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[/float] Cody Johnson is a two and a half year old boy from Tipp City, Ohio, son of Mike (
Ohio Reef Member - Slandis3) and Sarah Johnson, and little brother to Connor, who is six years old. Only seven weeks into his precious life, Cody was diagnosed with Pyloric Stenosis. Pyloric Stenosis is when the pyloric muscle (which is the muscular valve that holds food in the stomach until it’s ready for the next stage in digestion) to thicken, blocking food from entering the baby’s small intestine. Pyloric Stenosis can lead to forceful and uncontrollable vomiting, dehydration, and massive weight loss. The only way this little guy would get better was with corrective surgery. He had the surgery, and made a full recovery.
In late summer of 2012, Cody gradually stopped walking, and would scream in pain when he tried. Putting any pressure on his feet and legs caused him pain. This entire time, his older brother, Connor would tell him, “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you to walk again.” Concerned, his parents would take him to the doctor, and doctors thought the reason he wasn’t walking was due to constipation. Later, realizing this wasn’t the case, his doctor sent him for a round of tests, one being an MRI. The MRI showed a large mass at the base of his brain, which was believed to be a cyst. Later that day, tests revealed it was a brain tumor, later called a glioma. Glioma tumors are more common in adults then children and the cause of them are unknown. Gliomas make up 30% of all brain and central nervous system tumors and 80% of all malignant brain tumors.
On Saturday October 13th, 2012 (Which also happened to be Connor’s 6th birthday), Cody’s brain tumor had to be surgically removed. Each hour, the phone in the Dayton Children’s surgery waiting room would ring, with an update from the operating room on Cody’s condition. After seven grueling hours, the pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr Laurence Kleiner came into the waiting room, with the news. He told us he was able to remove the entire tumor, which wound up being a little larger than a golf ball. Cody was tumor free! Cody was going to be ok. Dr Kleiner saved Cody’s life that day. On November 15th 2012, Cody turned two years old.
Cody was in the hospital for a total of 14 days. He has since done physical therapy, and has been able to begin walking again, slowly, his verbal skills are back, and he is more playful than ever before.
Cody’s glioma tumor was so large, it caused severe damage to his optic nerve. His eyes and optic nerve has been monitored over the past couple of months, and eyeglasses, drops and vision therapy have been used to try to correct his vision and crossing eye. Nothing had worked. It was determined Cody would need to have, yet again, another surgery. Without this surgery his damaged optic nerve would've only gotten worse. Eventually his brain would've stopped telling the nerve to function, thus resulting in permanent blindness of his right eye. On June 6th 2013, Cody had his eye surgery, has made a full recovery, and is healing to be a walking, talking running two and a half year old. He will continue to have routine MRI scans done every three months to make sure nothing comes up, and he is tumor free. Cody has to have these done every three months, until he is three years old. Then, MRI rechecks every six months. AFTER insurance, each MRI is $1,500.
We are putting a benefit car, truck, & bike show together Saturday, August 17th 2013 to help raise money to help with Cody's medical bills. We are having a raffle and are in need of donation items, and are hoping to have quite the turnout. Any and all donations are welcome! If you can donate or want more information, please send a message to David & Jennessa at DAVIDHUNGER71@YAHOO.COM.
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