RACE RESULTS

Congratulations to 180 Energy’s Michael Aitken, who beat the field in the Ivory Crockett Run 4 Webster four-mile run, winning in 20 minutes, 55.5 seconds.

Aitken’s victory gave his team captain, Jeff Bockhorn, the ideal opportunity to share the story of Aitken’s son, Runner, and the struggles the family faces daily. Here it is in its entirety:

Runner was born September 23, 2005, happy, healthy and tipping the scales at 9 lbs. 11 oz. When Runner was 8 months old, he suffered from his first seizure episode. He surprised mommy with this on her first Mother’s Day.

Runner started having jerking movements in his limbs and stopped breathing. Five minutes is alarming to doctors because that is when brain damage starts. Runner’s longest seizure has been upwards of 2 days in length, commonly referred to as Status Epilepticus. These are the life threatening seizures that resulted in a nearly 6 month hospital stay for Runner from late 2006 into early 2007.

He depended on a ventilator and A LOT of sedation meds to keep him going, not to mention the anticonvulsants. Runner had a Vagal nerve stimulator placed with no luck in stopping the monstrous seizures. His arms, legs, and head has been continuously poked with IV until finally, his veins would have no more.

We were given no choice but to place a port into his chest (another surgery) so Runner would have instant IV access. The seizures he endured during his long stent in the hospital resulted in Runner being significantly delayed both mentally and physically. Runner’s 4 year old body is developmentally less than 6 months old. He is no longer able to eat, so he uses a feeding tube. He cannot talk or walk. We work with him daily through multiple therapies to give Runner the chance at life that he deserves.

In 2008 Runner was diagnosed with Pyridoxal Dependent Epilepsy (a genetic vitamin B6 deficiency disorder). Currently Runner takes over 40 pills a day to regulate his seizure disorder. Later in 2008, Runner had a routine MRI that revealed he was also suffering from hydrocephalus, fluid on the brain that causes a dramatic increase in pressure. Runner immediately had a shunt placed in his brain and has since had 2 shunt revisions to successfully get the fluid to flow out.

Runner’s constant medical needs and hospital stays were demanding on his mommy and daddy’s attention, unfortunately this resulted in daddy losing his job. With one income and Runner’s constant medical needs there isn’t a lot of money left at the end of our month….especially for home remodeling. Currently, we have to carry Runner everywhere within our home. His wheelchair will not smoothly move throughout the house and we don’t have a wheelchair ramp to get his wheelchair in and out. It weighs nearly 150 lbs. and requires 2 people to move it. Our home is quite old and in need of major repairs for which the city of St. Ann keeps reminding us. We do not have money to accommodate any of those needs. The windows and asbestos siding are very old and as a result, our heating and cooling bills are extremely high. We need your help to give Runner a safe, secure and accessible place to live!

To help the Aitkens with expenses, friends are sponsoring a Crazy Bowl, 7 p.m. Nov. 7 at St. Charles Lanes, 2187 First Capitol. Registration fee is $25. For more information, contact Pam Bourda.