Children's Hospitals Today - Fall 2024 - 32

VITALS / THRIVING
Bonding through adversity
Three surgeries led to a special relationship between a child and his surgeon.
impact nerves in the extremities.
Over the next two years, one complication after another
led to a total of three surgeries for Hudsyn. " That's a lot of
surgeries for anyone, but it's really a lot when he's only 4 years
old and they're operating on his brain, " said Brittany.
Hudsyn worked hard at physical therapy to relearn how to
walk for the third time in 18 months and was finally cleared
to run and play sports.
Pediatric neurosurgeon Ron Grondin told the family
Hudsyn was the first patient he's operated on three times.
Hudsyn wears that distinction like a badge of honor. " Dr.
Grondin is Hudsyn's favorite doctor ever, " said his mom. " They
really formed a special relationship. "
While most patients would welcome the reprieve of hospital
visits and doctor's appointments, Hudsyn took it hard. " When
Dr. Grondin told us that everything looked great and we didn't
need to come for any more appointments, Hudsyn came home
crying because he was devastated he couldn't see Dr. Grondin
anymore, " Brittany said. " He always asks if Dr. Grondin can be
his doctor for everything. "
Today, Hudsyn has recovered and is free from follow-up
Hudsyn (left) and his family. After three brain surgeries, Hudsyn enjoys
playing T-ball and running in the field with his friends.
H
udsyn may only be 6 years old, but he's an old soul,
according to his mom, Brittany.
In addition to his love for morning coffee with his
grandma and deep conversations with his family, Hudsyn
enjoys things that most other kids do: playing
sports, throwing balls, running, and playing
with his older brother.
Brittany is amazed at Hudsyn's progress. Not
long ago, he was in the Mary Bridge Children's
Hospital & Health Network's PICU recovering
from brain surgery and going to physical
therapy multiple times a week.
Hudsyn was born healthy and happy, but
visits. Now he spends his time enjoying preschool and playing
on a T-ball team, where his favorite thing is throwing the
baseball and running in the field with his friends.
It's an incredible achievement, but it doesn't stop Hudsyn
" HE ALWAYS ASKS
IF DR. GRONDIN CAN
BE HIS DOCTOR FOR
EVERYTHING. "
his mom noticed one of his feet was turned
inward and seemed weaker than the other when he was
about 9 months old. Over time, Hudsyn began suffering
from migraines and became increasingly uncoordinated,
falling upwards of 20 times a day. Doctors at Mary Bridge
Children's discovered Hudsyn had syringomyelia, a type of
fluid-filled cyst that grows within the spinal cord and can
from thinking about Dr. Grondin. " He enjoys playing with
his doctor kit and pretends to dress and act like Dr. Grondin, "
Brittany said. " He even drew pictures for him and sent them
with a Christmas card because he really, really misses him. "
Some days it's hard for his mom to wrap her mind around
everything that's happened. " When he's not
feeling well or gets an occasional headache,
he'll say to me, 'Maybe it's time to go back and
see Dr. Grondin,' " Brittany said. " Hudsyn is so
self-aware, and I always ask if his headache is
bad enough to need to go to the hospital, or if he
just needs some Tylenol. So far, he's only needed
the medicine, but the way that he thinks about
Dr. Grondin just speaks volumes to the impact
that Dr. Grondin has had on his young life. "
The original version of this article was published by
Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Network at
marybridge.org/blog.
Tell us an amazing patient story. Email communications@childrenshospitals.org.
32
CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS TODAY Fall 2024
Photo: Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Network
http://www.marybridge.org/blog
Children's Hospitals Today - Fall 2024

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