CCDS Family Stories

“The Happiest Person I Know” – Kyle

A couple of months ago, I was asked to write a blog about having a brother with CTD. I promptly dragged my feet in doing it. What was I supposed to write about? That it sucks? That’s not true. That it’s great? That’s not true either. With my first draft, I aimed to get to the real meat of what it was like, but it spiraled into such a David Lynchian hodgepodge of existentialism and frustration that there’s no way I could possibly show it to anyone let alone a blog on a charity website. Continue reading

“Spiro and I” – Janet

My Creatine Transporter Deficiency journey began September 5th, 2009 with the birth of my son Spiro. Although I didn’t know it at the time, our whole family would be changed dramatically by this event. The birth of any child is life changing. But the birth of a child with special needs and medical requirements, has certainly been something I’ve taken a long time to digest so to speak. Continue reading

“Run” – Nathan

Greetings again friends! While I had a post all written about expectations for this week, I just felt like this topic weighed heavier on my heart, so away we go! Continue reading

“The Seizure Battle” – Heidi

When Samantha was five, she began having absence seizures. The quick, least scary type of seizures (still scary) where she would seem to look up for 2-3 seconds and come back to her normal self quickly. These turned out to be a blessing because they got us into a pediatric neurologist who finally put a name to her half decade struggle: GAMT deficiency. Continue reading

“The One in the Middle” – Beth

With the GAMT diagnosis of two of our children, our unaffected middle child immediately became the odd man out. Even my husband and I, given our genetic contribution to the disorder, were involved somehow. But Mae, our middle child, has no ties to the disorder as of now. Continue reading

Reid (6), Rhett (8), and Cora (4)

“Raising Reid” – Whitnie

They say it takes a village to raise a child. I believe that to be true. If left up to me alone, I’m not sure I’d survive the emotionally taxing roller coaster ride of parenting a special needs child. Reid was diagnosed with x-linked Creatine Transporter Deficiency at age 2-½ after searching rigorously for answers to his unexplained symptoms. Continue reading

“This Too Shall Pass” – Nathan

Hello again friends, thanks for taking the time to once again visit with our interesting family adventures. The past several weeks have been good for us, but it has definitely been a time of transition. As spring ebbs into summer our eighteen month old and two-and-a-half-year-old have found themselves the victims of long-running springtime colds. While the colds did bring with them a double trip to the emergency room for dangerous fevers, luckily the boys didn’t get admitted and after a few days of watching closely for seizures, everything seems to have calmed down. In addition to the usual changing of seasons and all the fun that goes with the warmer temperatures, we also feel blessed to have transitioned to some new in-home care providers that seem to be improving Eli’s care by leaps and bounds. Continue reading

I’m Sarah and my daughter Ella is now 6 and a half. She was diagnosed with GAMT at just over 3 years old (February 2013).

Before diagnosis Ella was initially diagnosed with mitochondrial disease based on the results of an MRI in 2012. She suffered with up to 200 seizures a day (mostly myoclonic and atonic with occasional tonic-clonic’s), she also has severe global developmental delay and ataxia.

Ella’s first years were tough, to say the least! Continue reading

“Sweet William” – Jessica

Hi, my name is Jessica and my son William, who just turned 5, has Creatine Transporter Deficiency (CTD). William was born in April 2011 and as first time parents, my husband Wayne and I were very excited!  Continue reading

“Out of the Dark” – Beth

When it comes to high points in my life, I have many—my wedding day, each of the births of my three children.  It’s difficult to choose the highest point.  But when it comes to low points, there is just one.  I’m thankful to have more highs than lows, but that low point in my life occupies a permanent spot in my head and heart. Continue reading