Garrett was attacked by a dog January 6, 2002. He was left with severe facial scarring, no eyelids, no muscle, no tissue and no tear glands in either eye. We lived near Gainesville, FL at the time. He was flown to Shands hospital.
“They did not know really how to handle the injury as they had never encountered an injury of this nature,” his mother shared. “It was like a burn and a de-gloving injury, but his eyeballs were left unharmed. They had to sew amniotic membranes to his eyes and close them with skin grafts taken from his legs. He was in Pediatric ICU for about 10 days and then moved to the floor for seven. He was on a feeding tube for quite awhile. “
He has been to numerous hospitals. A total of 15 surgeries one of which caused a terrible infection. We have taken him to Miami, Johns Hopkins in Maryland where Dr. and Presidential Candidate, Ben Carson was his surgeon, Texas, Georgia and NC. He is a Shriner patient as well because they treated his injuries like a burn.
At this point he has to wait until he is fully grown to have any cosmetic surgeries done. We were given the option of a cornea transplant, but also warned that he would be on immunosupressant drugs and that if the transplant did not take that he would lose his eyes and what vision he has. At this point he can see lights and shadows so decided against this surgery for now.
In 2006, his last surgery, Emory Children's Hospital in Atlanta opened his right eye. They said it would be up to his brain to make the connections to see again and that it may not happen. So far it has not. The left eye can not be opened due to skin and blood vessels growing into his eye frown emoticon . He has to put drops in every hour and ointment and a patch over his eye at night.
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| Garrett when he was a little boy. He was just 23 months old when he was attacked. |
He is hoping to get a guide dog this summer which will require either my husband or I to leave with him for a month for training with the guide dog.
He can play a lot of instruments by ear. We are hoping to get him piano lessons. He loves Country Music! And he enjoys audio books, Sponge Bob and Comedians. He loves to swim! He loves boat rides and Horseback riding. Most of all he wants a girlfriend lol! (Typical teenage boy)...
Garrett is the youngest of 7! He has 4 brothers and 2 sisters.
Again, thank you all for sharing, sending cards and taking the time to read his story and message. (His mom had set up a Facebook page requesting birthday cards for Garrett).
Earlier:
