Carter was jaundiced since birth but not the kind that goes away with time. His doctor’s confirmed that he had liver disease when he was 7 weeks old. Carter’s highest conjugated bilirubin was 9.0 mg/DL on 9/30/11 and ZERO on 11/14/12! He miraculously became better over time. Carter was originally listed to get a liver transplant at 7 months old was taken off the list at 17 months old, 9-14-12, the first time because he was doing so well. Carter was not diagnosed until 31 months old after having a gene exome sequencing / gene panel ran. The progressive scarring (cirrhosis) of his liver, caused by a genetic disorder of hypercholanemia, lead to a diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in March of 2013. Carter is alive today because of his new liver received on April 24, 2013, 19 days after being listed the second time, eight days after his 2nd birthday. Despite many hardships in Carter’s life such as itching, upset tummy, procedures, and changing a nasogastric feeding tube every month for 22 months of his life, he was always a happy baby / little boy. We never knew how good he could feel until after seeing him with his new liver. His donor had given him a NEW life he didn’t even know existed. Carter began walking a month after his transplant and eating by mouth four months after. He is a happy, gentle hearted little boy, wise beyond his years. Carter is playful, has a hunger for knowledge, and a great imagination. If he isn’t talking, he is singing or humming. We could never repay our thanks, nor put into words how grateful we are to have Carter in our lives. PRAISE God and BLESS our donor family!!! Watch Carter’s video HERE.
