Marshall

2022 Embracing Brave North Texas Recipient

Marshall was born on January 29, 2014. Within 5 minutes of being born, he was taken to the NICU due to low oxygen and blood sugar levels. He remained in the NICU until he was 6 weeks old; during this six weeks he was diagnosed with 1q4 genetic chromosomal deletion. He received a g-button due to lack of interest in feeding, was sent home on oxygen, and had a heart procedure scheduled to close a PDA. One month later, he went in for the heart procedure and remained in the CICU for two weeks. This fixed 1/3 of his heart issues. The other two remain but have little effect on his daily life. At 6 months old Marshall began eating by mouth which lessened the amount of nutrition received via g-button. He remains dependent on the g-button for extra nutrition, medicine intake, and hydration. Marshall began in-home physical, vision, and occupational therapy at 3 months old and ended at 3 years old. In this time he learned to roll from tummy to back and bare weight on his feet (stander). At 3 years old he started school in KISD. This was a game changer. Through PT, OT, vision, and music therapy he started taking steps in a walker, bearing weight for long periods of time in a stander, making choices using pictures, etc.

Marshall was diagnosed with a tethered cord when he was born and has not grown out of it. This caused pain when sitting and standing and will need to be fixed in the coming years. He will be seeing the neurosurgeon in mid-March. He has a curved spine and minor hip dysplasia. When Marshall was 6, he had emergency “intestinal blockage” surgery and was on a wound VAC for months. We thought we almost lost him at that time. He has since healed physically but due to constipation (non-mobile) it is a daily struggle to receive relief.

We take every day one at a time and know that his journey is not over. He is a very happy kiddo and has recently become very aware and curious of his surroundings.

With funds from Embracing Brave, Marshall’s family would love to purchase a tadpole adaptive stroller so they can take him on walks and explore new territory that his wheelchair can’t handle. They want to start traveling again, making the stroller a game changer in his comfort and capabilities.

- 2022

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