Aiden Waters was born in February, 2004. We were so glad that baby Aiden had arrived. Right away, we noticed he had a very large birthmark on his face and scalp. The doctors called it a Port-Wine Stain and warned that Aiden might have glaucoma as the birthmark was also in his right eye. I took Aiden to an opthalmologist right away and it was confirmed that he indeed had glaucoma. Aiden was prescribed a number of eye drops and when that failed to control the building pressure, he had eye surgery when he was two-months old.

At three months of age, Aiden had his first seizure. That's when he was diagnosed with a rare neurological brain disorder called Sturge-Weber Syndrome. When multiple antiseizure medications failed to control his seizures, his doctors suggested a brain surgery called hemispherectomy. On August 21, 2008 my precious son Aiden spent 11 hours in surgery where Dr. Gary Mathern at UCLA removed the right half of his brain. That morning I kissed Aiden goodbye not knowing if it might be the last time I'd ever get to kiss his sweet face. Not knowing if the child returned to me would be the same. I wondered if the surgery would be successful in stopping his seizures. I prayed that his future would somehow improve.

I am thrilled to say the surgery was a success. Not only were there no complications, but Aiden has been seizure free since the operation. He has since learned to walk independently, feed himself, drink from a straw, draw circles and walk up a flight of stairs. Before his surgery, Aiden could not speak. Today he has a growing vocabulary. At one point, Aiden took 7 anti-seizure pills a day. Now he takes none. Best of all, he has kept his sweet, loving personality.

Please consider making a donation to the Hemispherectomy Foundation in celebration of his remarkable recovery.

 

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