Each month we donate a portion of our proceeds to a child with medical needs through the Legendairy Littles program. Maverick is a three-month old who is quite the warrior.

When Maverick was born in May, his Mama noticed that his right eye and arm would randomly twitch. Although nurses brushed it off, she stuck with her instinct and didn’t let it go unnoticed. Only six hours after he was born, Maverick’s Mom requested that he be taken to the NICU to be given a complete exam. It wasn’t long that Maverick was gone when nurses informed his mom that he was indeed having seizures that would last 10 minutes and only have 60 seconds between them. This is referred to as status epilepticus. Having seizures of this type is a medical emergency that can lead to brain damage.

Maverick’s mom sticking with her instinct showed just how important it is for Moms to stand up for their children no matter what is told to them. Maverick was quickly transported 45 minutes away where they would try to control his seizures with the typical medications.

Unfortunately, even IV medications were not helping Maverick’s seizures. At less than a day old, Maverick was placed into a medically induced coma to allow his brain time to rest and heal. This would also allow his medical team the chance to figure out why this baby who they believed was born healthy was experiencing such traumatic seizures. The process of putting Maverick into a coma would take several days, followed by being in the coma for four days.

One of the first tests that doctors ran was an MRI. A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan uses radio frequencies to create images of the inside of a body without the use of radiation. After his MRI results were read, Maverick was diagnosed with Lissencephaly and Megalencephaly. Lissencephaly means a to have a smooth brain. This is a very rare, gene-linked brain malformation. Although there is no cure, some children can show progress in development. Unfortunately, this condition is often terminal before the age of ten years old. In Maverick’s case, his left side of the brain is where the folds and ridges that are typically present are smooth. Megalencephaly means to have a large brain. For Maverick, the left side of his brain is larger than the right side. This can happen when your body produces too many brain cells while developing, or your brain cells are larger than they typically are.

After four days in his COMA, doctors began to wean him of the medications, but then Maverick’s heart rate began to drop. Doctors believed that they would be a chance he would not make it through the night. Thankfully, he showed his warrior spirit and made it through all while doctors watched his heart rate stabilize. Maverick is currently being evaluated for a hemispherectomy. This is a very radical surgery where the damaged parts of the brain is partially or completely removed from the healthy parts. His medical team feels that this is Maverick’s best chance of controlling seizures and give the healthy parts
of his brain time to continue to grow and develop.

Maverick’s brother says it best: “He’s perfect."

During the month of August, a portion of our proceeds will be donated to Maverick’s family to help with his ongoing medical needs including specialized equipment, medication, and extended hospital stays.