Billy Mason
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Hi, my name is Kristi Mason. My precious little boy (Billy Mason) was born 7/9/98. He has Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (due to lack of oxygen at birth) secondary to Spastic quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, Microcephaly, CVI, Scoliosis, laryngomalasia, G-tube fed, Tracheotomy, seizure disorder (controlled) & developmentally delayed.
Billy is almost 3 years old and is the love of our lives. He has so far beaten the odds, we have been told since day one he probably would not live long. His first 10 months were touch and go, he was in the hospital many times with pneumonia and was very malnourished from projectile reflux. At 6 months he had a g-tube placed and a nissen. He really began to thrive for about a month until he got sick with aspiration pneumonia again and kept it ,off and on for 3 months. At that point we had to make the decision on weather or not to have the tracheotomy done. The doctor told us then that Billy was going to die but getting a Trach would make the rest of his life more comfortable. She also said he would be oxygen dependant for the rest of his life. So Billy got his Trach in May, 1999. Twenty four hours after his surgery he was off oxygen and has only needed it for brief periods of time through out the last two years (probably a total of about 10 hours ). He has not had any more pneumonias and colds he gets are not life threatening anymore. He has had many surgeries and the trach has made anesthesia much easier on him. About two months ago the pulmonologist asked how I felt about decannulating him and I immediately with no thought said "no" he has been to healthy with it and I am not ready to take the chance of him getting sick again. He is happy and healthy and we like it that way, maybe when he gets a little bit older I will consider it.
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From the beginning the doctors said he would not walk, talk, crawl or even sit
independently. He is a fighter and has the will to do all of these things he takes steps in a gait trainer can crawl with a little support his scoliosis has rendered his sitting but he is getting better at that
too. He wears a Passy-Muir speaking valve and makes many sounds and even said u-oh twice.
God blessed us the day he gave Billy to us, he has taught us how to love
unconditionally, and has taught us how to appreciate the small things in life.
And has made us realize how to appreciate every little thing our daughter does.
(Billy sister, Chelsea, is almost 12).
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My e-mail address is kristimason@peoplepc.com
(Steve & Kristi Mason)
