed him as having colic and milk protein allergies.  However, despite switching formula after formula he could not keep anything down and never gained weight.  Ben and Rebeca were stumped and so was his doctor.  Then one day, when he was around 3 months old, his grandmother noticed that when she placed her finger in his right hand he would no longer grasp it and when he began to play with toys he would never use his right hand and he occasionally, for no apparent reason,  his right arm and leg would tremble.  These were the first signs for Ben and Rebeca.  

The Nabors were referred to a pediatric neurologist and after an MRI and what seemed to be the longest month of their life, it was confirmed.  Benjamin had suffered a stroke at birth and was diagnosed as having Right Sided Hemiparesis, Cerebral Palsy, and later epilepsy.  To say the least they were terrified. 

Therapy has helped his motor function and speech, but his seizures continue to grow in frequency and medicinal treatment have proved ineffective.  On May 2, 2017, Benjamin will undergo a peri-insular hemispherotomy.  The procedure will separate the bridges between the two hemispheres of his brain, insulating the functional right side from the effects of these seizures.  The move, though aggressive, is the best opportunity to protect Benjamin’s future.  After recovery, Benjamin will start intensive therapy to regain motor functions.  Surgery, recovery, and therapy will all be performed at Children’s of Alabama in Birmingham.

The money raised for the Nabors will be used for their lengthy stay in Birmingham, Alabama. Ben will be able to continue working remotely from our Birmingham location, but his wife will have to take FMLA during their 1-3 month stay. They are trying to reserve a spot in the Ronald McDonald house, but are not sure of the vacancy at this point. If they are unable to, they will have to rent a furnished apartment for 1-3 months. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping this sweet family. We are hopeful that we can raise enough money to relieve some of the stress they are currently enduring for Benjamin's surgery.