Waylon looking-over some of the many cards he's received
Waylon Carter was just a happy, normal little boy, until February 2009. "His life, and mine was then turned upside down," said his mother, Shelly Stewart.
Waylon was rushed into emergency surgery after taking ill and lost all of his small intestines. He was now a 'short gut' child. "We lived each day waiting for the phone to ring. Waiting on a call from Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh to say they had a donor for Waylon. We didn't go on vacations, we didn't do much where we couldn't get cell phone service. We just waited for that call, with our lives on hold," Stewart said.
The call came 9 weeks ago on August 13, 2010 - yes, Friday the 13th. They had a match. We needed to get in the car and go. We made the 4 hour drive, and ... waited. It was a hard thing to do, because the next day, was Waylon's 7th birthday," said his mother.
Just after midnight, the nurses, whom Waylon's family have all come to know and love, came into Waylon's room holding a 'Happy Birthday' banner, singing Happy Birthday and carrying presents. "This place rocks, let me tell you," said Stewart. Their motto is "If you have kids, be glad you have Children's." Stewart said, "And I totally agree." Waylon was very excited the nurses remembered his birthday.
In the early morning hours of August 14, 2010, the doctors said they were ready to go. Stewart said, "It was so hard for me to let him go, but he went to sleep in the holding room, 15 hours later, we walked into his ICU room and he was looking good."
Nine weeks later Waylon is going home for visits. He wishes to thank everyone for all of the cards (167 at last count) e-mails, packages, phone calls and visits. His mother says, "Once he is home for a while, I will be planning a 'surprise' Welcome Home/Transplant/Belated birthday party for him, and everyone will be invited."
Waylon's family says "Thank you, to everyone for the prayers, love and support during Waylon's surgery."
See related story WAYLON CARTER FACING TOUGH CHALLENGES - Youth Receiving Transplant In Pittsburgh |
