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Ty - Our Miracle

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We are raising funds for our son's medical bills. He was born with Imperforate Anus, which has affected his colon, kidneys and bladder. He is facing 1-2 more surgeries to improve his quality of life. His story - We went to the 17 week ultrasound appointment for the standard development evaluation and to find out the sex of our baby. We were told the child (sex unknown) had several problems. The worst of the problems was that there wasn't ANY amino fluid. They sent us to a specialist where we were told the child had a distended belly, possible tethered cord, heart problems and lung development issues. By this time we were at 18 weeks and had 2 weeks to decide if we wanted to terminate the pregnancy. We declined. They expected him to be born early so the hope was that we could make it to 26 weeks. Week after week we kept returning for the regular ultrasound appointments where we would all count the nickle and dime size bubbles of amino fluid. No real change each week. Over that time we did see specialists for evaluation of the various issues showing on the ultrasound. One by one the concerns were eliminated. Around week 32 they saw the child's bladder was extremely large on the ultrasound. The next day I moved into the UNC hospital to wait for the baby to be born because there was not a pediatric surgeon at our local hospital. They did more testing that included genetics to see if the child had a disorder that was "incompatable with life." That all came back normal. It was at that time we found out we had a son! The last issues that hadn't been resolved was the size of his belly and bladder and lack of fluid. As earlier stated, the lack of fluid was our biggest problem. That's what they told us, but it took a while to understand what the big deal was. I was thinking he wasn't able to swim around and just be vacuum packed. However, the big deal is that the baby breathes the fluid in and out to develop lungs. Without the fluid, the lungs are just shriveled up with no way to train on how to breathe. The baby's belly was too large to be born naturally so they scheduled a c-section at 36 weeks. Prior to surgery we met with the pediatric surgeon that would take care of "Ty" if anything could be done. He was optimistic and caring. That was the first time we met Dr. Helmrath. I went into labor several days before the c-section was scheduled. As things were being situated, the head of the pediatric department stopped by to remind me that I shouldn't get my hopes up and there really isn't a chance the child would survive -- just won't have lungs without the amino fluid. (He later apologized to me.) I then walked to the OR and and surgery started. Dewayne and I sang hymns to encourage each other and to take our minds off of what was going on on the other side of the curtain. After what seemed like hours, the baby was out and rushed to a tray on the other side of the room. Then he cried. How in the world can a kid cry without lungs? The Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. That's how. Dewayne was able to go over to him while they fixed me up. He came back and told me that Ty didn't have a tail. I was clueless to what he was talking about. What he was saying is that Ty didn't have an anus (hiney hole). Ty went to the NICU and had his first surgery 2 days later to repair what Dr. Helmrath described as a "plumbing problem." He had a colostomy bag until he was 10 months. He had 5 surgeries in his first year of life. After the bag came off, he blended in until recently as other children his age are potty trained and he is still in diapers. He doesn't have control of his bowl movements or bladder. We have been trained to do daily enemas to help manage his bowl control. Besides the actual enema our 4 year hold has to sit on the potty for 45 minutes each day for the fluid to drain. Next year he will be old enough to have a procedure that will allow his enemas to be administered through a shunt in his belly button. That will allow him to do his own enema when he is ready. We are currently in the process of bladder evaluation and believe that will require surgery as well. We are glad to be working with the doctor who did Ty's original surgery. Dr. Helmrath has since moved to Cincinnati to work at a hospital that specializes in problems like Ty has. It is the only place in the world that fixes these type of issues and has a bowel and urinary team that works these deals all the time. The bad side is that we live 12 hours away. Another reason for the fund raising. We are so blessed! Ty is a great boy and is so smart. The Lord has held us close during this whole journey and has used our story to touch others. God bless! Tomora Woolard
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Donations 

  • Various during Cincinnati trip
    • $8,176 (Offline)
    • 10 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 10 yrs
  • Rosemary Church of Christ - love offering
    • $1,986 (Offline)
    • 10 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 10 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 10 yrs
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Organizer

Tomora Woolard
Organizer
Greenville, NC

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