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From the day Ty was born everyone that met him
knew that he would have a great impact on this world. Since Ty is
visually impaired, he sees the world differently than we do. It
doesn't matter to him what people look like or what type of clothes
they wear. He has taught me and so many others what is really
important in life and that is to think and listen with your heart
and mind, to hear the world instead of seeing it.
Ty has made me stop and listen to the things that
I never paid attention to before, things as simple as an airplane in
the sky or a wood pecker in a tree. Many people feel blessed to meet
Ty as he is so humble and uplifting to all of us. Regardless of his
disability he still accomplishes what he wants without fear. His
joyful and loving spirit shines through, it makes us so grateful for
what we have.
Ty was diagnosed with Optic Nerve Hypoplasia when
he was just 3 months old. His Optic Nerve did not develop all the
way. After taking him to 3 different ophthalmologists including the
Casey Eye Institute in Portland, Or. Several MRI’s, various tests,
and many traumatic moments in the doctors office, the diagnosis was
the same everywhere we went. They all said this condition was
untreatable, there was nothing that could be done. At first they
thought Ty was completely blind. We discovered Ty had some vision
about 20/600, when he was about 18 months old.
Ty was involved in toddler groups when he was
little, which helped him with social skills and mobility. He is now
in the 2nd grade, he has learned Braille and has a Braille note
computer that he uses in class. He has a mobility teacher that works
with him so he can safely cross streets using his cane and
monocular.
I have been Ty’s eyes for him, explaining each
and every detail and watching him use his imagination like you would
not believe. Ty has a great sense of humor and definitely takes
things to the next level. He is just like any other kid, he loves to
ride his horse and play with his cousins and sisters. He loves to
swim, build stuff and take things apart to figure out how they work.
He started talking at 8 months old, always asking a million
questions and he has not stopped! He is so smart for his age and
will most likely be an engineer someday. The way he sees is all he
has ever known and it has definitely not held him back at all, he is
truly amazing! Ty is our shining star!
If we were able to give Ty more sight through our
faith in god and stem cell treatments in China, So many more doors
would open for him. I can’t even imagine all the opportunities that
would await him. When I told Ty about this he said,” what if I have
this done and don’t like it.” We then talked about all the different
things he could do if he had more sight. He asked a lot of questions
and wondered if he would need to still learn Braille. I told Ty he
could still do Braille even if he could read print, and maybe
someday he could teach other children to read Braille. He said,”
mommy I would like to do that.”
Recently I heard about
a little girl in Missouri that was blind from birth and had
umbilical stem cells treatments done in China, now her mom says she
has light perception and she is able to make out images. I have
prayed for a miracle for the past 8 years now and this might just be
an answer to my prayer. I started researching umbilical stem cell
treatments for Optic Nerve Hypoplasia and found that the Beike
Biotech hospital in China has successfully treated 5 children with
this diagnosis using umbilical stem cells that are donated from
healthy live babies. They all have been successful with some
improvements. The stem cells regenerate themselves and hold out hope
for cures of all kinds of diseases including Optic Nerve Hypoplasia.
Some umbilical cord stem cell treatments are available in the U.S.
with special permission from the Food and Drug Administration. Ty’s
condition does not apply. The treatment is not covered by our
insurance and is very expensive and requires a 30 day stay in China,
I am starting this fundraiser with the hope that we can raise
$70,000 to cover expenses so Ty can have a brighter future. He is a
very special little boy that needs your help to open many more
doors…
God bless…..
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