He needs support and help from others to help him reach his milestones and with the aid of donations to purchase new equipment. Being our third child and little brother to Khloe and Jayda it was a difficult time having a new baby in the NICU, a 15mth old and 3yr old at home. Compounding this situation was the news given to us following a routine cranial ultrasound; the doctors had found a cyst on
the base of Kruz’s brain. Later it was labelled that Kruz had
PVL (Periventricular leukomalacia). PVL are cysts around the brain ventricles and 2% of premature babies are diagnosed
with this. After several discussions with doctors we knew that there was a high
chance of Kruz having Cerebral Palsy, as the cysts caused injury to the white matter
around his brain causing scar tissue and damage. At 10months old he was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy Spastic Quadriplegia,
meaning: Kruz has high tone (stiff) arms and legs and low tone trunk and neck. To add another bump in the road Kruz developed Golden Staph on his ear and was hospitalised at 4months of age (corrected only at 6wks). This infection spread over Kruz’s face causing deterioration in his health, once many tests had been performed and on the verge of a blood transfusion Kruz was found to have Golden Staph, Impetigo, H-influenza and Rotavirus. After many types and strengths of antibiotics and pain meds, the infections were improving but the sores on his face were not going away. Later it was found that Kruz had a zinc deficiency that caused his immune system to be comprised allowing all these infections and bugs to get in and make him very ill. Within days of adding zinc to his formula his skin was baby smooth once again and he was cleared of all infections. As soon as we started to get back into routine we hit another bump. Kruz’s eyes had developed a squint: meaning he couldn’t focus and his eyes would always turn inwards. At 14mths of age Kruz had eye surgery to rectify his squint which involved straightening his eyes, at this stage we have three monthly ophthalmologist appointments to monitor his eyes from surgery, but unfortunately we won’t know how well his vision is until he can tell us himself. Next bump Kruz struck was Epilepsy. At the age of 13mths he started having absence focal seizures; after a lot of trial and error with medication and dosages, Kruz is now on a medication that is controlling his seizures. We’re happy to say that Kruz has not suffered any seizures since Christmas. Kruz has been seeing a paediatric physiotherapist on a fortnightly basis since he was 8mths old. She has helped Kruz make many progressions in his development already but being so young and with all his body being affected Kruz still needed more intervention and so midyear he began rehab at the Angliss Hospital. He has been seeing the Occupational Therapist and a specialist doctor who has been assessing him for Botox therapy. We hope that Kruz will get Botox in the near future which will relax the muscles in his fingers and forearm enabling him to grasp, pick up, etc. January this year (2013) Kruz was accepted into Illoura. ‘Illoura’ is an Early Intervention Centre that caters for Kruz’s needs in many different ways. These are; eating, drinking, more Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech, Family support and Hydrotherapy. Kruz visits Illoura on a weekly basis to help him achieve his milestones and goals. Kruz is a determined and cheeky little boy with a radiant personality who desperately wants to sit up, roll over and play with his two sisters, but with a body that just won’t allow him. However, with the help of lots of therapy and the right equipment he will succeed at these tasks, the tasks we simply take for granted. To enable him to do these things requires great expense and therefore we have decided the best way to achieve this is to share with you Kruz’s story in the hope that you would like to join us in realizing his goals. Our hope is that with people’s kindness and zeal we can unite as a group to help achieve this. Please help Kruz and make a donation. Name: Kruz J Lees Bsb: 013210 Acc: 190853142 Description: please write your name so we can thank you. [email protected]
