Waylon
Hometown: Ashley, OH
Diagnosis: Cerebral Palsy, Hydrocephalus Blind, and Nonverbal
Age on Race Day: 7
Just before Waylon was born, doctors discovered he had fluid on his brain which caused a stroke in utero. Lyndsae, Waylon’s mother, was rushed to delivery and after two days of labor, welcomed her new baby boy. After many tests, it was decided that at just 5 hours old, Waylon needed to be transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
In his first year of life, Waylon had several surgeries to drain the fluid on his brain, the first at just 10 days old. Doctors were also beginning to get a sense of Waylon’s additional diagnoses. He began having infantile spasm seizures, was diagnosed with cortical visual impairment, and bilateral upper and lower cerebral palsy.
When he was five years old, Waylon underwent another surgery to have a g-tube inserted. This allows fluids to be delivered directly to his stomach and improve with his drinking ability.
“The g-tube surgery was one of the hardest decisions we had to make - putting his little body through another surgery,” recalls Lyndsae. “But it has been a blessing and is just another tool in our toolbelt to keep him healthy and out of the hospital.”
Waylon, now 8, attends many therapies weekly, including vision therapy, aquatic therapy, cranial sacrum therapy, and more. Though he has spent much time at Nationwide Children’s, he and his parents have a special place in their hearts for the hospital.
“He has so many wonderful doctors and we could not thank them enough for everything they have done for Waylon,” Lyndsae shares.
