We have always known that our Payton, my nephew, was one-in-a-million…but now we know it for sure! Our little man, known as Pman to our family, had to be a fighter from the start. He had complications at birth and was a tiny baby. We noticed muscular weakness early on, but then Payton developed seizures. Through this development we learned that Payton has a chromosome deletion which has caused physical and mental delays through which he has had to fight in order to do things most learn naturally. He has pushed through years of speech, physical, and occupational therapies to improve his life. But, one thing that never had to be strengthened is his heart. Payton has the biggest heart! He is kind to everyone he meets, and always sees people without judgment because of his innocence. He is also feisty when it comes to competition. He loves to dish out some trash talk, even if he really can’t back it up. He’s funny and makes friends with young and old. He is a bright light in this world!Recently, seizure activity increased, and this week he experienced the worst seizure to date… But then, after nearly losing Payton following the seizure, we learned that a brain bleed had started, a stroke occurred, and this major seizure was a result. Currently, Payment is in the hospital. He has undergone many tests, and will endure more in the weeks ahead. We are waiting for the brain bleed to clear before we know what damage may have been caused. But for now, the only glimpse we see if our little man is his ability to give an occasional “thumbs up” to let us know he is okay or likes something. (And he has also given a “thumbs up” for Michigan and “thumbs down” for Ohio State, so we know there is some feistiness still alive!) In the meantime, doctors have learned that Payton has a serious condition that has caused his carotid arteries to narrow over time. This is related to his chromosome condition, but develops in only one in 1 million Americans.So, what lies ahead for our Pman? He will remain in the hospital for about the next month, until the brain bleed clears. Then he will undergo serious brain surgery to splice vessels, and create a new pathway for blood flow on one side. This is necessary to prevent further strokes and save his life. Then a little further down the road, he will likely undergo the same brain surgery to support his other carotid artery. This next year, Payton will have to fight like never before!As you can imagine, Payton’s parents have not left his side during this scary time. All the while medical expenses are mounting, and their first concern needs to be the health of our Payton. So many are praying for him and all of our family, and we are grateful. We know God has protected him so many times already. We also believe God is going to restore Payton and are bravely praying for an even better quality of life than before due to the corrections that will be made. But that doesn’t mean the medical expenses aren’t a concern. If you are able, I am asking you to consider giving toward Payton’s cause to relieve some of the stress of the medical bills his parents will be facing on top of the stress of Payton‘s well-being. We are all grateful for the love and support shown already, and we will be immensely grateful for any consideration toward Payton’s long fight!
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