My name is Grafton Cox. I live in West Covina, California, with my wife, Deena Michelle, and our five-year-old son, Granger Thomas, who was born with a rare condition known as Q-144 Syndrome. Basically, this means part of his brain is missing; it's left him physically and mentally disabled. He will probably never walk or talk on his own; he will probably always have the mind of an infant. In addition to all this, he also has problems with his heart.
He can see and he can hear; he also can eat, but we have to feed him. He may eventually end up having to get a stomach (gastrostomy) tube (G-tube) placed because he sometimes chokes as he eats and there's always the danger of aspiration pnuemonia, which has put him into the hospital more than once. His heart also has put him into the hospital. If it's not one thing, it's always another ....
Granger is the only one of our kids who is affected. We don't know why this happened; there are less than 40 cases of people having what Granger does worldwide; many doctors still don't know about it or what to do about it to help children like our son. It is very frustrating because we want answers; yet we usually end up banging our heads against the wall in frustration.
Besides Granger, we have two other children: eight-year-old Georgina Rose and ten-year-old Graylin Blaze. They are perfectly healthy and both dote on their little brother.
Because of our youngest child's situation, my wife is a homeschool teacher: that way, she can be with the kids (and keep an eye on Granger). As for me, I work for the post office; I am a mail carrier. I have done this for over 15 years now.
When we can't be there for our kids, my mom comes and supervises things. In addition, we have nurses come out several times a week to help with Granger's care -- and to give us a needed break. While the nurses are at our place, we take Geo and Gray with us out to eat, to the park, or perhaps to the video game store place or bowling, or maybe even to go roller skating. That way, they can stop worrying so much about their little brother and live life as normal kids. And we can concentrate on each other, meaning Dee and myself.
Our biggest wish: for people to accept our little boy and to see past his disabilities, see what a great kid he really is. Even though he cannot talk or walk, he is very good at making his feelings known, and he is a champion smiler. He enjoys life and he enjoys meeting people. Whenever he meets new people, Granger will bat those big brown eyes of his and give the world's biggest smile; people can't help but melt each and every time. He is such a little charmer!
Well, it's time to give Granger his nightly round of medications and get him to bed, so we will go. I will write in here again soon with another update about Granger as well as Deena, Geo, and Gray. You haven't heard the last from us, the Cox family! Take care and God bless!
~Sincerely, Grafton Cox, West Covina, California. :)
*to be continued.*
