Luke Mccurry Works Hard Towards Independence EVERY Day!
By Beth McCurry
Luke is a wonderfully happy and bright 3 year old. He loves books, Thomas the Train, and dill pickles. He also has cerebral palsy and a hearing impairment.
Luke's disabilities are a result of a failed vaginal birth attempt after a prior c-section (VBAC). VBACs have become more common as doctors now are not requiring follow-up c-sections in subsequent births. With the increase in VBACs, there is also an increased risk of delivery problems.
At the end of my 21 hour labor, while in the pushing stage and with Luke's head crowning, my uterus ruptured, and the placenta tore from the uterine wall. The force of the rupture sent Luke into my abdominal cavity, where he was retrieved some 11-15 minutes later by an emergency c-section. By then, the prolonged oxygen loss had already done its damage.
Luke's injury is in the motor center of the brain. He is affected in every part of his body...hands, feet, arms, legs, trunk, neck, mouth, tongue, and face. I had no idea that my choice to attempt a VBAC could lead to a situation like this.
Many intense and varied therapies have enabled Luke to make progress, and for this we are grateful. Luke is medically healthy, cognitively aware, and socially bright, but every movement is a struggle for him. We press forward with therapies each day, but what we long for is a treatment that will heal his brain, not just alleviate the symptoms of the actual damage. We will not give up. Luke will not let us, as he is so very motivated and works harder than any of us.
Children's Neurobiological Solutions is our hope. Research focusing on children's brain disorders and investigating new paths for healing will help children like Luke. Hopefully, the answers will come in time to make a difference to him.
Luke lives in coastal South Carolina with his mom, Beth, his dad, Matt, and his FANTASTIC big sister, Margaret. He attends a regular preschool on a part-time basis with the help of a wonderful staff and a personal assistant.
